Shopsmith Forums

Question: I am building a wall tool cabinet that is only 5-1/4" deep. I have a bunch of mahagony, rough cut 1X6, 1X8" that I would like to use for this project. Since the SS jointer is only 4" wide, is it possible to run the 1x6" face down through the jointer, turn it 180 degrees and run it through again?

I really hate to rip the 1x6" in two, then glue them back together.

I do knot see how. Sounds like a job for your planer. https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=2258

Hi Pat! Yes, it is possible to face joint your wider boards on the Shopsmith 4" jointer. I have done this with success - however the boards needed a little touching up with a hand plane to remove a small ridge. It is always a good practice to joint/flatten one face of a board before planing. If you don't, the defect from one face will be repeated on the other in the planer. If you are removing cup or warp - keep the concave side down. Twist is a bit more tricky. Here you want to remove only/mostly the corners.

First rule - you must be careful. Use push blocks and keep you hands/fingers away from the cutter head.

Remove the blade guard/featherboard, make sure the blade are adjusted according to specs.

Saw or joint one edge so it is straight.

Using that edge against the fence, joint one pass of a face using a light cut. Light cuts are the key.

Reverse the board and joint the other half.

Repeat the passes as needed.

You will probably have a slight ridge, but light cuts and moving the fence will hep control that.

Pat:

Thanks for asking the question. That is one that has been bothering me and wondering if a 6" jointer was necessary.

Chuck:

Thanks for the excellent answer. Especially since I have a bench top 4" jointer but more importantly since I am considering upgrading to a SS.


John

Chuck, thanks for the detailed response. I was considering buying a 6" bench top for these type of situations. I understand the concept of 4" widths because of shrinkage and wood movement when making larger panels. I just didn't see the need for ripping a 6" width down, then rejoining for only 5-1/4" size needed. So, if I can accomplish this by following your instructions, then I won't consider buying another jointer.

Yes!!! If the grain on the edges is sloped more than 10 to 15 degrees you can look forward to possible chipout. Also if the wood is figured like around a knot there will likely be issues. This is another reason for taking the lightest of cuts.

Many passes over the cutterhead are preferable to chipouts and high ridges.

Surfacing a board on the 4" joiner, and making two separate passes without a guard is pretty scary. Joiner injuries are gruesome. There is nothing left to "reattach"Yeah...I know, it can't happen to me.

At one time I considered getting a 6" or 8" joiner, but these are really big and heavy machines that are going to sit there occuping a lot of space - which I didn't have.

After taking a class on hand planes at Highland Woodworking, I now find that I can sufficiently true-up a surface with a #4 or #5 plane in not a whole heck of a lot of time, and then send the board through my Pro Planer. I have done this successfully with 8' boards up to 11" wide. In fact, using winding sticks, a board with twist can probably be trued-up easier, and a lot safer, than attempting to remove twist on a joiner.

Another option is to block up the twisted board on a sled and run it through the planer. All safety restraints still in place.

a1gutterman wrote:Another option is to block up the twisted board on a sled and run it through the planer. All safety restraints still in place.

I don't want to be nit-picking (your words not mine), but Tim, then you would not be jointing on a 4" jointer. You would be surface planing on the planer.