What 8" jointer would you get and why?

[Bill Dufour]

Used will be a lot less and available. A uhaul 5x9 trailer rents for $26 a day with tax and insurance. The 3x7 is a little cheaper and lower weight.
BilL D

[Greg Parrish]

I've been tempted to get the PJ-882HH for a while. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and buy it on Amazon.

Other places like Acme Tool have it for $300 less than Amazon with free shipping and show in stock. Just an FYI.

https://www.acmetools.com/8-in-paral...755955839.html

[Phil Gaudio]

I'd go used with either a Delta or Powermatic made in the USA (Delta made in Brazil also OK).

[Ron Selzer]

I bought a Shop Fox in 2020 8" Jointer with Adjustable Beds and Helical Cutterhead at Grizzly.com from someone else on line, strictly lowest price. Happy with it, have not used it a lot yet, 100-150 bdft of lumber. Like the length of the tables, no longer need to use extension tables like I did with the 6" Jet I used for 30 yrs. Not crazy about the mobile base, gets the job done.
Have since bought a MinMax 12" combo machine with bad motor, found a motor, now need to find the time to change the motor out. When I was shopping, I found another 12" combo machine new, wife said buy it and lets get on to lunch, however the local place (Columbus, Ohio) selling it new would not give me a price, answer any questions about it and said they could not sell it to me at that time. Told me, I needed to come back during the week when another guy would be there to answer questions, take my order and give me a firm price. I did not go back as they were not interested in selling to me. Not a small store either. Woodworking tools and supplies only. Went to local WoodCraft store, after waiting over 10 minutes for someone to talk to me about an 8" Powermatic they had on display I walked out. One customer in the store when I walked in and 4 employees, 3 talking to each other and one waiting on the other customer. Another customer walked in and immediately one of the three walked over to help him, I still was ignored and walked out. Went home and bought the Shop Fox off of the internet based on lowest price.
Had hunted for over a year for a used 8" jointer before going ahead and buying a new one. Always sold when I saw it or overpriced.
Good luck
Ron

[Alden Peterson]

I bought a Shop Fox in 2020 8" Jointer with Adjustable Beds and Helical Cutterhead at Grizzly.com from someone else on line, strictly lowest price. Happy with it, have not used it a lot yet, 100-150 bdft of lumber. Like the length of the tables, no longer need to use extension tables like I did with the 6" Jet I used for 30 yrs. Not crazy about the mobile base, gets the job done.
Have since bought a MinMax 12" combo machine with bad motor, found a motor, now need to find the time to change the motor out. When I was shopping, I found another 12" combo machine new, wife said buy it and lets get on to lunch, however the local place (Columbus, Ohio) selling it new would not give me a price, answer any questions about it and said they could not sell it to me at that time. Told me, I needed to come back during the week when another guy would be there to answer questions, take my order and give me a firm price. I did not go back as they were not interested in selling to me. Not a small store either. Woodworking tools and supplies only. Went to local WoodCraft store, after waiting over 10 minutes for someone to talk to me about an 8" Powermatic they had on display I walked out. One customer in the store when I walked in and 4 employees, 3 talking to each other and one waiting on the other customer. Another customer walked in and immediately one of the three walked over to help him, I still was ignored and walked out. Went home and bought the Shop Fox off of the internet based on lowest price.
Had hunted for over a year for a used 8" jointer before going ahead and buying a new one. Always sold when I saw it or overpriced.
Good luck
Ron

yeah I've not had any luck finding a used one either -- either basically MSRP, junk, or non-existent.

[Paul Haus]

yeah I've not had any luck finding a used one either -- either basically MSRP, junk, or non-existent.

Put a WTB on some of the various forums, maybe on some of the other online places that have marketplaces on it. A jointer is one of the few tools that need little to no maintenance on them. Replace the bearings every 20 years and wax the beds every so often.
The big thing is being read to jump as soon as you see something, those that delay doesn't get. My 2 cents.

[Drew Bernat]

I have a 8” Laguna jointer and I’m really happy with it. The fence stays perpendicular and the beds are dead flat. That said, the helical model is now $3,200 … wow. Just wow.

[Alex Zeller]

Back when Covid hit I bought a used PJ882-HH with the mobile base for $2k used. It required me to go out of state to pick up. I felt like I was paying top dollar at the time but it was only a few years old and in great shape. Funny how the future has a way of changing our opinions on if a purchase is a good deal or not. Over all I'm very happy with it. But they are a basic machine. As long as the tables are flat and the fence stays put what else is there. I have yet to find the 2hp lacking. The longer tables (vs the 72" and 76" variations out there) are nice. I would have liked to get a 12" one because on occasion I do need wider but I can't say I've never found a way around it. I couldn't imaging going to a 6" jointer now.

[Alden Peterson]

I have a 8” Laguna jointer and I’m really happy with it. The fence stays perpendicular and the beds are dead flat. That said, the helical model is now $3,200 … wow. Just wow.

Prices on all jointers are kinda insane right now.

[Alden Peterson]

Yeah, that same PJ882-HH/mobile base new would be a lot more now....

[John Kananis]

G0858 here - Absolutely zero complaints. As others have said, joiners are simple machines. I just checked pricing though, Holy cow! You're looking at over 3k with shipping and tax...I think I paid about 1700 for mine.

[glenn bradley]

I feel sorry for folks trying to get into the craft or upgrading their shops right now. I have often seen the current asking price on products I have and am thankful that I bit the bullet and bought them when I did. Much of that was due to influence from forums like this where folks share their experiences and consequences. Thanks to all.

[Dave Sabo]

8" Poitras used, then buy another machine with the money saved

Might be a viable option if he lives in Canada, otherwise ....................................

and it ain't likely to have a spiral cutter either.

[Warren Lake]

thats odd as I buy machines from italy, Austria, US, England and others and im in canada.

Its the best bang for the buck but then im old school and made a living off high speed steel for over 40 years. Too bad so many skip the basics and will never know them and understand them, its just right to a BMW.

[Andrew Hughes]

I just realize something. The spiral inserts heads are the 21 century Ginzu knife of the 80s.
Instead of as seen on TV it’s i saw it on YouTube