Edge Joint after Ripping

[Gregory King]

As Prashun mentioned, a sharp block plane is the most preferred. If the wood is straight grain, you get ideal jointing. But most times there will be a directional grain change part way down leading to tear out in most pieces. I find it easier to clamp the pieces in the vice and sand it with 120 grit in the ROS.

[Robert Hazelwood]

If the edge can go through the planer then typically that's what happens. Then a lick or two with a smoothing plane before assembly. Substitute sanding for the plane if you like.

The jointer in theory should not put a taper on an edge that is already straight, but it can't guarantee parallel like a planer can.

[Andy D Jones]

Glue line rip blades usually have "TCG" (triple chip grind) teeth to provide a smoother ripped edge.

Ensure that the saw blade is parallel to the rip fence. Some prefer to have it toed out a thousandth or two.

Use a feather-board when ripping, to consistently hold the wood up against the rip fence.

Sending them through the planer on edge, ganged together, also ensures final widths are uniform for all such pieces.

Sanding the edges while ganged and clamped together will also help steady the sander for better, more uniform results. Gang and clamp them together on a known flat surface.

-- Andy - Arlington TX

[Dylan Wyatt]

I am surprised this hasn't been brought up yet, but maybe I am the only one it happens to. Sometime when I rough rip pieces on the tablesaw, due to stresses in the wood, the board will get a bit of crook in it. to remedy this, I normally run pieces through the jointer then through the planer on edge afterwards to get the exact same width of pieces. This normally happens only when the pieces are narrow. What could be causing the uneven width is that you get a slight crook in the pieces while ripping then when you joint one edge you are not taking off a consistent thickness but instead straightening a crook; therefore, yielding different widths.

[Mike Burke]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions/insights/advise.

The saw marks aren't that bad..I'm just picky. I use a Freud 10" combo blade most of the time and my table saw is tuned up in good shape.
My old craftsman jointer has a Non adjustable out feed table and the knifes are a pain to get just right.

Its a give and take game...get rid of the saw blade marks but might end up with jointer scallops if the knifes are off a little.
I am going to get a good block plane and learn how to use it. Good tool to have in my shop. I have couple but their not precision tools.

I thought it is interesting that many suggested to gang them up and run them through the planer...I have a buddy that does that and says that's a good way to go.

Thanks again for the replys
learn something everyday

[glenn bradley]

As expected, there are as many answers as there are woodkworkers. My tablesaw is aligned well enough to provide me a glue ready or other no-show surface. If the edge is going to be front and center with finish applied, like you, I require better. If it takes more than a pass over the jointer to remove your saw marks I would look to the saw and try to improve there. I use a pass or two with a hand plane but, I'm taking off pretty thin shavings. If you do a lot of rails and stiles that require edge cleanup you would find an oscillating edge sander to be a boon to your shop. See, plenty of answers ;-)

[Andrew Hughes]

Those craftsman jointers with a fixed outfeed are the worst. I had one till the blades flew out and destroyed the infeed table and head.
It doesn’t surprise me that your not satisfied with the surface it leaves. I couldn’t believe the difference when I finally bought a jointer with a adjustable outfeed.

[Mike Burke]

I am surprised this hasn't been brought up yet, but maybe I am the only one it happens to. Sometime when I rough rip pieces on the tablesaw, due to stresses in the wood, the board will get a bit of crook in it. to remedy this, I normally run pieces through the jointer then through the planer on edge afterwards to get the exact same width of pieces. This normally happens only when the pieces are narrow. What could be causing the uneven width is that you get a slight crook in the pieces while ripping then when you joint one edge you are not taking off a consistent thickness but instead straightening a crook; therefore, yielding different widths.

Dylan..I have experienced this quite often....It happens to me too. You are right.

[Lee Schierer]

Mike, I've glued boards both ways depending on the project. I also have a full kerf Freud Glue line rip blade and it makes very smooth cuts. 95% of the lumber I use is kiln dried and dimensioned when I bring it home. I have very very little problem with reaction wood of any kind from my supplier. I am fortunate that my jointer has both tables that are adjustable.

