OMG Another "which jointer to buy ?"

[Michael Rutman]

That seems like a lot to spend to get only 8". I realize the jump up from 8" to 10" or 12" is a lot more, but once you've decided to sink $2K+ into a tool, you might want to consider if it's going to limit you. I splurged to get 12" and never regretted the extra cost. At this point I realize that if I'd made the 8" decision I'd have been frustrated and angry a lot.

Everyone's budget and needs are different, just wanted to pipe in and say you might want to consider if you'll be happy with $2K for only 8".

[lou Brava]

That seems like a lot to spend to get only 8".
.

That's what She said
I know 2K is a lot, I considered selling my bench top planer & buying a 12" combo Jointer/planer but that would put me over 3K out of pocket. My original self imposed "used jointer" budget was 1.5K after months & months of seeing 2-20 year old machines selling for 200 or 300 bucks cheaper than new I gave up & just ordered the Jet 8" HH yesterday. I'm just an old retired guy, if I was planning on trying to make any money with my "shop" I probably woulda gone with a larger machine. Reality is the jointer will see very limited use in my shop but I can't wait to throw away my straight line jig & palner sled !
I wood work when a need is there if someone needs a table,bed, bookcase or whatever I'll build it I never tinker around or make something just to make something. So for me it's very hard to justify even 2K for the jointer but ya know YOLO right ! The 2K is also going to hurt my ski & golf budget but a guys gotta do what guys gotta do. I damm near dropped 550 bucks on a new driver last week but the jointer purchase stopped that one.
My "sage" advice to anyone still working is buy what you want while your still making money saving for retirement isn't all it's cracked up to be.

[Warren Lake]

Lou I only had a General 8" jointer from 81 till I got a larger machine and it never stopped me. If you build furniture that size will cover it. In patternmaking had one job where i needed 9" and so tricked the machine and fine but more work.,

Also then went and used the SCM in the shop of one of the germans that passed and it was easier no tricking but it made his wife cry each time i was there till I said I cant do this anymore as I upset you. Always had a good talk and she is happy and fine in her own home in her 90's. Years after I stopped using the machine we have kept in touch and she visited Germany to where he apprenticed she called and asked me to buy the machines and I did. They told her that the machines sitting in his unheated garage shop would be rusting and go down hill and it was the right time she was comfortable to let them go. She is happy where they are and me as well. I think of him each time I press start.

I could still get by with the 8" jointer but once spoiled by a machine at 1,300 lbs id never want to go back as the 8" jointer feels like a toy. It still works fine its just sound and weight and solid no light machine is like a heavy machine. Jointing 8 wide 2" hard maple 12 feet long was not fun on the general infeed out feed support is a must, the machine did the work well enough. The SCM is 14 and that is fine, it alows you to move around where you joint close middle far to even out knife wear but no one does that. It also allows to angle wood if wanted to get more shear cut so do appreciate a bit more width but still you can make a living making stuff with an 8" jointer and no one would know you worked on that or a 20 inch martin but you.

[Michael Burnside]

Iou, personally I think 2K is reasonable for an 8" jointer. A 12" jointer/planer is a terrible waste of money IMHO. A 12" planer is too small and 12" jointer is too wide most of the time. I personally never joint wider boards than around 6'ish" because anything wider and you risk having problems with wood movement. If you want a 12" jointer, go nuts, but don't buy a combo unit if you do.

The difference between 6" and 8" is a huge step, while 8" to 12" is 99.9% bragging rights and remembering to move the fence more so you wear the blades evenly LOL

[Jim Becker]

A 12" jointer/planer is a terrible waste of money IMHO. A 12" planer is too small and 12" jointer is too wide most of the time.

Hah! I agree that 12" for thicknessing is pretty limiting, but there is no such thing as "too wide" when it comes to a jointer specifically. While that extra width might not be needed a lot for flattening many boards, depending on one's preferences, the extra width allows for skewing the material when necessary to get a better surface with "difficult" wood grain as well as jointing non-straight things. I only have 350mm (about 13.68") and I truly wish I would have gone 410mm (about 16") "back in the day" when I bought my combo. That said, the OP's budget is what it is.

