# Jointer setup



## cseltzjr (May 18, 2015)

I imagine this is a simple problem and would appreciate any feedback. I thought I had my jointer set up properly but it seems when I am making successive cuts to try and flatten (pushing down against the out feed table) including trying to square a board (pressure against the out feed and the side), I end up cutting what I can best describe as a kind of progressive wedge. Each pass takes an initial cut from the leading edge of the board but the cut does not follow through to the end. By the time I have the board through, it is no longer cutting. It seems that no matter how many passes I take, The cut advances very slightly back on the board but I would run out of thickness at the leading edge before the entire board is hit by the cutters. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

It sounds like you have the rear table too high. Lay a straight edge on the rear table over the head and rotate the head. The cutting edge of the knives should barely touch the straight edge but not enough to raise the straight edge.


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## d_slat (Apr 10, 2012)

If the outfeed table is adjustable it is too high, otherwise knives are too low.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*outfeed table issue*



cseltz said:


> I imagine this is a simple problem and would appreciate any feedback. I thought I had my jointer set up properly but it seems when I am making successive cuts to try and flatten (pushing down against the out feed table) including trying to square a board (pressure against the out feed and the side), I end up cutting what I can best describe as a kind of progressive wedge. *Each pass takes an initial cut from the leading edge of the board but the cut does not follow through to the end. By the time I have the board through, it is no longer cutting. It seems that no matter how many passes I take,* The cut advances very slightly back on the board but I would run out of thickness at the leading edge before the entire board is hit by the cutters. What am I doing wrong?
> 
> Thanks


The outfeed table must be level with the tips of the knives OR vice versa, the cutting tips of the knives must be level with the outfeed table.

This thread I posted is about honing your knives AND how to rest them:
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/honing-jointer-blades-how-10066/

Some jointers do not have an adjustable outfeed table making it slightly more difficult to set up, but in either case you need to run a straight edge from the table so it hovers over the knives. Spin the cutterhead by hand and see if the knives "kiss" the straight edge. They should just barely touch it by feel, and not drag it forward.

As for technique:
Once you have a board with a deeply curved face, you need a different approach. The jointer is not a "one step, one pass " machine. It requires that you look down the surface or edge of the board and determine where you want to remove material before making a pass. You may need to remove material only on one end, maybe both. You do this by making a "partial pass". Run the workpiece in part way and pull it back out, then look to see what the results are. Repeat that step until the board;'s edge or surface is as straight as your eye can determine. Now make a full complete pass and you should have a straight, flat surface.


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## cseltzjr (May 18, 2015)

Thanks for all the input. The parts I am working on are nearly perfect....but not quite. Specifically, I am trying to get a perfectly square and flat set of sides and then run the piece through the planer to get the other sides perfectly parallel. I was expecting one pass, two at the most. I will try adjusting the out feed table and will double check to make sure the knives are all exactly correct. 

Thanks again.


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