jointer planer advice needed

[xcross]

Hi,
I'm a novice working on a set of built-in cabinets, about to start on the raised panel doors. Looking at what it takes to join boards into panels it seems like a fundamental starting point is making the boards flat and square.

Is the combination jointer planer a good tool to start with? What should one consider when choosing? As a starting point I googled jointer planer and hit this JET model.

Does anyone have recommendations for a tool in the under $500 category?

Chris

[natausch]

I looked at the Jet seriously before deciding to purchase a jointer and a planer used. A lot depends on what type of lumber you use and what projects you're working on.

If you're using S4S then a table saw will rip a joint line and you'll basically need a planer to take it down to 1/2" or 3/8" to manufacture doors. If you're using S2S or rough then you'll likely need both.

The main reasons I didn't purchase the Jet was the weight, aluminum fence, short beds and steel (not cast) outfeed.

I started with a Delta 37-190 jointer and recently "upgraded" to a Ridgid JP610. Both are 6" jointers but the Ridgid has a little more horsepower, a better fence and a handwheel instead of a lever for raising and lowering the infeed table.

The biggest factors in how a jointer performs are the reasons why I didn't choose the Jet. It needs to be heavy to not vibrate, a solid fence and dead flat infeed and outfeed tables. If you have the space and can wait to keep an eye on Craigslist you should be able to purchase a used Delta in the $200-250 range.

I also have a lunchbox planer, Ryobi AP1300 which I bought used off Craigslist. Again depending on your area you can readily purchase a used Ryobi, Delta, Ridgid, or Hitachi for around $200. The DeWalts tend to stay up around $300-400, but the 735 is easily worth it.

If this is the main project you'll be doing then you might want to check into using a router table (if you have one) to edge joint and a router surface sled to plane. That said, a jointer and a planer or a combination machine easily pays for them/itself in the first few projects if you can source cheap roughsawn lumber.

[Eagan]

My 2 cents worth

I bought a sunhill benchtop jointer (now unavailable) and a ryobi planer (possibly also unavailable) and ended a lot of frustration for me; projects started turning out better. At the time, I was able to get them both for about 500 through Sunhill Machinery and CPO Ryobi. Those bargains no longer seem to be available, regretfully.

I'd watch for a bargain in your local newspaper and craiglist. If you live near a big city, they might not be that hard to find.

For doing edges, I could get by with a router, straight edge, and pattern following bit instead of a jointer. I'd run the other edge through the jointer to make it parallel. I still do this when I work with longer boards. Figure the maximum length of a board you can joint is twice as long as the input side of your machine.

I've seen directions for making a planer do the work of a jointer; basically you fasten the board to a sled with enough support under the board to prevent the planer from bending it.

Be aware of the maximum size of the planer. A 10" planer and a 12" board are going to be frustrating.

Guess that if I had to buy either one or the other, I'd take the planer. With the planer you can do the work of a jointer (awkwardly, perhaps), but the reverse won't work.

If you decide to try the jet jointer/planer combo, make sure you check the prices AND REVIEWS on http://www.cpojettools.com/categorie...ers.html#page2 and the reviews on Amazon.com. And hunt for a bargain everywhere!!!

[pelligrini]

I don't have one, but I did seriously consider getting one. My shop space is very limited. The multifunction machine did have merits for space and cost. From all the research I did I determined that it wouldn't be in my best interest to get one. The Jet and similar machines do what they advertise, joint and plane, but it doesn't perform as well at both than a dedicated jointer or thickness planer can. You'll give up some quality and setup time using the multifunction machine.

I ended up with a new Dwalt 735 and a craigslist small jointer. The jointer is a Chinese knockoff of an older 6" Rockwell design. I hope to upgrade it in the near future.

[dbhost]

I bought a sunhill benchtop jointer (now unavailable) and a ryobi planer (possibly also unavailable) and ended a lot of frustration for me; projects started turning out better.

I have the same Sunhill bench top jointer (SM-150B) and a Ryobi AP1301 13" benchtop jointer. The Ryobi jointer is still commonly available at Home Depot for $229.00 and is a decent machine. The New Lower Price claim on the Home Depot website is a fraud though. Less than a month ago it sold for $199.00 on the site and in store...

The Sunhill Jointer was simply a Geetech 6" jointer with a different sticker applied to it. Woodworker Supply sells them for $139.00.

Yes with the combination machines you get a wider jointer, but you also get a MUCH narrower planer. You can face joint on a planer, but planing an overly wide board on say an 8" planer is impossible...

Long story short, unless you have the big bucks to buy the 12" combo machines, I wouldn't bother, just get a dedicated jointer and planer...

[LCHIEN]

if you look around you'll see lots of companies make the traditional Edge-jointer/face planer, and the thickness planer.
However, the Jet unit you linked is all by itself, no one makes comparable units. I would suspect that this is because it does not do as good a job as the two separate units.

[Hoover]

Grizzly makes a 10" combo unit for $1050.00

http://grizzly.com/products/10-Joint...er-Combo/G0675

[Eagan]

More 2 cents worth

If DB Host is right, I'm really happy with both my tools. Woodworking is so much more fun when you work with straight lines, not to mention straight boards. Though they are cheap, they do what I need them too without a lot of hassle.

[dbhost]

Take a look at Sunhill's website. No more SM-150B. They have the SM-150 which is the long bed floor model, a bunch more money, and a TON more floor space consumed, which at least in my case isn't a good option...

As far as the Sunhill and Geetech being the same unit, just look at the pics...
The Sunhill Unit...

The Geetech unit...

[jeepman71]

Stroll through your local Sears stores as well. I recently came across an older 6 inch bench top model with cast infeed and outfeed tables and fence for 150.00 so I bought it took it home set it up and have been completley happy with it. The intire unit is cast so it is very heavy to move on and off the bench but it is stable for a small jointer.

I looked at the Geetech and thought that would make a very usable tool for the money. It is very similar to the older Craftsman jointer except it does have the extruded aluminum fence.

[Eagan]

4" jointer?

I'm partial to the Gee Tech/Sunhill option, but you can also look for a 4" jointer. I think Sears still has one and it may be available at other places.

Before I incite a firestorm of people yelling about the need for a 8" jointer, I agree that it would be nice to face joint wider boards. It would also be nice to be able to joint longer boards then is possible with a bench top model. But unless you find a bargain, the 500 limit is pretty restricting.

Guess you have to decide what your current and future requirements are, and act.