The Shopsmith jointer has been discussed quite often in this Forum. Most of the concerns have revolved around dust collection, knives - including stuck screws, and proper set-up and sharpening. There has also been quite a bit of words about the overall size of the Shopsmith jointer machine.
Edge jointing and face jointing have both been mentioned several times, but to my memory - there has been only a few notes or questions about the other capabilities of the machine.
The jointer can be used to make chamfers, tenons, bevels, tapers, edge and end rabbets and exaggerated cut depths. [ATTACH]3539[/ATTACH]
With all of these capabilities, the jointer may be one of the most under-used machines in our shops.
Many craftsmen (and magazines experts) have said the jointer is the most necessary machine in a woodworking shop. The use of a jointer is one of the best and easiest ways to straighten and square an edge to a face, but is that all it's good for?
For all of us - Here is a chance to study PTWFE's chapter on the jointer, and to comment on this thread that is devoted to jointer discussions. Anyone haveing questions or issues involving the jointer are encouraged to post here. Also anyone is welcome to comment on the jointer, as a machine, and your use of it.
We have at least a week to concentrate on our thoughts and experiences with this machine, however remember we all want this discussion to be helpful to beginners as well as seasoned users. Also we need to be aware that our comments may be viewed (and added to) by many for a long time!
Have at it folks!!! Please don't hesitate to include any pictures that help to explain your words.
P.S. (EDIT) Here is a direct link to the Jointer Chapter: http://www.shopsmith.com/academy/jointers/index.htm
Thanks for the reminder, Tim
PTWFE- Chapter 6 - JOINTERS
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PTWFE- Chapter 6 - JOINTERS
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Octogenarian's have an earned right to be a curmudgeon.
Chuck in Lancaster, CA
Chuck in Lancaster, CA
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a1gutterman
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I suppose that we could all go find that chapter on our own...but it wood make it easier if you posted the link.
Here, I did it for you!
http://www.shopsmith.com/academy/jointers/index.htm
Here, I did it for you!http://www.shopsmith.com/academy/jointers/index.htm
Tim
Buying US made products will help keep YOUR job or retirement funds safer.
Buying US made products will help keep YOUR job or retirement funds safer.
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a1gutterman
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- Joined: Tue Jan 09, 2007 12:45 am
- Location: "close to" Seattle
That is a very good chapter. I have forgotten all of the jobs my jointer is capable of performing. I especially like the reminder about setting the depth of cut in such a way as to prevent slippage, which wood result in the wrong depth of cut.
Tim
Buying US made products will help keep YOUR job or retirement funds safer.
Buying US made products will help keep YOUR job or retirement funds safer.
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easterngray
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- Location: Cape Cod MA.
I recently had an occasion to joint some end grain. I was putting a bevel on 4 sides of a small pedestal type base and decided to do it on the jointer. It required several light passes to get to proper dimensions. PTWFE suggests flipping the stock before jointing the end in order to avoid tear out. What I did is use a piece of sacrificial stock as a backing board. It works as well, and is not mentioned in PTWFE. Just another option. Alec
1960 Aniversary Model Mark 5 500 "Goldie" with most SPT's
Wow! I am surprised there are not more postings here in the jointer chapter of PTWFE. Wonder why!
Oh well, I have a question about the safety rules for using the jointer.
Here is a quote from the 6th bullet of the safety section (near the beginning of the chapter): "Never joint or surface stock less than 10" long or more than 4" wide, edge rabbet stock wider than 1", surface stock less than 1/4" thick or joint the end grain of stock less than 10 "wide."
I've underlined the part that I question. Why the 10" limitation on surfacing end grain. That's a pretty wide board! Using a home made right angle (or other angle) sacrificial push block it seems the end grain position will remain stable and hands more than 3 inches away from the cutter. What am I missing here?
Also, note the photo of "Figure 6-10" That pine board sure looks less than 10" wide.
Oh well, I have a question about the safety rules for using the jointer.
Here is a quote from the 6th bullet of the safety section (near the beginning of the chapter): "Never joint or surface stock less than 10" long or more than 4" wide, edge rabbet stock wider than 1", surface stock less than 1/4" thick or joint the end grain of stock less than 10 "wide."
I've underlined the part that I question. Why the 10" limitation on surfacing end grain. That's a pretty wide board! Using a home made right angle (or other angle) sacrificial push block it seems the end grain position will remain stable and hands more than 3 inches away from the cutter. What am I missing here?
Also, note the photo of "Figure 6-10" That pine board sure looks less than 10" wide.
Octogenarian's have an earned right to be a curmudgeon.
Chuck in Lancaster, CA
Chuck in Lancaster, CA
Hi Chuck,
Went to my manual for my non shopsmith unit and it says 8-1/8... so if it is 8" you can't do it but if it is 8-1/8 it OK?????
Not sure why you need to do this at all??? Most time the blade cuts things as smooth as the jointer is going to do on end grain and if you need more there is the sanding disk or conical sander.
I also never use the rabbet function but I guess some people must as almost every jointer seems to have it.
Any of you that have the may/june 2000 issue of fine woodworking check out page 38-43. I copied those pages and put them in my note book with the jointer manual. Not to sure how the shopsmith jointer relates but still some good information.
When I growing up we had a jointer that at least looked like the shopsmith one. I don't know who made it but the jointer was on one side and the tilting table saw was on the other. The motor was set up to drive both tools at once or to pop off the belt for the one you weren't using.... Anyway it was a fixed outfeed design and the worst task was having to set the knives. Back then we used something called the tick method... wish we would have had the equipment that we have to day for doing that job.
