# Reliant jointer



## Screw (Nov 25, 2012)

I am looking for a 6" jointer and I'm seeing quite a few of these on CL for pretty short money, anywhere from $225-$350. I did a little looking around and of course the reviews vary from "don't waste your money" to "had one for years with no problems"

I'm not looking for a commercial tool, but for something that will work well when I need it - which will not be too often.

I've also just ran across this Enco:
http://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/tls/5182825163.html

This Craftsman:
http://boston.craigslist.org/nos/tls/5175081020.html

And this Grizzly (which looks like a beast):
http://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/tls/5154957713.html

Any thoughts? I've missed out on a couple of good tools lately because I've been too busy to get there, but I'm not working this weekend so I'll looking to just on one.

Thanks in advance


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Any one of those 3 look decent enough. A jointer a fairly simple machine, the only things you really have to check for are co-planarity of the tables and flatness of the table and fence. Beyond that they all tend to work the same. Personally I'd swing to the grizzly, but only because I already have a (newer) grizzly jointer that works fine


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

Used 6" joiners can be found pretty cheap. 
Things that increase the price include:
Quality of the fence (tilting fence is a plus)
Length of the table (short tables = cheaper price)
Built-in rabbet table 
The stand it sits on 
Electrical 
Good luck with your purchase.


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## Alchymist (Jan 2, 2011)

Perhaps just the area, but around here all three of those would be overpriced. I picked up my Grizzly 6" in excellent shape for $150.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Reliant is a cheap line of machinery comparable to Harbor Freight. I think the price is just too high for that machine. I don't know anything about Enco or Grizzly. That model Craftsman jointer looks like the best pick to me.


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## novie (Mar 21, 2016)

I have a Reliant 6" joiner for 30 years still working the nice thing about this one the fence tilts in both directions. Novie


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## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

I have a 6" Reliant Jointer, If you do purchase any of them the first thing you want to do is check in/out bed alignment with a reliable straight that spans the length of both beds and a set of feeler gauges to .0015 to verify the accuracy of the bed alignment. Knock on wood, I was able to shim my infeed bed enough to cut the error in half. It still isn't perfect but close enough to ignore for all the things I use it for.


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## 8o8guy (Mar 28, 2020)

novie said:


> I have a Reliant 6" joiner for 30 years still working the nice thing about this one the fence tilts in both directions. Novie


Just bought a used DD39C and looking for the manual so I can refurbish and use. Can you send me a copy of the manual and any advice? 
Please send me a PM for my contact information.

Thanks
Lee


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## mross61 (Dec 20, 2019)

I have a DD39C too and would live a copy of the manual if you have one. 
Please send me a PM for my contact information.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

Sorry folks, but the people with the Reliant jointers have not visited WoodworkingTalk in four years. @Ghidrah? @novie? Are you still around? Can you share your manuals with my friends above?

They might get an email letting them know that they were mentioned here and respond. I doubt it.


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## CharleyL (Jan 13, 2019)

Reliant 6" jointers sold for about $300 when new, so in great shape now I wouldn't spend more than $150 for one, and it would have to be in almost like new condition for that. I own a couple of Reliant tools, a 1" belt sander and a 16" band saw, bought back when I was raising 4 kids and had very little extra money to spend on tools. They are very much the quality of Harbor Freight and I don't expect either of them to survive much longer. I've had to make several replacement parts for the band saw, and the motor on the belt sander is running very hot in just a few minutes of use. Save your money and buy a better tool than a Reliant.

Charley


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