Jump to content

Jointer Issues?


skibum5545

Recommended Posts

I was making a laminated cutting board the other day, and after I got it all glued up, while I was jointing one edge of it (I ran it through a bunch of times to get the edge laminate to the right thickness), I realized that the jointer had tapered/curved the edge upwards by a good 1/8". I was applying more or less even pressure, but I was running it through the same direction every time, because I found that it would tear out something fierce if I ran it the other direction.

What causes this, what was I doing wrong, and how can I avoid the problem in the future?

Thanks for any help and insight you can provide!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the jointers we have at work, well, they are old eh, so they have lots of wear and tear, but heres what we do:

make sure the fence is 90 degress (no brain surgerory yet)

take many passes taking a little bit off at a time(yet again, not brain surgeory)

Now, heres the trikier (sp!?!?!?) part, when you go to reach for the next board, say you always have the good side facing you, this time, put the good side facing towards the fence, get it? so if you do get a bit of a taper, they even themselves out when you laminate it, no use in laminating wood that is going to be cupped, right ??

Hope this helps

Curtis

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

the outfeed table is it.

to adjust, well it takes some fiddling, but worth it.

UNPLUG IT FIRST!!

use a good straightedge setting on the outfeed table and have it resting over the knives. rotate the knives so one of them is at top of its rotation. the knife should just barely lift or drag the straightedge with it. i mean just a very little. this will be a very close setting.

since i don't know what size you have i'll tell you what i do with mine. grab a 4 foot piece of planed hardwood and run it through. if it does not come out perfectly flat i adjust the outfeed side in 1000ths of an inch at a time. if the board cups inward in the center then the knives are too high, so you need to raise your outfeed table. if you have a bulge in the center then the knives are too low, so lower the outfeed table. just make very tiny adjustments.

in a few minutes you'll be back in business.

technique plays an important part too. don't dive the leading end of the board into the knives. keep the whole piece flat and tight to the table. this is especially true when there is an uneven edge. also, put the concave side down first. mill the ends then the canter will naturally progress to flat. if you start with the convex side down you'll need to mill the center out until the ends set flat. this is the harder way i think.

hope that helps.

-doug

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...