# Do I need a jointer?



## Rhaugle (May 12, 2017)

Hi all,
Got the wife on board to purchase a jointer. My biggest question is if I really need one? Do you guys run e every board through a jointer, or just ones you plan on gluing together? I have read that some people use them on every board for every project, and I've read that some people only use them for really bad wood like pallets or old reclaimed wood. 

I do have the room, and a 220v hook up. 

Thanks.


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

In my book a jointer is only second to a table saw in importance in the shop. I start with using a jointer to straighten the lumber before ripping it. Then it's indispensable when gluing up panels.


----------



## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

I never run pallet lumber across my jointer or through my planer. It only takes a small part of a hidden broken nail to ruin your blades. It’s just not worth it IMO. 

In a small shop a jointer can be a better choice than a planer because using sheet material and S4S lumber you can get by without the planer.


----------



## Willy-N (Apr 16, 2017)

Toolman50 said:


> I never run pallet lumber across my jointer or through my planer. It only takes a small part of a hidden broken nail to ruin your blades. It’s just not worth it IMO.
> 
> In a small shop a jointer can be a better choice than a planer because using sheet material and S4S lumber you can get by without the planer.


 A guy who lives near me brought me some boards to plane so he could finish a window frame. My eye caught a shinny and as looked the wood over I pulled out about 5 staples and was concerned there may be more. Did not hit any but crap the lumber yards fill boards with staples putting the plastic over the wood! Probley need a cheap metal detector now to check wood with?


----------



## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

I bought my jointer at the same time as my table saw. Used a lot. However, not every board is run through it, but I would guess the majority are. If for nothing else than to clean up edge.

George


----------



## difalkner (Nov 27, 2011)

I'm like Steve and George, just about every board I work with gets a pass across the jointer. I either need to flatten a face to then run through the planer or clean up an edge before going to the tablesaw or get an edge ready for gluing. A jointer is indispensable to me.

David


----------



## sbrader (Aug 27, 2015)

I bought a jointer from my wife's friend when she was selling off her late husband's tools a year and a half ago. The first project with it made me wonder how I had ever managed without one. I buy my lumber rough from a local mill and I use the jointer on virtually every board. It only takes a few seconds to flatten and square stock that used to take forever when trying to use my TS and planer. 

Scott


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*The tablesaw needs the jpointer ....HUH?*

The tablesaw has a flat and straight table and fence. If you feed twisted, cupped, curved or warped boards on it, there will be a kickback OR your cut/rips will be curved. :surprise2: You should have one flat, straight surface on the tablesaw bed, but you need one against the fence as well.

So, it's a safety and accuracy issue. A curved board, if long enough, will fall off the 2 points on the fence where it touches and recreate the curve. Very long straight rails can be used along the fence to correct this OR a jointer can be used to remove the curve.

Besides presenting a nice, clean smooth surface, jointing helps you see the grain without and saw marks.... there are many reasons to have a jointer.


----------



## Maylar (Sep 3, 2013)

My only regret about having a jointer is that I wish mine was bigger. An 8 inch long bed jointer would see a lot more use than my 6 inch. The problem I have is that a short bed can't flatten a long board. I end up with a tapered thickness more often than not. So I've become accustomed to using a scrub plane first to get a board relatively flat on one side then running it through a planer. Same with edges, I can quickly straighten one edge with a jack plane enough to use it as a reference against the table saw fence. Shorter pieces however always see the jointer first.


----------



## Jassper (Sep 13, 2017)

I assume all you guys are starting with rough saw wood? Most of my wood is surfaced on both sides and straight lined on one edge when it comes to me, so as long as my TS is cutting square and with an 80 tooth blade, I have never needed a jointer. I use a 4' edge sander to take any saw marks out when making cabinets, but jointing edges together has never been an issue.

However, now I am starting to get into possibly milling my own lumber, and I bring home small logs from my property time to time, So I have been looking into getting an 8 or 10" jointer for that. I see a big use for it in those cases. Just a lot simpler to get a straight edge. I think it depends a lot on your application as to how important one is.


----------



## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

going from rough sawn to s4s you may find a table saw sled a whole lot easier/quicker/surer than attempting to make the first straight edge on a joiner.

details here:
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f12/rip-sled-56436/


----------



## cmh512 (Sep 27, 2017)

The number of power tools and/or machines you need = n+1 where n is the number you have now. So, yes, you need a jointer .


----------



## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Jassper said:


> I assume all you guys are starting with rough saw wood? Most of my wood is surfaced on both sides and straight lined on one edge when it comes to me, so as long as my TS is cutting square and with an 80 tooth blade, I have never needed a jointer. I use a 4' edge sander to take any saw marks out when making cabinets, but jointing edges together has never been an issue.
> 
> However, now I am starting to get into possibly milling my own lumber, and I bring home small logs from my property time to time, So I have been looking into getting an 8 or 10" jointer for that. I see a big use for it in those cases. Just a lot simpler to get a straight edge. I think it depends a lot on your application as to how important one is.


'
Bad assumption. Most of the wood I use is surfaced at least s2s.

George


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*That's the difference!*



GeorgeC said:


> '
> Bad assumption. Most of the wood I use is surfaced at least s2s.
> 
> George



The only wood that does not require being jointed, is wood that has been previously jointed. :surprise2: 

Edges are different than surfaces and can be straightened in several ways other than being run over a jointer .... by hand plane, or by a straightening sled on the table saw. 

