Parallelogram Jointer vs Dovetail ways? Which to choose??

[Garth Almgren]

I voted parallelogram but I only did because I wanted to see the poll results.

I voted dovetailed just to be contrary.

[Guy Belleman]

Like most I have had a knife/dovetailed bed machine and now have a helical/parallel machine. Once set up the older machine did well, although once set up, I hated to move the tables and have to re-shim them. Setting the knives just took a little practice and the right tools. On the new machine, the parallel beds were perfectly aligned right out of the box when mounted. The noise of the helix head is about 1/3. Would not go back.

[Tom M King]

I have three different wedge jointers-all fairly old by most peoples' standards these days. I had to shim one when I first got it 35 years ago. I adjust the cut depth all the time on mine, and any one of them can still produce a straight edge after hundreds, and probably thousands of cuts. What machine needs all this continuous shimming?

[Sparky Paessler]

I have a 1920's Fay and Egan 12" jointer with dovetail ways and it adjust smooth as silk. Was a little work getting the tables adjusted when I first got it but it works great. Now if I was buying new I would probably get a Parallelogram Jointer but the old dovetail one can be great values. Here is a picture of mine not long after I got it. I have since put a new motor, control and dust collection on it.

[troy dixen]

I have a grizzly 6" with the Spiral head, will never even look at straight knives anymore, cuts like glass

[jack forsberg]

parallelogram table were introduced in the UK in the Late 40s so it not a new idea. the reason there made this way today is because it is cheaper to make the parallel than wedge bed. generally the parallels have longer support point for the tables. Most made today have no adjustments at all to the pivots if there out or warn. really good ones like the mid 50s Wadkin RQ had adjustment cams and replaceable bronzes bushing and is a real fine specimen of how these should be made.

I have a 1951 Bursgreen made with a parallelogram table and one of the first of its kind in the UK



the Wadkin RQ

[Mike Ontko]

I have three different wedge jointers-all fairly old by most peoples' standards these days. I had to shim one when I first got it 35 years ago. I adjust the cut depth all the time on mine, and any one of them can still produce a straight edge after hundreds, and probably thousands of cuts. What machine needs all this continuous shimming?

...especially when most manufacturers match the infeed and outfeed beds during factory surfacing. Other than changes due to shock, settling, or thermal changes I'm not sure why such a large chunk of iron would shift over time.

[Jim Andrew]

I had a 10" new Oliver from sunhill machinery, never could get it adjusted correctly. Always a little snipe on the end, or it just would not cut. Bought the Grizzly GO609, added the Byrd cutterhead, and those problems are gone. The Griz was adjusted perfectly out of the box.

[Mel Fulks]

. The Griz was adjusted perfectly out of the box.[/QUOTE]
Might be the first time that sentence was ever in print, congratulations!,Jim

[John A langley]

Nel my Grizz was perfect out of the Box to

[Frank Drew]

I had a wedge bed 1950s Northfield with straight knives (which were a bear to set), but it never gave me any trouble with accuracy, and I adjusted the depth cut all the time. In my next life, however, I'd like to try a vintage Oliver, just because, and I think they all had parallelogram tables. If I could also get a quieter cut, that would be nice.

Consistent accuracy, cutterhead width, and long tables would be my priorities when shopping for a jointer.

[dan sherman]

I voted parallelogram. As others have said, when it comes time to adjust the alignment a parallelogram machine is less of a headache. I did a quick check of the 8" Grizzly models, and the parallelogram model is only $150 more than the dovetail model. I don't know about anyone else, but I would drop the extra $150 in a hear beat just so prevent any future headaches.

[Dave Zellers]

Nel my Grizz was perfect out of the Box to

Ditto. After tightening the belt during setup, the only adjustment I've made to my 8" Grizzly in 4 years is to adjust the depth of cut.

[Jeff Duncan]

I don't know if I missed it on all these posts, but the real and only reason I care about to go parallelogram over dovetailed ways if for speed of adjusting cut depth. You'll probably adjust the beds once in a lifetime unless you really get a LOT of use out of the machine. However adjusting the height of the infeed is something you, (or at least I), do all the time. First couple passes in rough stock I may hog anywhere from 1/8", up to 1/4" for really gnarly boards. Then when you need that final finish pass you pop the table up and just skim a bit off. Do that with a hand wheel jointer for a while and your not going to be the happiest camper…..at least I wasn't! So parallelogram all the way for me!

good luck,
JeffD

[Dave Zellers]

... the real and only reason I care about to go parallelogram over dovetailed ways if for speed of adjusting cut depth.

Exactamundo. That's what I was saying in the first response to this thread when I said, "It's so easy to change the depth of cut and then change it back.".

I do exactly as you do, and I'm sure countless others. A deep cut or two initially to straighten a rough edge, followed by a shallow finish cut.

Easy peasy with a P-gram jointer.

Plus, each board has a different bow, so you adjust on a per board basis, get them all straight, then make them perfect with a tiny skim.