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What is a Jointer Used for in Woodworking?

People once saw woodworking as the least glamorous of jobs. Still, thanks to the advent of technology and a couple of success stories, the public’s perception of people in the woodworking industry have changed in remarkable ways. As of now, woodworkers, handy persons, and do-it-yourself entrepreneurs are having a field day.

One of the main reasons for such a change is the advent of power tools, a set of mechanized tools tasked with speeding up the work process and ticking all the boxes you didn’t know existed. Today we will be touching on one of the most prominent power tools for woodworking, the jointer, and we will show you a thing or two about what the magnificent tool offers.

Here, we will discuss what a jointer is and what it is used for in woodworking. We will also describe in precise detail how a jointer works and how large they typically are.

Further along the line, we will explain in detail why you need one. After that, we will differentiate between a jointer and another essential power tool known as a planer. Also, we would define what a jointer planer combination is and what they are used for. So without further ado, let’s process how excellent this power tool is.

The Usefulness of a Jointer

Jointers are critical components in any current woodworking project, and it’s not an understatement to say that a lot of the lovely pieces of furniture you see most woodwork projects made these days possible thanks to a jointer. So what exactly is a jointer? A jointer is a power tool “used to make one face of a board, and one adjacent edge, perfectly flat and square to each other.”

They are also assets in flattening out surfaces to give the surface a clean outlook and join them to other wood pieces. Jointers make woodworking jobs remarkably easy, and you don’t have to worry about that pesky rough lumber anymore. Jointers are available at different prices; some are small, some of them are big, and the rest hit a sweet spot.

When purchasing a jointer for woodwork, it would be a brilliant idea to buy one that would fit your business line. Don’t go and buy an industrial jointer if you see woodworking as a mere hobby, and don’t run along to buy a low-budget jointer if you’re handling a complex task.

As for what jointers are used for in woodworking, the list is hardly exhaustible, as its uses transcend the woodworking industry. A proper jointer can be used to “make one face of a board, and one adjacent edge, perfectly flat and square to each other.”

Also, a jointer is a critical component in creating furniture, mannequins, and host unique uses. What more, jointers are known to be great tag team partners, as they are one of the few tools that you can conveniently join to another powerful tool to give you a top-notch finishing.

How a Jointer Works and its Size?

Jointers are a special kind of woodworking tool, as they are finely made to tackle many tasks and leave you with a finished product that is miles ahead of something created by mere hands. Using jointers to achieve your goal isn’t all that difficult, just that you need to know the nitty-gritty of how it works. Hence, first off, a jointer “comes with a rotating cutter head, which comes in with about two or three fine and sharp blades located in between two leveled and small tables.”

Following this, there are several blades that a jointer comes in, which are dependent on size. Thus, to straighten or flatten the stock, it is pushed over the first table, known as an infeed. It is also essential for you to adjust your table to a reasonable level. Following which you can enjoy the more delicate features of your jointer.

To do this, the fence has to be fixed in a perpendicular way to the tables and the cutter. The wall of a jointer is also adjustable and can be tilted while in use.” This is a foolproof method of using a jointer, and it should work as long as you meticulously follow the steps.

Size Matters

As for the size of a jointer, as we said initially, this varies in the woodworking industry, and there’s no way we can peg one size to fit all tasks. However, the most common size available is “the 6″ jointer, meaning that the blades are six inches long, the most comprehensive material that the jointer can handle is also six inches.”

Six-inch jointers are perfect for essential works, and the woodworks are typically associated with someone taking woodworking as a mere hobby and not anything outwardly special. However, if you’re undertaking a large-scale or industrial woodworking job, you should go for something more comprehensive than six inches.

The excellent part about jointers is that a jointer can handle a material that is twice its width, and as such, a six inches jointer would be just fine for a twelve-inch board. Necessity breeds invention and jointers have certainly been model examples of both terms.

Why Would You Need a Jointer?

There are tons of other power tools on the market. Some of them look just as versatile as the jointer. So what’s so special in this tool, and why do people need it so dearly. Well, as a beginner, you might not need a jointer, as things such as planers, saws, and balancing tools should do the trick.

However, after you’ve mastered the art of woodworking to a certain level, it would now be proper to invest in a jointer to take your woodworking career to the next level. A jointer is vital for anybody taking woodworking seriously, as it is convenient and remarkably durable. Jointers are great for limiting the amount of work you do in your workshop, as they are great for stock prep, measurements, dimension checking, and finishing.

