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Thread: Is a 12" jointer needed?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
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    Is a 12" jointer needed?

    Thinking of buying either the powermatic or the grizzly 12" parallogram jointer. I do have a planer also, so will the planer take out any cuping in the face of the board then just use the jointer on the sides? I've always wondered why they typically only make 6 or 8" jointer and I thought maybe they just use them on the side of the boards so they can be run through a table saw.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    No, they are used in the opposite order. One face gets flattened on the jointer, then one edge so that it is flat & 90 degrees to the flattened face. Next to either the tablesaw to make the opposite edge parallel to the first edge or the planer to make the opposite face parallel to the first face.

  3. #3
    Travis, A jointer is used to produce two flat reference faces at 90 degrees to each other. Then you can go to planer for face and saw for edge. The planer will want to match the board relative to the down side due to high pressure and your cup will remain. It wont take out cup, twist or anything elseJoint one face then one edge from the new face and you are good to go with a square flat result. I work only with rough lumber, have a Grizzly 12" parallelogram jointer that I put a Byrd head in. A bit underpowered but otherwise fine.

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    A 12" is better than a 8".. a 16" is better than a 12" and so on.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
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    The bigger the jointer usually means a longer bed. A longer bed means it's much easier to flatten longer boards. Once you get over 12" they tend to start to get massive and require a large shop.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    Cache Valley, Utah
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    I got a 12" some years to replace a Grizzly long bed helical head 8" which worked just fine. The 12" is MUCH more useful, IMO. I got the 12" from an architectural millwork shop that had just purchased a 30" and already had a 24", and didn't need the "little" one any more.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
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    I don’t think Travis needs a 12 inch.
    Woodworkers that need a 12 don’t ask that question

    Good Luck
    Aj

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew Hughes View Post
    I don’t think Travis needs a 12 inch.
    Woodworkers that need a 12 don’t ask that question

    Good Luck
    Right, we just get a 30" and skip all those steps. Lol

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    Peoria, IL
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    If you only do a couple wide boards for a project, and you are a hobbyist, you can make a sled and flatten stock on a bench top planer. If you will run 200 bd ft of wide stock, sell your work, then you need the jointer.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Darcy Warner View Post
    Right, we just get a 30" and skip all those steps. Lol
    I see no fault in that logic

  11. #11
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by Darcy Warner View Post
    Right, we just get a 30" and skip all those steps. Lol
    Or a jack plane.
    ~mike

    happy in my mud hut

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Sandwich, MA
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    Following up on what Richard wrote, you can joint a 12" board on an 8" jointer, then use a shim board led to plane the rough side of the board on your planer. Once that side is smooth, smooth the other side with your planer. I agree with Richard that this is fine if you just have a few boards wider than 8" to joint. If you have lots of 8"+ wide boards to joint, you'll want a 12" jointer. As a hobbyest, I use this technique with my 8" jointer and it works fine.

  13. #13
    I have a 12" J/P. First I get a face flat on the jointer, then I put that flat face against the fence and joint an edge to make it 90* to the face. Now I can go to the table saw, put that 90* edge against the fence, flat face down and machine the other edge 90*. After that I go to the planer, flat face down and plane the other side parallel to the flat face.
    I use lots of 8" boards, so the 12" cutter means I don't have to feed the board perfectly straight thru the J/P. On narrower boards, I'll actually run boards thru at slight angles, so that I get full use of the blades. I had an 8" jointer and would never go back, unless I had to.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by mike stenson View Post
    Or a jack plane.
    Too much like work. I got my 7 and 8 out once, that was enough.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    Its always nice to have a jointer with the same width capacity as your planer. It just keeps the width of the stock you can mill pretty straight forward and simple. Makes choosing lumber easier also, if you have 12" capacity on both sides that is the max width I would consider buying.
    A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. My desk is a work station.

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