# Jointer widths



## klr650 (Apr 4, 2010)

I've always wondered this (okay, not ALWAYS:icon_smile, but when choosing jointers, typically they come in 6" widths but variable bed lengths. A 6" jointer will allow you to edge a 6"x piece of wood which if you think about it is pretty huge, especially if the board is 12 or 13" wide.

Seems like a jointer would be a better and safer piece of equipment for a hobbyist if it was limited to 3", and simply came with a long bed by default. 

Think about it, how many tablesaws can cut a 6" tall plank? So if you can smooth a 6" edge, but can't cut the other side to make a straight board - what's the point? You'd have be a production house to be able to handle a 6"x13" with any real precision.

Alright I'll stop ranting, just blowing off some work stress.


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## JohnK007 (Nov 14, 2009)

It's not the thickness of the board that makes a wider jointer desirable to many of us as it is the width of the board for face jointing. I have a 6" jointer and yes, for 90% of what I do it is fine, but the few times I've wanted to face wider stock I have to come up with alternatives. For me woodworking nirvana would be a 6" and a 16" jointer but the likelihood of that ever being realized is slim to none. You are right about bed length. Longer is better for long stock.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Just so Ya know*

You said:
A *6" jointer *will allow you to *edge *a 6"x piece of wood which if you think about it is pretty huge, especially if the board is 12 or 13" *wide* .......HUH?

I think you meant to say *surface* rather than edge.... a 6" jointer can edge joint a board 16" wide (held vertically) and if you keep it flush to the fence. The jointer size (4" or 8") is a width dimension, a maximum *surfacing* dimension, laying flat on the beds.
The "thickness" of the board will not be an issue unless the board/cant is greater than 6" in the width. Thickness and width are not used interchangeably, as in a 2" x 4" x 8'long, 2" being the thickness, 4" being the width and so on. Before boards are put into the thickness planer they must have a straight/flat surface to register on the bottom. Or you will get a board of uniform thickness, but not straight or flat.

Boards can be edge jointed or* surfaced* on a jointer, either one. Most woodworkers generally like a bigger, wider jointer with more horsepower...in the event they need to surface a wide board say 8", and then to join several together by edge jointing to form a panel maybe 16" wide or more. The longer the beds the more accurate the edge will be. You can do a pretty darn straight edge with a sliding jig on the table saw if your set up is good. There are lots of videos on You Tube to gain more info.  bill


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## jraksdhs (Oct 19, 2008)

*heres my thought*

To me having a jointer that is less than 10 inches wide is a waste of money. Every board that comes in my shop is face jointed, edge jointed, then run through the table saw. I've never bought rough lumber that was less than 6". Heck, even s4s isnt straight or flat. By the way, I have a 12" Griz jointer with an 84" inch bed.

jraks


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## klr650 (Apr 4, 2010)

*nothing to see here, move along*

What I meant was that a jointer could edge any thickness of board up to 6".

*It was a dumb point to begin with*, but my thought was based on how I use my tools. Joint the edge, use the tablesaw to trim to width, plane to thickness, then cut to length, then shape the edge if desired. I just look at a 6" thick board and wonder what the heck would be done with something that thick that would require jointing an edge. If I wanted to plane it - that's what the planer is for. But anything that thick would be resawn into lathe material. That wouldn't require a straight edge.

Like I said, just venting some work stress.:furious:


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

You need to face joint the board before you run it through the planer. You put the jointer face down on the planer. This way you will get a truly flat board that is of equal thickness. That's assuming the joiner and planer are properly set up.
Tom


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## mickit (Oct 5, 2009)

TomC said:


> You need to face joint the board before you run it through the planer. You put the jointer face down on the planer. This way you will get a truly flat board that is of equal thickness. That's assuming the joiner and planer are properly set up.
> Tom


Tom you may want to re-phrase. If you put the jointer face down on the planer, it ain't gonna be pretty!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I get it now*

You said: What I meant was that a (6") jointer could edge any thickness of board up to 6". 
Yes, that's true a "board" measuring 6" thick by 12" wide by 6 feet long would be an example of what you are saying. That's one hellova "board" to handle on the jointer.  :yes:
Most of us will never have to deal with that size chunk of lumber. However, I have run some similar sized cants 12" wide and 7" thick from a bandsaw resaw on a 13" jointer and it's a bit heavy. 
I edited my post above to clarify my point. FYI.  bill


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## klr650 (Apr 4, 2010)

I guess if I ever want to create a drawbridge or help re-deck an old WWII aircraft carrier I will be thankful that the people who make jointers aren't as short-sighted as me:icon_smile:

I guess the biggest goof on my part is assuming everyone here is a hobbyist like myself - obviously people who do woodworking for a living would be pretty put out if everything was sized for home use!