[Pat Germain]

The difference between 6" and 8" is a huge step, while 8" to 12" is 99.9% bragging rights and remembering to move the fence more so you wear the blades evenly LOL

It is pretty cool to have an aircraft carrier in the shop, but yeah, I suspect it's beyond overkill for most hobbyists.

[Jim Becker]

When space allows, I'd sure want "overkill" instead of "underkill". But one certainly has to be practical for their own situation.

[Michael Burnside]

When space allows, I'd sure want "overkill" instead of "underkill". But one certainly has to be practical for their own situation.

Agreed, but I'd vehemently argue that 8" is not underkill, which was my primary point. Ironically a friend of mine has a 12" Powermatic Jointer. While he doesn't regret it, he did tell me that if he keeps the fence in one spot on too many jobs he notices slight differences in the surface along the width because some of the blades are being used less. So, he has to remember to shift the fence around more often as his typical working dimensions are less than 12".

[Pat Germain]

When space allows, I'd sure want "overkill" instead of "underkill". But one certainly has to be practical for their own situation.

I don't know you very well, but I think I know you well enough to be aware you are pretty far beyond "most hobbyists".

[Jim Becker]

I don't know you very well, but I think I know you well enough to be aware you are pretty far beyond "most hobbyists".

What I said really isn't in conflict with that. I merely said that "too big" is not a problem like "too small" is when it comes to tools.

Now for me "personally", "I like wide boards, I cannot lie...."

[Mike Cutler]

As A hobbyist, I have a 6" Jet jointer bought in the late 90's. Like Jim, mine does not change adjustment, unless I've changed knives. It takes roughly 64th off each pass.
I've done some pretty big work with that jointer, but make no mistake, it is woefully too small. I use a carrier sled with my 15" planer a lot!! Just about every project has me making, or retrofitting, some type of a carrier board to compensate for the jointer being to small.
Minimum size in a hobbyist shop would be 12" wide for my needs. I am constantly jointing and planing boards wider than 8". I do not believe that helical cutter heads are a necessity, but boy they sure are nice, but so is a 27" dual drum sander.

To edge joint, or face joint, a 4' long board, a relatively short board, takes up 8' of linear space. Whether it's air space, or a jointer bed, doesn't make any difference. You just can't have a big enough jointer, or planer.

Someday, I'll refurbish and overhaul the 16" jointer I bought off Craigslist many years ago. I've fired it up a few times, playing around a little bit, but haven't really put in the work to make it usable. It's also a square cutter head, and it can take off material really fast. Those knives are a 3/8" thick. It's scary, but cool at the same time.

[Jim Becker]

Mike, I wonder if you could retrofit that cutterhead on the "aircraft carrier" to something more modern?

[Michael Rutman]

That's what She said
I know 2K is a lot, I considered selling my bench top planer & buying a 12" combo Jointer/planer but that would put me over 3K out of pocket. My original self imposed "used jointer" budget was 1.5K after months & months of seeing 2-20 year old machines selling for 200 or 300 bucks cheaper than new I gave up & just ordered the Jet 8" HH yesterday.

I believe you will be amazingly happy with the Jet 8". I found going from my Cutech to a Hammer A3-31 was eye opening. The jointer/planer went from never used to my most used tool in my shop. I was just surprised at how often I had to do 9-10" pieces, maybe every third project. It almost feels like a plot to throw in one piece that won't fit an 8" into every downloadable plan.

I also noticed that finding a used 12" machine is rare while used 8" are common. Then again, I don't look that hard.

[Mike Cutler]

Mike, I wonder if you could retrofit that cutterhead on the "aircraft carrier" to something more modern?

Jim
Yes, I can retrofit the cutterhead to anything modern, it's just a matter of finding a 16" cutterhead, and some pillow blocks. To be honest, I haven't really looked very hard.My woodworking has been limited the past few years,, but I'm starting to get back into it.
The few times I have played around with it, it sounds like a small single engine airplane in the garage, and even as rough as it is, it does a beautiful job.
The cutterhead assembly by itself weighs over 100lbs. and the cutter head alone is almost 40 lbs.

[Jim Becker]

Thanks. I was just curious because some of the old-old machines were cast in a way that likely made retrofitting a modern cutterhead a tough row to hoe.