# Solution for planer/jointer outfeed table or rollers??



## Visions (Jun 16, 2011)

I have finally decided to get a planer and jointer for my home shop, and since I work alone, I would like to have a nice outfeed table or roller set-up, both to help with snipe and keep stock from falling on the floor if I don't make it around to catch it.

My issue with this is with the planer and jointer, as it is one unit, being the 10" JET combo machine. Unlike a normal lunch-box planer, the bed moves up and down to adjust for thickness, rather than the usual moving head. So to deal with this, I will need an out-feed table that is easily adjustable for height. The jointer is always at a fixed height, so no big deal there.

I had considered one of the multiple-roller stands, but I'm thinking adjusting the height will get old fast, so I'm looking for something quick and simple that will raise with either a crank or foot-pedal of some sort.

Anyone know of a multiple-roller stand with a height adjustment feature that fits the bill, or have a solution that will be easily adaptable?

I do have a few ideas for a shop-built solution, but I was hoping to find a nice roller-top stand that would work so as to save time and effort.
Although just saying "to heck with an outfeed table!" may be an option as well.

Thanks
Wayne


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Considering your out feed table maybe pretty substantial, have you considered (and just spit balling here) mounting the lunch box to an adjustable stand? Something with a crank where you can adjust depth of cut and height with out taking a step?

I would be really annoyed at the set-up either way but if it works for you...

~tom ...it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt...


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## troyd1976 (Jul 26, 2011)

Why not adjust your jointer to the sweet spot as far as depth of cut, than making your out feed at that dimension? For example if you set it to remove 1/16th per pass, than just know that you need to make a few passes to get your desired thickness. Easier on the motor and blades that way as well rather than trying to hog large an amount at once.
I know my joiner is always set at 1/16th and the planer after the first pass is in the 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn down, course i have accurate depth stops on it so i don't really worry about the calipers with the planner. 
For an out feed i think id just do simple trestle's with adjustments up and down, you could do a carriage bolt and knob in the center of each leg than put pins on other side to make it maintain square weather you move it up or down. I'd also mark my joiner/planer heights on them so that i could also use them as saw horses.


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## Visions (Jun 16, 2011)

troyd1976 said:


> Why not adjust your jointer to the sweet spot as far as depth of cut, than making your out feed at that dimension?


It's not really the jointer I'm worried about so much as the planer. And since to bed of the planer will be raised for every cut, as that's how the machine operates, I will need the out-feed to be raised after every cut as well.

Anyway, the infeed table is what will be adjusted to adjust depth of cut on the jointer. And being a 10" jointer that isn't exactly the most powerful, it's going to stay at about 1/32" cut depth, maybe just a hair more. It takes quite a bit to joint 10" wide tiger maple or other high-figured woods, and with the straight knives if you try to cut too much you end up with tear-out anyway.

The adjustable table for the planer/jointer was my first thought too. But the more i think about it and look at my options, it might just get left alone and just used with a multi-roller stand when jointing. It leaves very minimal snipe anyway, so it would be more just to catch the wood if needed anyway, and anything can be used for that really.
And while the set-up isn't the best, it's not bad either. It just makes using a separate out-feed table difficult. But having a 10" jointer makes up for that ten-fold!:thumbsup:

I just need to finish the torsion-box platform for it so I can have a nice level spot to put both the roller stand and planer/jointer, as my floor isn't even remotely level.:laughing:

This is a link to the machine so you can see what I'm dealing with: http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/20...-Planer-Combo-with-Stand-Model-JJP10BTOS.aspx 
I'm currently using the factory stand with 100lbs of sand-bags loaded on the bottom shelf, and it really helps make the machine stable and vibration free.

Thanks
Wayne


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## troyd1976 (Jul 26, 2011)

I'm confused, isn't this a 2 in 1 machine that you do both process's with the bed on top? If so it would make most sense to me to get it set to a nice depth of cut and just leave it set for the most part and just continue milling the lumber till its the desired thickness.
You mention 100lbs of sandbags to hold it down for vibration and stability, I'd hope thats personal choice rather than necessity?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*This will help*

A combo jointer/planer has the jointer tables on top and the planer bed underneath. It's easy to set the supports for the jointer tables since they don't change appreciably with the depth of cut. However, the planer tables raise and lower depending on the thickness of the material, ranging from 1/4" to several inches, so the supports must be adjustable to keep the feeding material level.
It's a problem! :thumbdown:
Because the feed rollers pressing down the on the material, it will stay level a few feet or so as it comes out of the planer, then to avoid snipe, it should be supported. I use single roller stands and the multiple roller supports and I have to adjust them to compensate for material removed. 












This table is height adjustable from Harbor Freight:



This is a combo jointer/planer unit:


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

You may be running different lengths, and with roller stands, there would have to be a few to "catch" different lengths. As for an easy adjustment, I don't know of crank or foot operated stands. You may get creative and rig up a hydraulic floor jack to a small outfeed assembly. Or a long handled lever and fulcrum set-up that can be operated from the feed side. Just ideas that I have no intention to patent.