I wonder how many people actually max out their tool dimensions? For instance if I actually tried to feed a 13"x15"x5' board through my planer I seriously doubt the feed rollers would be able to handle it without some serious skid-marks on the wood (not that the table the planer stands on would be able to handle the weight - unless I was processing balsa!) I have no doubt my jointer can handle 6" widths perfectly fine, smoothly feeding stock that size would be a real problem.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

klr650 said:


> I guess the biggest goof on my part is assuming everyone here is a hobbyist like myself - obviously people who do woodworking for a living would be pretty put out if everything was sized for home use!
> 
> I have no doubt my jointer can handle 6" widths perfectly fine, smoothly feeding stock that size would be a real problem.



There can be a difference between a homeowner/hobbyist machine and one for industrial use. But, that doesn't preclude the ability to use a tool wisely and effectively. Some procedures are just at the max from the beginning.

For example I had three Mahogany boards that were 20" wide, 18' long and 12/4 thick. I couldn't cross cut them because I needed the lengths, but I had to rip them. So, jointing was the first step, and wound up tipping over a jointer. Ripping on the TS was a feat of strength just to push it through. Some procedures call for two men.

Some of the size problems can be solved in how and what you order for the project. The problem I had was I needed all my solid wood from the same batch, and I didn't want to run out. It also depends on what's available.












 









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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

6" jointer and a 15" planer here and friends in the lumber biz.Its called outsourcing........They have forklifts and cheap labor.For me its a space vs $$ thing,not willing to give up fl space for larger than above pcs.Our shop is probably 75$ or so a sq ft,maybe a little more,to build.My friends have huge polebarns with skid loaders runnin around with "total loss"(thats NO insurance)policy's.I can't beat their prices,so they get the biz for prepped lumber.


Don't waste fl space on equip that can't earn its keep.Yes,a jointer is required for edge prep....but a nice 6 will do that.I see an awful lot of "my jointer is bigger than yours" in shops that should know better.They're sittin on 12-16 jointers that NEVER get turned on,mainly to outsourcing.BW


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## Julian the woodnut (Nov 5, 2008)

I have a 6" delta that has seen tons of use over the past 15 years and I always wish I had at least an 8". I wouldn't miss the extra foot of space it would take up and could greatly appreciate the extra capacity.


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

mickit said:


> Tom you may want to re-phrase. If you put the jointer face down on the planer, it ain't gonna be pretty!


I saw that after i posted but could not edit it on my ipad. I should have said"jointed face down". 
Tom


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

KLR650 you stated that you had no doubt that your joiner would handle 6"width but you would have problems smoothly feeding it. I have a 6"delta jointer and face jointer five 5 3/4" board last night before planing to final thickness. I also wish I had an 8" jointer and do woodworking as a hobby.
Tom


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## klr650 (Apr 4, 2010)

cabinetman said:


> There can be a difference between a homeowner/hobbyist machine and one for industrial use. But, that doesn't preclude the ability to use a tool wisely and effectively. Some procedures are just at the max from the beginning.
> 
> For example I had three Mahogany boards that were 20" wide, 18' long and 12/4 thick. I couldn't cross cut them because I needed the lengths, but I had to rip them. So, jointing was the first step, and wound up tipping over a jointer. Ripping on the TS was a feat of strength just to push it through. Some procedures call for two men.
> <snip>.


That's really the problem too. Mahogany is HEAVY, and boards that size are a real problem. Sorry about your jointer tipping over - hopefully didn't bang up the table on impact.

You mentioned how it could be a feat of strength - it can also be a real safety issue too. Having to shove something across the table makes it that much likely to jam. Although I'm not sure if a tablesaw will kickback a log that big
Sounds like in your case it was a job for 3 people, not 2. 2 to move the boards, and the third to perform the hernia operation afterward.


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## sketel (Sep 15, 2010)

I have thought something similar to the OP.

Being that I build doors, I would love to have a 6 inch jointer with a 60" infeed that is built as heavy-duty as an industrial 12 inch. Why is it so difficult to find an industrial-duty 6" jointer nowadays? I am using an old walker turner, that thing is built solid but as far as new machinery, it's hard to find something comparable.

Most of my stiles are under 6" wide, some of my rails are wider but I usually glue up those to avoid cupping. I usually just touch up any high spots with a belt sander (if needed) so it will ride flat through the planer rather than face jointing those glue-ups. And if it is engeneered core, I bookmatch and edge glue the face veneers. Those would get tore up going through the jointer.

So I agree, some shops don't need bigger than 6" but I guess a long-bed 8" doesn't take up that much more room.


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## jraksdhs (Oct 19, 2008)

*not sure*



sketel said:


> I would love to have a 6 inch jointer with a 60" infeed


I'm pretty sure they dont make one that size.....even grizzlys largest 16" jointer only has a total bed length of 99". Can you imagine a jointer that is over 10 feet long? I think I'll go dream about one now......

jraks


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## klr650 (Apr 4, 2010)

Well that's the part you missed - you see the infeed is 60", but the outfeed, well.... that's only 6":laughing:


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## sketel (Sep 15, 2010)

Yeah, I was just exaggerating to make my point. Would be nice though.


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