[Robert Hazelwood]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions/insights/advise.

The saw marks aren't that bad..I'm just picky. I use a Freud 10" combo blade most of the time and my table saw is tuned up in good shape.
My old craftsman jointer has a Non adjustable out feed table and the knifes are a pain to get just right.

Its a give and take game...get rid of the saw blade marks but might end up with jointer scallops if the knifes are off a little.
I am going to get a good block plane and learn how to use it. Good tool to have in my shop. I have couple but their not precision tools.

I thought it is interesting that many suggested to gang them up and run them through the planer...I have a buddy that does that and says that's a good way to go.

Thanks again for the replys
learn something everyday

Regardless of how well your TS or jointer cut, they do not leave a finished surface IMO, at least for fine work. Perhaps good enough for a glue joint, but there are always tiny blade scallops or saw marks just due to the nature of how the tools operate, and when you apply finish they show up. So no matter what you have to finish the surfaces with a plane or sandpaper.

I encourage you to get a plane and spend some time learning to use it. However I would not recommend a block plane for this type of job. It can work well but only with cooperative grain, as Gregory mentioned above. I would instead recommend a #3 or #4 size bench plane- vintage Stanley, Lie-Nielsen, Veritas, or WoodRiver. They are more ergonomic than a block plane and, most importantly, they have the blade oriented bevel down and have a chipbreaker. With a little practice you can set the chipbreaker such that it eliminates tearout from reversing grain, and after sharpening that is the biggest issue new plane users have.

I try to finish almost everything with a plane, using little or no sandpaper throughout a project. You don't have to go to that extreme (I just don't like sanding) but its fairly easy to reduce the amount of sanding to just the finer grits.

If you decide to go down that road check out the Neanderthal Haven forum.

[Robert Hazelwood]

I think the biggest cause of problems is jointers with a stick to adjust out feed table. After that would be the
cheap low grade knives that most machines are "wearing". A hand wheel can be easily calibrated to move the table
a single thou.at a time to allow easy setting for hollow joints. All of my panel edge prep has always been done on jointer. The boards get an alignment V Mark
and are jointed one face "in" ,next face "out" which I find more reliable that trying to keep the fence perfectly square.
A small piece of grit in wood ,or the slightest dulling of knives,can make out feed table "climb", learning how to adjust outfeed is a must.

I have a jointer with a stick on the outfeed, and while I otherwise like the machine that feature is annoying. It can still be made to work by learning how to bump the stick just right. But a handwheel would be so much better. I understand the stick on the infeed, very quick and easy, but on the outfeed you rarely adjust and when you do you need precision and not speed.

[Randy Heinemann]

Regardless of the blade used to rip, I have never glued right off the saw. There is usually some slight rip marks. I would agree, though, that ripping 1/16" over size is too much. A 1/32", or possibly even slightly less is sufficient for doing a final jointing of the ripped edge as long as the first edge is jointed before ripping. I can almost always joint the ripped edge with only 1 pass through jointer taking less than 1/32" off.

I also agree with the response that, if you need the final width to be exactly the same as other parts, running through the planer on the last pass, taking a tiny amount off will accomplish that. I still think that ripping 1/32" over is sufficient for this method also.

[Scott Bernstein]

After reading all this maybe I should be doing something different...

I use a 16" jointer/planer combo machine to mill to final thickness and make one straight edge. I then rip to final width on my table saw, parallel to the jointed edge. I use a 3hp saw with a Ridge Carbide ripping blade. The edge of the piece is probably not totally glass-smooth like a skilled craftsman can do with a finely-tuned hand plane...but it's pretty close. I just go right to glue up from the table saw.

[Brian Holcombe]

Typically I’m planing on edge to make sure the part has parallel edges.

[Mark Hennebury]