6 Features to Check Before Buying a Jointer | Woodworking

A woodworking jointer is rarely the first tool purchased by a woodworker and many woodworkers can get by without one. But if you want to work with rough-sawn lumber, then a jointer is an important tool to have in your workshop.
What should you consider when you're shopping for a woodworking jointer? Your budget is an obvious consideration, but there are also six features or options that are important to consider, including the board capacity, the cutterhead style, the fence, the type of infeed and outfeed table lifts, if it has casters or a mobile base, and the drive belt tensioning system. In this video, Chris Marshall goes over the pros and cons of different options available. Jointers make it easy to flatten a face or square two edges of a board.

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[clarkwgriswaldrd]

You should have MANY, MANY more subscribers; high quality video! Thank you for taking the time to provide the videos and content.

[guyh.]

Excellent review. I learned a lot. Unfortunately, I can't afford a nice jointer such as these. But I still liked it. When I got my planer, I couldn't afford the helical knives. Easily adds $300 - $500 alone. I didn’t look into these types of jointers 1st. Was very torn which one to buy 1st.

Great review. Very professionally made video!

[acemany]

You look like a man who take great care of his equipments. May I buy a used jointer from you for a great price 😁

[Aaron-njou]

Wish I saw this before I wasted $200 on an old jointer. I should have saved money and bought a new jointer. Helical cutter-head is a must for my next jointer, adjusting knives is such a pain and waste of the little time I have in the shop. Thanks for the video

[mikelillejord]

Excellent overview of jointers. I'm making my first purchase and your video was an excellent overview. Thanks!

[andrewunzeitig]

I used a 6 inch for many years but probably like most I always wished I had an 8. Recently moved houses and sold all my big shop tools…looking forward to getting an 8 inch whenever I start the shop again

[coolinken]

That was extremely informative. Thanks!

[lazio]

I am seriously considering buying a jointer! I work with old reclaimed wood and never is anything straight on this wood! It makes it very difficult to get anything lined up straight. But I think a jointer might help out with this problem I have!
Thanks for sharing the great info you put out! Very helpful

[arielerlanger]

excellent and helpful overview, thank you for this video

[johnslaughter]

It's now a bit more than 2 years since you made this video. It is excellent. But, you need to look at another group of jointers for us that don't have the money and/or the room for a full sized floor jointer. How about looking at the table top jointers? These are usually just as wide, but have much shorter tables. I think I'm going to be buying the Wahuda 8" jointer at the start of woodworking season this year. The 1st thing I'll do is build a stand for it that has extensions for the tables.

[timholstpetersen]

Hi, great video !
I'm from Denmark, Europe, and I've just bought a Metabo HC 260 C DNB, 10 inch (the 400 V - 2.8 kW, or 3.8 HP version) and I'm very happy with it.
I know it's in a completely different price class as the ones you've shown... a lot cheaper and way less heavy and sturdy.
It's only about 85 kilos.
I would've loved to have a helical cutter, but this will do just fine for me.
It was about 1200 dollars (8.500 Danish kroners), and the step up to a similar machine with a helical cutter would make it almost twice the price. Metabo do not offer any of their machines with a helical cutter, but I could order a cutter from the US. This would set me back about 1200 dollars, postal packaging, freight and taxes included... so exactly the same result.
With my weekend use of the machine, I don't think it's worth the extra money 🙂
That said... who wouldn't love to have a Hammer or Felder A3 with a helical cutter?, lol ;-)

[Reedith]

Excellent explanation thank you trying to buy a used jointer problem is I knew nothing about them before I came across this video

[jbb]

Great video!  Learned a little more about jointers.  I have been considering one of the table top models but with this new information I might just save my money a little longer for one like you have presented here.  Thank you

[mathguy]

Hi Chris, great video! Very informative and helpful.

[mburgess]

Great video, didn’t know about anything except the straight blade cutters . I have a 6 inch jointer because I have a 14 inch planer .

[keithsshop]

Good thoughts Chris. I love my very old 12" jointer, but certainly could not afford to replace it. Some day I will replace the cutter head and Babbit bearings with a Helix cutter head and ball bearings.

[andrewcrawley]

There is a 20" option out there also. Felder makes a 20" jointer/planer combination. It is both jointer and quickly converts to a 20" plainer. It is an animal weighing about 2000ibs. with 10hp motor, and seriously expensive, 20k if you want one of these.

[nickkropat]

Something else to consider is power consumption - As far as I have seen, there are no jointers on the market (Other than benchtops and very small 6" stand models) that operate on 110v. For those of us without 220v in the shop, the options are severely limited

[garyknable]

Very informative vid thanks for all you all do.

[bernarddouthit]

Chris - I've watched a number of your videos and this may be my favorite one. I just bought some rough cut - and old - walnut off a guy from Craigslist. I put a board that I didn't think was cupped through my planer and - found out why I need a jointer. I'm not ready to spend $1, 000+ on a full floor jointer and the Craftsman and Rikon benchtop models look to be decent for a home woodworking shop. What are your thoughts on benchtop jointers and do you have any favorites? Thanks.