 







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## troyd1976 (Jul 26, 2011)

Ahh OK, thanks very much for that explanation wood, never even noticed the lower table setups on those Jets. Wonder if a guy could rig up some sort of laser system, set your planer where you need it than adjust you line up your in feed/out feed to the laser.


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## Visions (Jun 16, 2011)

The sandbags are there not out of necessity, as the machine operates perfectly fine without them, but as with any small, portable machine, it isn't the heaviest by any means. And the heavier the machine, the better, as it will dampen vibration and keep it firmly planted in one spot.

So in all reality, the ballast is on the machine just for added stability and vibration damping, and is not truly necessary. But if you look at the larger planers and jointers, they all weigh 300-500lbs, and some are 800lbs plus.

And a big THANK YOU!!! to Woodnthings, I appreciate your explaining the operation of my jointer/planer.

Wayne


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## Visions (Jun 16, 2011)

I have found a roller stand that I think will work decently for my needs (someone emailed me the link to it), as it has a rack and pinion height adjustment. Though I will need to make my own top for it, as it only has a single roller and I want a multi-roller top. But that shouldn't be a big deal, as rollers are available separately and I have the tools and ability to weld and fabricate a new top.

Here is a picture of the stand: http://cdn0.grizzly.com/pics/jpeg1000/t/t10114.jpg 
And here is another with the type of top I want: http://cdn0.grizzly.com/pics/jpeg1000/g/g8985.jpg 

As for how I will know when the height is correct, I picked up a low-cost laser level which I plan to mount on the side of the roller stand and mount a "bulls-eye" of sorts to the side of the out-feed table on the planer. That way, when the laser hits the mark on the out-feed, I'll know it's at proper height.

I finished the torsion box that the planer and roller stand will sit on as well, so they will both be sitting on a dead flat and level surface, making it much easier to keep them at the same height.

Thanks for the laser idea too! I had already thought of the laser level, but it's appreciated just the same.

So if this works, maybe it will help others looking for a solution to the same issue? I guess I'll have to wait until the stand shows up to know for sure.

Wayne


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## Albertawoodworker (Sep 3, 2011)

I am in the same predicament.

I have not yet found anything in the woodworking world that allows us to easily adjust table height.

I have been looking at adjustable height tables and lifts. Adjustable tables lead me to an ergonomics company that make crank and electric conversion kits, and the whole table - but I sense it would be very expensive.

http://www.rdm-ind.com/x-bench-ergo.htm

Then I looked into existing lifts... and designs... Replicating a hydraulic animal grooming lift table would be easy... 

just yesterday, I found this

http://www.princessauto.com/workshop/garage/lifting-devices/lifts/8180663-300-lb-dirt-bike-lift

A similar model is available in the US. Princess Auto discounts those lifts to $40 at the end of each summer (right now), but they are sold out everywhere.

I'm still not sure if I will build one or buy a lift and install my own table on top.

Dominic
Grande Prairie, Alberta


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## Visions (Jun 16, 2011)

I actually have deviated from my original plan of the lift-stand from Grizzly and have been working on a table design in which the planer/jointer sits on a platform that is adjustable up and down by a crank handle.

This allowed me to use both infeed and outfeed tables. 
I also had my father, who is a machinist, turn me some threaded rod with the same thread-pitch as is used on the jointer/planer. So all I have to do is match the number of turns, and the table on the planer stays in-line with the bench. I likely could have bought rod with the same pitch, but I know what my father machined is accurate.

My in-feed/out-feed bench works, but needs some final touches, mostly cosmetic, before I will call it complete.

I used 4-1" wide strips of UHMW plastic for runners on both the infeed and outfeed side to reduce friction and make the wood slide easier, and it has worked very well.

I am now working on some removable "risers" for the in-feed and out-feed tables that will allow them to align with the jointer and provide me with, essentially, a longer bed.

The "lift" for the machine uses 4 threaded rods, all joined by chains and sprockets, with a threaded block on each corner of the platform that the machine sits on. This allows the machine to rise and fall evenly and precisely.

This wasn't an "easy" solution by far, but I feel the end result was worth the time and effort. My jointer will essentially have a bed just over 8' long if you include the in-feed and out-feed risers, and the planer has 4' infeed and an even longer out-feed support.
And even though snipe wasn't a serious issue, it has been reduced a bit as well, now to nearly nothing in most cases.

I'll try to get some pics up in the future, just that my phone doesn't really get all the detail and lacks a flash, so some parts are not visible in the less-than-ideal lighting in my basement.

Wayne


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## TDimase (Apr 22, 2021)

woodnthings said:


> *This will help*
> 
> A combo jointer/planer has the jointer tables on top and the planer bed underneath. It's easy to set the supports for the jointer tables since they don't change appreciably with the depth of cut. However, the planer tables raise and lower depending on the thickness of the material, ranging from 1/4" to several inches, so the supports must be adjustable to keep the feeding material level.
> It's a problem! 👎
> ...



I just bought a Planer Jointer from Grizzly. I have been trying to solve the same issue. This cart really seems to be the answer! I hope it is sensitive enough to raise only a little at a time. I may put something else on the surface to make the boards slide nicely.


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