Jointers

Power jointers take you out of the realm of portable power tools that can be used in your backyard or while finishing a basement and into the world of higher end tools that seldom leave your workshop or designated work area. Smaller benchtop jointers are available, but even they should be fixed in place prior to attempting to use them.

A jointer is a power tool that places a square finished edge on a piece of wood so it provides a smooth transition to another piece of wood of comparable thickness. Jointers are used in woodworking, cabinetmaking, or any project where you plan to join several pieces of wood together for a furniture grade creation. Many manufacturers offer jointer/planer combinations as both tools are often used on the same piece of wood. If you have an oak board that measures 1 inch by 10 inches and you wish to ensure all four sides are smooth and square, the jointer would be used to smooth the 1 inch surfaces and the planer would take care of the 10 inch sides.

Types of Jointers

Most joiners are set up much the same with the primary difference being whether they’re a floor standing unit or a smaller benchtop model. The other factor that sets some jointers apart is the capability to also offer planer functions on the same platform. Jointers are normally sized by the length of their blades or knifes with a six inch jointer being able to trim the edge of a 6 inch wide board and an 8 inch jointer able to handle boards up to 8 inches. While most DIYers will never trim lumber in these widths, the wide blades allow you to adjust the power tool’s fence each time you’re using the jointer so fresh sharp edges can be accessed over a long period of time.

Jointer Safety

The blades on a jointer don’t look as dangerous as conventional saw blades but they can do just as much damage to fingers and hands. Jointers have a blade guard that allows lumber to be pushed through the running power tool, but provides protection for your hands at all other times. You should never attempt to use a jointer that’s missing or has a non-functioning blade guard.

Care should also be taken when pushing smaller pieces of wood through a jointer as your fingers can get fairly close to the spinning blades. Many woodworkers use another piece of wood to provide pressure on the wood as it passes over the blades. If you need to do a significant amount of trimming off the edge of a board, it’s usually a good idea to make several passes removing small amounts rather than one pass in an attempt to remove everything at one time.

All adjustments to your jointer should be done with the power cord unplugged from the electrical outlet. An unplugged machine is much safer than one that’s simply in the off position. Eye and ear protection should always be worn when using a jointer and you should also be careful with loose shirt sleeves and woodworking apron strings – if a running blade grabs them, you can be jerked into a serious injury very quickly.

A jointer can be a handy addition to your power tool collection if woodworking or cabinetmaking is a hobby, but always make safety a priority when using this powerful machine.