Shopsmith Forums

Geesh - I've had this problem ever since I can remember. The front of the board gets thinner and thinner with each pass but the end never seems to get jointed. So I end up with a wedgy looking board. I have to think it's my technique. Hopefully these 2 pix show the problem, Before jointing, I took the board and put it on its flat face down on the infeed table and the edge to be jointed against the fence. You can see the gap at athe back edge. The 2nd picture shows the widening gap at the trailing edge after a couple of passes.

From all I've read I think I'm doing it right. Start the board with downward pressure on the infeed side, but after it passes over the cutter, transfer downward pressure to the outfeed side.

Did any of you have this problem?

thanks,

hal

If your outfeed table is not as high as the cut then when you transfer to downward pressure on the outfeed table you will be lifting up the board on the infeed side and it doesn't cut as deep. The joiner blades have to be set just slightly higher than the outfeed table to allow the wood to rebound a little. If they are set too high you'll get the effect you describe. Even when adjusted correctly you have to keep the wood parallel to the infeed table until you've cut enough out of it to hold down flat on the outfeed table.

Ed, that seems so logical. Thank you.

As to blade height, I've adjusted that so many times I'm hesitant to think that's the problem. But you make me want to recheck them. Thanks.

hal

As versatile as a joiner is in making a square edge and flatting the sides it may be best to use a reference line in keeping the edge lines parallel . jmo

Solved - Blade height was fine when I checked. Turns out I was just transferring pressure way too soon to the outfeed side.

Hobbyman - seems nice to always have a reference line. In this case, I needed to get two adjoining edges true and square. Then used the thickness planer to make the opposite edges parallel to the jointed ones.

All is well now guys. Thanks.

hal

I rarely use a joiner. I'll use the table saw, hand planes, hand-held power planer, and sanding to get that edge straight first. Maybe if I kept a joiner mounted I'd be more likely to use it, but I haven't had the need that often. I have a DeWalt planer now and I'd use that to flatten the face of a board.

hfmann wrote: ↑Mon Feb 06, 2023 3:54 pm Solved - Blade height was fine when I checked. Turns out I was just transferring pressure way too soon to the outfeed side.

Hobbyman - seems nice to always have a reference line. In this case, I needed to get two adjoining edges true and square. Then used the thickness planer to make the opposite edges parallel to the jointed ones.

All is well now guys. Thanks.

hal

Hal,

Glad you have it now. Just curious how long was the board? There is a limit to what you can achieve while jointing with the SS jointer. Honestly, I gave up on doing 6' long boards with it. I think anything over 3' is problematic with it. You need BOTH infeed and outfeed support for long boards. That is why larger jointers from other manufacturers have such huge, long beds for jointing. Same thing with a hand plane. A good hand plane jointer has a loooong sole on it for this exact reason. I saw a video with Nick Engler one time, maybe a Sawdust Session (not sure), where he showed a nice infeed or outfeed support he had made for it. To get good results jointing on the SS jointer you need this support but it is cumbersome to setup.

A properly adjusted infeed/outfeed/cutter height will maintain constant all along the workpiece IF the workpiece edge is straight to begin with. However that is the goal, not the starting condition. Critical is the outfeed/cutter height. Desired condition is a workpiece fed past the blade will have the same elevation as the outfeed table. Funkiness of the workpiece as it traverses the infeed table prior to good contact with the outfeed table will make problems assuring the perfect contact with the outfeed table. Hopefully the funkiness diminishes with each succeeding pass.

edma194 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 06, 2023 4:25 pm I rarely use a joiner. I'll use the table saw, hand planes, hand-held power planer, and sanding to get that edge straight first. Maybe if I kept a joiner mounted I'd be more likely to use it, but I haven't had the need that often. I have a DeWalt planer now and I'd use that to flatten the face of a board.

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RFGuy wrote: ↑Mon Feb 06, 2023 5:58 pm Just curious how long was the board?

I was doing various pieces from 10 inches 17 inches long.

hal