# Do I really need a planer and/or jointer?



## eschatz (Feb 12, 2014)

I have a menards down the street that has S4S wood. I know it's supposed to be pricey but I'm not building cabinets. I'm only building small things. The budget is rough and I'm not sure I can get both of those items in the near future. 

However, I do have access to milled lumber (rough) at a pretty cheap price. 2$/ft oak and the like


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

You don't "need" either, but both are extremely convenient for milling rough lumber to flat, straight, square and at a consistent thickness.


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## Gilgaron (Mar 16, 2012)

You can do both with handplanes if this is a hobby. If you've got a business they'll probably be worth it for your time. I've neither as I like my planes and do most of my woodwork in the basement when everyone else is asleep. Powertools get used mostly during the weekend amongst all the other chores I've got to get done.


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## RobinDobbie (Jan 31, 2013)

The thing is, that pre-dimensioned wood is only perfect as long as the wood doesn't move. Wood moves. So, it's best to have it perfect immediately before you start assembly. If all you're doing is small projects, and you have a table saw, you can make a quickie sled for jointing that's arguably better than an actual jointer. Just google "table saw jointing".


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

The real problem with pre-dimensioned wood is how many times do you build something that uses the wood that size. With a jointer or planer you could cut the wood the sizes you need and machine the saw marks off. Then if you glue up wood the edges are seldom straight enough to just use the factory edge. The edges need to be straightened on a jointer. The planer is less necessary as most of the time the thickness is used like it is but sometimes you might want to make drawer sides 1/2" thick and you can't buy 1/2" lumber at most box stores.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Yes and No*

Yes, if you want to use rough lumber from a mill.
Boards have 2 edges and 2 faces. 
There are several ways to *edge* an board without a jointer; you can use a tablesaw, a router or straight edge and a circ saw.
There is no "good" way to *surface* (flatten and true it) a board's face other than a jointer or a hand plane. A board's surface must be straight and flat before you can put it into the thickness planer, so the jointer must precede the planer in the process.
To change the thickness of a board there is no "good" way other than a "thickness planer", as they are more properly called. So, what is it you want to do? That will determine which tool you need and in what order to purchase it.


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## stoneda70 (Oct 14, 2013)

An experience with with dimensioning was ~2yr Tablesaw only, ~4yr with Jointer + TS, then bought both a planer & bandsaw in the last year. Economics clearly trump a hobby, so spending spare time learning the dimensioning process and purpose will pay off while doing projects thought possible (some success, some fail) with what you got available. I dimension everything now. Nice stuff can be made from construction pine and rough cut makes it long term affordable for me. Hats off to those who dimension by hand, I'm always impressed with that skill. There's no limit when you have the key dimensioning tools aside from time and attention to detail. Good luck brother..


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

If you are asking, no you don't need either. It will be evident when your project exposes the problems with S4S lumber. It will show the issues when your work becomes more critical to having straight, flat and perfectly dimensioned stock. S4S is not flattened before planing, there can be minute differences in the thickness, one face is usually poorly milled since it's often run in a double sided planer and one face is planed against the grain. If, for example, you were cutting tenons with dado blades on the table saw, cutting from both faces, any slight difference in thickness will be multiplied by 2 and the tenons will vary in fit. For some folks, things like this will never be an issue, for others, it can be exasperating and the only way to avoid it is by milling your own stock from the rough.


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## retfr8flyr (Aug 7, 2013)

As has already been stated S4S lumber is not always ready for using in your project. I tried to talk myself into not spending the money for a jointer and planer and tried to work with S4S on some projects. I quickly discovered the even S4S has to be worked with to make it straight and true because it's not really milled to be that way, it's only milled to have 2 smooth surfaces. The boards will move after milling and even when you pick what look like good boards, they can move after you get them home.

If you want to make quality projects, you will need a way to make the boards flat, parallel surfaced and true. How you decide to do that will be your decision.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Gilgaron said:


> You can do both with handplanes if this is a hobby. If you've got a business they'll probably be worth it for your time. I've neither as I like my planes and do most of my woodwork in the basement when everyone else is asleep. Powertools get used mostly during the weekend amongst all the other chores I've got to get done.


I'm with this guy. :thumbsup:


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## Joeb41 (Jun 23, 2012)

I plane alot of rough lumber and don't have a jointer, no room for one. I made a 10" wide sled out of 3/4" MDO which is very flat. A stop on the end keeps the board from kicking out. If the board doesn't lay flat on the sled I shim it with wedges held in place with hot glue. A couple of passes through the planer gives me a nice flat surface to work from. Yes, it takes a little to do a dozen or so boards but I'm retired so time is not a problem and a jointer big enough to do a 10" board would fill half my shop.


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## rbk123 (Jan 10, 2013)

When your small projects stop working out satisfactorily with S4S, then you'll know it's time.


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