The only easy way to "surface" a board, which means making it straight and flat is on the jointer, however a sled on the thickness planer will also work for wide boards, but it's time consuming to set up.

I have used all the above methods, hand plane, straight line rip sled, and thickness planer sled .... all on rough sawn lumber! Occasionally, even S4S or SA2S wood will warp slightly in the drying process and will require a pass over the jointer. 

Yes, you will eventually need one! :wink2:


----------



## Joeb41 (Jun 23, 2012)

If you have the room, the power and the wife is willing go for it, you will use it.


----------



## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

cmh512 said:


> The number of power tools and/or machines you need = n+1 where n is the number you have now. So, yes, you need a jointer .


I'm confused. Why can't you need more than one tool at a time?


----------



## Rhaugle (May 12, 2017)

Maybe I should have given more info... I dont mill my own wood.. I buy stuff from the big box stores.. I did make a "jointer jig" for my table saw, that seems to work pretty well, but is impossible to use on anything over 4 ft. So, do I still need a Jointer? maybe a Planer? 

I'm going to get a decent amount of $$ for one of the box stores and was planning on getting the Ridgid spindle/belt sander, but have been thinking about changing that to a jointer or planer.. I'm very lost on this next purchase.


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*The 3 basic woodworking machines are .....*

If you are going to do any type of "serious" woodworking you will need in the following order:
1. a table saw
2. a jointer
3. a thickness planer

For the reasons I stated in posts number 8 and number 14. There are safety issues and economic issues. You can not always trust the box store lumber to be straight, flat and square. If you run twisted lumber over the tablesaw and it binds up, you will have a kickback. A jointer will fix this issue. You can use reclaimed lumber from pallets that is twisted OR lumber from a mill that is rough sawn once you have a jointer. BUT then you also need a thickness planer. There just ain't no gettin' around this. Sanders and routers won't prepare the lumber for future use.:frown2:

You board straighten sled/jig will put a straight edge on your lumber faster than a jointer, BUT you need a 4 ft one and a 8 ft one for best results.... no big deal, they are cheap and easy to build. The surfaces of a board is where the jointer shines and no other machine does what the jointer does and well and as fast. No gettin' around that either! I've used a planer sled to joint boards and mine is one of the fastest to use of any I've seen, BUT it still is time consuming compared to a joiner ... of the appropriate width.

:smile3:


----------



## shoot summ (Feb 21, 2014)

I've been woodworking for almost 40 years, guess I've never been "serious", but I have done it for pay, and made good money doing it. And to this day I have never owned a joiner, guess I'm missing out, but I seem to get by just fine without one.


----------



## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

I rarely use one. Usually on 3.5+ legs and rarely on lumber already surfaced at the mill...


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*You can get away without one .....*

If you work with 3/4" thick material or less, make small items like small chests and boxes or cabinets, a jointer won't be necessary. However, if you work with 2" stock that has a twist, cup or curve there's no safe way to straighten it or make it flat other than on a jointer or hand plane it. 

Let's say you place this twisted workpiece on the table saw and it won't register flat against the fence or the table. What do you think will happen when you get half way through the cut, it twists binds the blade and stalls the saw and there you are holding on to it to prevent it from being thrown back and fumbling around trying to find the OFF switch under the table without taking your eyes off the workpiece.

Maybe nothing bad will happen, but why take any chances? Plywood will never be straight edged on the jointer.... well, yes, I have done it...:frown2: I do use a fair amount of rough sawn lumber, so it's just a natural step for me to straighten and flatten 2 sides. Maybe it's a matter of having one right at the side of the table saw where it's so convenient to use that any other process is out of the question...I donno?


----------



## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

You can flatten boards 2"+ with a planer if you know how. :wink2:


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*whats your method?*



Rebelwork said:


> You can flatten boards 2"+ with a planer if you know how. :wink2:


Don't leave us all hanging. What is your method or is it a secret? :|


I've posted my method here:
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/planer-sled-rails-14940/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_warping
Warped wood is the general term for these conditions:









A twisted board is the most difficult to flatten, aside from the bowed board which is almost useless. It takes some skill on the jointer to flatten the twisted board.... if you know how.


----------



## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Does one need a jointer? I can say this ... if you work with wood, you need a way to straighten edges and boards. There are multiple ways to accomplish that. Some people choose a jointer for that. Others use other methods. I use a #7 hand plane. Sure, it takes longer than it would to run it over a jointer, but this is a hobby for me. I'm in it for pleasure, not profit.

That said, I was actually just given a jointer by the wife of a friend who recently died. It is an old craftsman jointer. I have never used it, tried to figure out if the blades are OK (they probably are not), learned how to adjust it, or anything. It is just sitting there in my garage. And honestly, I don't have much desire to put the time, money or effort into getting it to a condition where it could be used.


----------



## Mr Mac (May 31, 2010)

This is my table saw...









This is what it can do.









I still want a jointer!


----------



## Jassper (Sep 13, 2017)

Mr Mac said:


> I still *want *a jointer!


And there is the key word :wink2:

For me it's not so much a "need" as it is a "want" .>


----------