It has been widely accepted in the woodworking industry that any woodworking shop that doesn’t possess a jointer doesn’t deserve the title woodworking shop. That’s how important a jointer is, as it saves time, assures accuracy, and when used in the right hands, it allows you to go the extra mile in terms of creativity.

No wonder “Popular Woodworking, and other sites, often recommend a jointer as the first power tool to invest in for a new or growing shop.” It’s super apparent from every big name in the industry that jointers are an indispensable tool for anyone taking woodworking seriously. Only a few power tools come close to the excellence jointers assure, and the most exciting part is that jointers are the easiest to learn and afford.

The Difference Between a Jointer and a Planer

As we all know by now, jointers are some of the most valuable and powerful power tools known to man, and they are great for performing numerous otherwise tricky tasks.

However, they aren’t the only practical power tools in circulation, and it’s worthy to note that some power tools are gunning for the throne. Among the competition to a jointer’s relevance is the planer, a long-heralded power tool that gets the job done. Both the jointer and the planer have taken the woodworking industry to another level.

Both have earned their stripes. However, there are numerous telling differences between both tools, and it’s worthy of note. Here are some of the most glaring.

Versatility

Jointers are the perfect tool for “squaring a single edge and flatten a single face,” and that’s because of its make, as it gives a different feel to your woodworking project. On the other hand, a planer is well equipped to ensure a consistent thickness and create parallel surfaces, making for a thorough and well-balanced job all around. Even though it’s clear that jointers are versatile in their make, they pale compared to planers, which have versatility as their middle name.

Work Flow

Jointers are the most thorough when getting the job done, and nothing is left to chance with these power tools. They are known to “finish boards to roughly the same thickness.” While on the other side of the axis, planers prefer to ensure that the boards have the same thickness throughout, giving it a balanced and even touch. Both power tools are effective in general workflow, and it depends on what you’re looking at.

Difference in Cutting

One of the most significant differences between a jointer and a planer is their difference in cutting, as they couldn’t be further apart. The jointer has “knives mounted in the table that effectively cuts the wood from below. At the same time, the planers are equipped to cut from above. These cutting patterns are both practical, and it all depends on what you plan to do, as each power tool gets the job done.

Finishing

Both power tools are excellent for finishing, with the joiner getting most of its plaudits from that specific quality. A jointer can effectively be used “to remove warping and cupping, while on the other hand, a planer is slightly more expensive, but it gets the job done nonetheless. The choice remains yours, and there’s no reason why you can purchase both, speaking of which.

The Jointer Planer Combo

Jointers are fantastic for an array of woodworking projects, they are great for finishing, and they work wonders in the build-up. On the other hand, planers are equally impressive for woodworking gigs, and they are more of a whole process kind of tool.

We’ve already brought out the differences between both devices, and now it’s time to examine a new invention taking over the woodworking industry. What’s the product we are talking about? The development in description is the jointer planer combo.

The jointer planer combo perfectly personifies the saying of “killing two birds with one stone,” and it allows a woodworker, handyman, or do-it-yourself entrepreneur to work effectively while saving a lot of money. Most jointer planer combos have several features that make them a durable option.

There’s “the sheet metal body construction that protects your machine from physical damages.” The adjustment features give you the ability to dictate your working environment, bringing life to your work and ensuring a sustainable period of excellence. Then there’s the “Adjustable height and dust hood position that makes it adaptable to various working conditions,” which is super necessary for a time when the seasons change at such an abrupt pace.

Getting a jointer planer combo is a masterstroke, as it enables you to cut out waste, it ensures that you tick multiple boxes with one clean sweep, and you’ll be saving quite some time and money in the process.

The only thing you have to beware of is its heavy nature, which is understandable considering that two high-quality power tools are combined. Another excellent factor is that it is easy to grasp how to use this dual tool, as you don’t need to take classes or watch YouTube videos to get the hang of it.

Final Thoughts

To say that power tools have been an immense blessing to the woodworking industry seems like the understatement of the century. These tools have upped the ante and given a certain prestige to woodworkers, handy persons, and do-it-yourself entrepreneurs. Two of the most prominent tools in this movement happen to be the jointer and the planer, two superb additions to an exciting industry that have radically changed outsiders’ perspective on what obtains in the woodworking industry.

The jointer is an expert in finishing, while the planer is an all-around guru. Once you join both tools and operate them side by side, there’s seemingly nothing you can’t tackle in the woodwork industry. The exciting part is that purchasing a combo is less expensive than buying each separately, so the ball is in your court. These tools are a great addition to an increasingly exciting industry, and fingers crossed, there will be better versions in the not too distant future.

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