Jointer or Planer?

[phxhobbyist]

If you could buy either or jointer or a planer (but not both), which would you pick, and why? I don't have either now, and hope to have both eventually, but don't know which I should invest in first.

[footprintsinconc]

i am not sure which tool you are talking about.

there is a plate jointer, which cuts slots into the edge or face of boards for biscuit jointing. here is a picture of one.

then there is a hand held planer. here is a picture of one.

then there is a jointer/planer. which is used to flatten and edge rough lumber so that you can get it to be s4s (4 smooth sides that are 90degrees to one another). here is a picture of one.

now out of the three tools above, i would buy the last one. that is a jointer/planer. this was my third biggest purchase after the table saw, thickness planer. with this tool, you can buy rough lumber and make planks that are smooth on all sides, straight and have edges that are 90degrees to the face. you can even to tapered table legs and other things on it. you can cut 1/2" deep rabbits using it as well. you can also cut 45 degree edges using this tool as well. it is a bulky tool that i heavy, but is a tool that i think a serious ww will find extremely handy and helpful.

thats my 2 cents, hopefully this is helpful.

good luck!

edit: i just realized that your name has phx in it. if you live around where i am, you can drop by and see what i am talking about. i myself am learning.

[Knottscott]

A planer and jointer serve different purposes, although there is some overlap. A planer's primary task is to reduce thickness, and a jointer's primary purpose is to flatten and straighten. A planer makes one face parallel to the opposite face while reducing thickness, but it doesn't flatten much. If a twisted board is put through a planer, it'll come out thinner but still twisted. Inversely, a jointer will reduce some thickness, but it won't do it uniformly enough to get both sides parallel to each other.

They're wonderful in tandem together. You flatten a face and straighten an adjacent edge to 90 degrees. Then you put the flat side on the planer so it can make the opposite side the same as the flat side. If I could only get one, I'd get the planer first. With the help of a planer sled, some shims, and some extra effort, you can flatten the face of a board with the planer, then you can straighten an adjacent edge with a TS or router.

[donbak]

I have been there

Now I am buying the jointer to save router face time and planner time.

[JimD]

I would also get a planner first. Wide jointers are rare and expensive. You can rip the narrow edge square on the table saw (I usually do and I have a jointer).

Jim

[crokett]

Having a jointer now (and still no planer) I would get the jointer first. Most places I buy wood from will surface the faces and there is always my sander for the rest.

[drumpriest]

If you have a router and a table, or a router and a good straight edge, you can edge joint things for glue ups. Face jointing is an entirely different story, but it can be done with a planer, with sled jigs. A planer cannot be replaced really. If you have a good source of rough cut or rough planed lumber, the planer is more immediately useful. If you are buying all S4S, a jointer is more immediately useful, to treat the edges for glue-ups.

[LCHIEN]

i am not sure which tool you are talking about.

there is a plate jointer, which cuts slots into the edge or face of boards for biscuit jointing. here is a picture of one.

...
...

To reduce the confusion a bit, that is actually a plate JOINER or sometimes called a biscuit JOINER (no "T")
not a Jointer you describe as the first item.

A JOINTER properly refers to a Edge Jointer sometimes called a jointer-Planer bcause it both edge joints and face planes.

So the OP was referring to the choice between a Thickness planer and a JOinter-planer.



The terms confuse a lot of people but I think the OP had it right.

To answer the OP's question, it depends. The thickness planer does a function that's probably harder to duplicate, but a long-bed jointer can't be beat for putting an original straight edge on something.

[SARGE..g-47]

There seems to always be confusion on the terms as several have stated. The Euro boys terms for them IMO take all the guess-work out. What we call a jointer they call a "surface planer". What we call a planer they call a "thicknesser".

But.. the question from the OP was "which if only one". In your case I am guessing you're just getting started in WW. Therefore you are probably using S4S stock (surfaced on 4 sides) or S3S which the 4th side could be handled with a TS, then shim your outfeed on your router table to use as an edge jointer. There are alternatives to deal with the edges.

But... if you stay with this hobby you will eventually find you will discover a source to get wider, longer, more figured choices of quarter-rift-flat sewn stock at a cheaper price if you purchase rough.. S1S.. S2S.. So.. you will need not just one, but both a surface planer (jointer) and thicknesser (planer) to take the less commercially prepped stock to the assembly table.

And always get the largest you can afford now as that will save you re-sale down the road if you get hooked on WW. Can we say "Up-grade" boys and girls? ha.. ha... ha..ha..ha..

Regards...

[jatco]

I use my planer more than I would need a joiner. If I need a joiner, I just use a slot bit in my router to do what's needed.

[LinuxRandal]

Traditionally, people by the Jointer first. But after talking to some friends, and doing my research, then finding a magazine article on setting up shop about a year ago, I have to say, Planer first.

Why? You can joint up to around 2" with a router (see things like sawboards, Jointabillity, EZ Smart, Festool, etc). You can joint with a table saw (and sleds or board straighteners). You can use a circular saw (again, EZ smart, Jointability, Festool, etc). And I have even seen it done with the EZ smart, and a portable planer (still haven't done that though).

You can also Joint with a planer, and sleds, as well as flaten both sides (still requires sleds).
You can plane with a router, or hand plane, but it is quite a bit more work then Jointing.

I bought my Planer and Jointer, by the bargains I found on them first though.

[Slik Geek]

When I was starting out, lacking both a jointer (surface planer) and planer (thicknesser), I was most impeded by the lack of ability to plane boards down to a particular thickness.

I could easily get boards already jointed and planed at my hardwood sources, so the lack of a jointer didn't really stop me. Wood was often readily available already prepped.

But when I needed a 1/2" thick board, I was stuck, unless I wanted to go back to the wood source and pay them to thickness a board for me.

Thus, my vote would be buy the planer (thicknesser) first. You can get one that handles 12" wide boards cheaper than you can get a jointer that handles 8" boards.