[ZipSnipe]

I,m getting ready to purchase a jointer and was wondering if I can use it to square all 4 sides of a board? On TV I always see them cut a bottom and one side then move over to a planer to do the rest. I can,t see why I couldn,t use the jointer to square all sides as long as its within the jointers capacity.

[boblon]

No. A jointer is used to flatten one face and then produce a flat edge that is 90 degrees to that face.

The reason you go to a planer is that a planer will produce a face that is parallel to the opposite face (but not necesarilly flat).

If you tried to do the entire job on a jointer you would end up with 4 flat faces but the opposing faces and edges would not be parallel to each other.

If you tried doing the entire routine with a planer the opposing sides would be parallel to each other but not necessarilly flat (due to the pinch rollers pressing the piece down against the table).

Is that confusing enough

[InspirationTool]

Boblon is correct. You need both. Search for articles on "stock preparation". Your library should have back issues of Fine Woodworking. Also, the concept will be covered in most any general woodworking book.

Some even come as a jointer/planer combination.

-Jeff

[ger21]

Like they both mentioned, you really need both a jointer and a planar. Without a planer, the only thing you can really use a jointer for is making a straight, square edge. Although I do use mine for tapering boards once in a while. And once you buy a planar, you'll also need a dust collector, because you'll have more chips than you know what to do with. But you'll also have many more options when building projects, because you'll have straighter, flatter boards, of any thickness you want.

[ZipSnipe]

Thanx gents for your valuable info. Currently I can only afford the jointer but now I might just wait and find that garage sale deal that has both.

[InspirationTool]

I strongly suggest craigslist for tools, especially woodworking tools.

If you are willing and able to clean, repair and tune the older machines you find, you can get some *great* deals.

-Jeff

[Zumba]

Hey!! This is a CNC forum! Jointers are obsolete! What gives?

:rainfro:

[ZipSnipe]

The topic is wood working I believe and would cover some things beyond cnc. Don,t worry I,ll be posting some CNC router questions in about six months or so....:-)

[ger21]

A jointer can flatten a board a LOT faster than a CNC.

[Zumba]

That would depend on the size of the CNC you're comparing the jointer to.

[bp092]

Zumba, I doubt a cnc is faster than a 18" cast iron jointer that I use, but it would be nice to see

[mike hide]

I,m getting ready to purchase a jointer and was wondering if I can use it to square all 4 sides of a board? On TV I always see them cut a bottom and one side then move over to a planer to do the rest. I can,t see why I couldn,t use the jointer to square all sides as long as its within the jointers capacity.

.

Certainly a joiner can square all four sides .

A planer makes any two sides parallel . But if all you want tapered boards with all four sides square just use the joiner

[CNCkitsandBITS]

If you only have a jointer you can get close enough for most jobs by planning two edges square and straight. Then trim the other two sides on a saw bench (not 12” boards obviously) and run the sawn faces over the jointer to finish.
Be sure to have your out feed table set spot on.

John

[Zumba]

Zumba, I doubt a cnc is faster than a 18" cast iron jointer that I use, but it would be nice to see

Again, depends on the size of the CNC.

I've got a 16" Grizzly jointer so it's not like I'm a jointer-hater. It has its place for sure.

Despite the width, it is still limited in DOC, requiring the user to make 2-3 passes on standard "sort of straight" lumber, and more passes on heavily bowed or twisted lumber.

A CNC router can take it down to full depth in one pass. The diameter of the cutter and feed speed will depend entirely on the size and power of the machine. Think "10hp" and "8 inch face mill".

Plus, it is important to fully grasp the concept of automation. You don't babysit the machine while it cuts... you walk away and start programming/preparing your next part.

[bp092]

interesting reply, but how would you go about affixing the bowed board to the table correctly? in the time you could have done that my jointer would be slowing down for a stop and I would be standing there smiling as I have a completely flat and one edge square board in my hands... lol the point of using lumber on a cnc is to prepare it so that it is as flat as possible, never heard of someone using one to make it as flat as possible on the machine, but there's always a first I suppose!

[Zumba]

You'd clamp it in a vise (or series of vises) similar to a Kurt milling vise. Use large 1"+ dowels between the jaws and the board. This will prevent the cutter from chewing up the vise jaws, and the dowels should remain unscathed due to the radius. The procedure takes seconds.

This is very similar to how I surface A36 hot rolled steel prior to surface grinding.

[ger21]

The procedure takes seconds.

Even if you had a dedicated CNC specifically for doing this, it would not "take seconds". To do the job properly, you'd need to very carefully shim at every vise jaw, and possible even move vises in order to not put any stress on the wood, and as soon as you made your 1 pass, it's very likely that internal stressers in the board will cause it to move when removed from the vise(s). Which would require another setup and run.

Plus, it is important to fully grasp the concept of automation. You don't babysit the machine while it cuts... you walk away and start programming/preparing your next part.

Using it as a "jointer", you can't do much preperation until the current part is done. And if it's as fast and easy as you say, you shouldn't be able to walk away before it's time to load the next part.

[Madclicker]

My CNC router hasn't replaced a single tool in my shop, not even my stationary router tables. My CNC now does a lot of work I used to do with other machines, but I can't think of a single jointer or planer operation I would do on it.

[Zumba]

Clearly we're never going to agree on this. That's okay, that's why the word "opinion" exists in the dictionary. We each have our own.

And just because the current CNC offerings on the market aren't capable of replacing many traditional shop machines, it doesn't mean that future developments won't be.

[Zumba]

BTW,

as soon as you made your 1 pass, it's very likely that internal stressers in the board will cause it to move when removed from the vise(s). Which would require another setup and run.

Yes there may be some relieved stress, but for a board that isn't serverely cupped, bowed, or twisted to begin with, this slight wood movement should be negligible, assuming you're not doing a drastic thickness reduction, e.g 6/4 to 3/4.

I mean, think about how planers are used. After getting one face jointed flat, you take the other face all the way down to desired thickness using the planer. Every time to take off 1/16-1/8", stress is being relieved from the board. Do you re-face-joint after every pass on the planer? Most people do not... and don't need too....

And if it's as fast and easy as you say, you shouldn't be able to walk away before it's time to load the next part.

True! Of course, if you've got a big machine, you can face joint multiple boards at once with several parallel setups.

as always, JMHO. :rainfro: