Quick Tip #2
Jointer ~ the perfect tool to tune up boards!

Warped boards are bad news. I don’t know of any other medium that can cup, bow, twist, kink, crook and diamond.  So I use my 8” jointer to make warps, twists, cups and defects in boards go away. The key here is to take very light cuts and progressively remove the defective zones until the work pieces are flat, straight and square. Once the wide and narrow dimensions are true, then the planer can be used to S4S, or surface on four sides, the work pieces.

Remember a planer will only flatten the area of a board that is between the in feed and out feed rollers. So if a twist goes the length of a board, the planer will simply smooth the twist out without removing the defect. That’s why the width of a board is sometimes face jointed. It will flatten the surface.

Always use push blocks to securely hold the board flat to the jointer table and tight to the fence. I believe that warped boards cause the majority of accidents in shops. That’s why making every work piece dimensionally sound is a religion in my shop. So yes, a jointer is indispensable in my book.

Blade Tip:
Use a magnetic jig to set the blades precisely every time. These jigs cut down on the blade installation time dramatically.

Material Tip:
Only work with the grain for smooth cutting. The cathedral arch of boards should point into the direction of feed.

Specialty Tool Tip:
The fence is adjustable to make accurate beveled edges. This helps when making posts and columns.

Accessory Tip:
The roller stands are very useful aids to support long stock during jointing applications.

Safety Tip:
Always use push blocks and push sticks to control the work pieces.                   

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