That issue lead to a couple of things:
So when you would nick a blade it was easier to loosen one of them and move it over a bit. Then when you went back to cutting the nick mark would be gone. How about that for lazy? At least it kept you working until you got back to replace the blades and had to do the setup all over again.
You always had to remember to check your cuts after the new setting to make sure you were not doing taper cuts... More then once after thinking I had it right I would start working and notice that the blades and table were not lined up close enough so you would have to start over...
But at least I learn to be very careful and accurate cause it is more fun working with wood then setting jointer knife heights.
Ed
Went to my manual for my non shopsmith unit and it says 8-1/8... so if it is 8" you can't do it but if it is 8-1/8 it OK?????
Not sure why you need to do this at all??? Most time the blade cuts things as smooth as the jointer is going to do on end grain and if you need more there is the sanding disk or conical sander.
I also never use the rabbet function but I guess some people must as almost every jointer seems to have it.
Any of you that have the may/june 2000 issue of fine woodworking check out page 38-43. I copied those pages and put them in my note book with the jointer manual. Not to sure how the shopsmith jointer relates but still some good information.
When I growing up we had a jointer that at least looked like the shopsmith one. I don't know who made it but the jointer was on one side and the tilting table saw was on the other. The motor was set up to drive both tools at once or to pop off the belt for the one you weren't using.... Anyway it was a fixed outfeed design and the worst task was having to set the knives. Back then we used something called the tick method... wish we would have had the equipment that we have to day for doing that job.
That issue lead to a couple of things:
So when you would nick a blade it was easier to loosen one of them and move it over a bit. Then when you went back to cutting the nick mark would be gone. How about that for lazy? At least it kept you working until you got back to replace the blades and had to do the setup all over again.
You always had to remember to check your cuts after the new setting to make sure you were not doing taper cuts... More then once after thinking I had it right I would start working and notice that the blades and table were not lined up close enough so you would have to start over...
But at least I learn to be very careful and accurate cause it is more fun working with wood then setting jointer knife heights.
Ed
{Knight of the Shopsmith} [Hero's don't wear capes, they wear dog tags]
Oh well, I have a question about the safety rules for using the jointer.
Here is a quote from the 6th bullet of the safety section (near the beginning of the chapter): "Never joint or surface stock less than 10" long or more than 4" wide, edge rabbet stock wider than 1", surface stock less than 1/4" thick or joint the end grain of stock less than 10 "wide."
Here is a quote from the 6th bullet of the safety section (near the beginning of the chapter): "Never joint or surface stock less than 10" long or more than 4" wide, edge rabbet stock wider than 1", surface stock less than 1/4" thick or joint the end grain of stock less than 10 "wide."
Saw dust heals many wounds. RLTW
Dave
Dave
You ask a very good question here, Ed!reible wrote:Hi Chuck,
Went to my manual for my non Shopsmith unit and it says 8-1/8... so if it is 8" you can't do it but if it is 8-1/8 it OK?????
Not sure why you need to do this at all??? Most time the blade cuts things as smooth as the jointer is going to do on end grain and if you need more there is the sanding disk or conical sander.
I also never use the rabbet function but I guess some people must as almost every jointer seems to have it.
Any of you that have the may/june 2000 issue of fine woodworking check out page 38-43. I copied those pages and put them in my note book ...
Ed
Actually, there is, as I see it, no need to do end grain jointing unless the saw of the sanders won't. I have used the jointer to do some end grain jointing. Can't remember why? It was shortly after I got my SS and probably was just trying it out. It works quite well!! I used sacrificial stock, like Alec (easterngrey), rather than flipping the workpiece.
I have made several short tenons - called tongues - when I made the two couch tables. Every glue line or table parts is assembled using tongue and groove joinery. The rabbets/tongues were all made on the jointer. I found this method very precise. The other side of the pieces had grooves cut on the table saw with a 1/8" kerf blade. At the time I didn't have a dado blade. This joinery must be pretty good as there is no joinery hardware at all on those tables. All parts interlock, even the top and the aprons.
Octogenarian's have an earned right to be a curmudgeon.
Chuck in Lancaster, CA
Chuck in Lancaster, CA
Jointer safety
I to have a question about the safety restrictions . It say not to edge rabbit stock wider than 1 in. What exactly does that mean? The pictures seem to show a edge rabbit being cut into a 1X4. (3/4 X ?) Does this mean you could not do the same on a 2X 4? I have never done anything but edge jointing and a little face surfacing, so I may be missing something pretty simple. I am one of the guys who have not tapped the potential of this tool. Has anyone done any of the tapering work shown?
My lack of use of the tool may result from my dad's old Duro jointer . It was a bear to set up, and it was even harder to keep aligned. The bearings were never right, and Dad spent about 2 hours fixing it for every hour he worked with it. That said, He build a whole kitchen with the thing. I found it a "good home" at a yard sale. The guy wanted it because " his dad had one just like it". So we were both happy.
I learned the wisdom of setting the depth of cut from high to low the hard way. ( as I often learn things) The table will creep if you don't do it right.
My lack of use of the tool may result from my dad's old Duro jointer . It was a bear to set up, and it was even harder to keep aligned. The bearings were never right, and Dad spent about 2 hours fixing it for every hour he worked with it. That said, He build a whole kitchen with the thing. I found it a "good home" at a yard sale. The guy wanted it because " his dad had one just like it". So we were both happy.
I learned the wisdom of setting the depth of cut from high to low the hard way. ( as I often learn things) The table will creep if you don't do it right.
Saw dust heals many wounds. RLTW
Dave
Dave