noob question, am I correct on this?

[mark mcfarlane]

Yes it can, but why not just rip it down with a TS instead of spending all that time to plane down to final width?

Hoang, I'm just presenting an option, not a recommendation. Different folks like to do the 4th side different ways. If your milling square stock, using the planer for the 4th side is very intuitive, and should give a very accurate, repeatable dimension and a great surface. As one moves away from square, at some point (w/h ratio) people will move to the TS. That point will vary between the user and the equipment they are using.

[Allan Speers]

A jointer makes 1 face and 1 edge flat, straight and 90* to each other while the planer makes the 2nd face flat and perpendicular to the 1st face. The table saw is than used to clean up the 2nd edge to give you a nice perfectly flat and square board.

True of course, - but let's be very clear since the OP is obviously new to this: A jointer makes 1 face OR 1 edge flat, straight and 90* to each other. It doesn't do both at the same time.


As for using a hand plane. YOU BETCHA'. It's not even hard, but you need a nice bench and some winding sticks.

most guys that are heavily into hand tools joint by hand, but still use a planer for getting an even thickness afterwards.

You can also build a planer sled, and never own a jointer. The tradeoff is that sleds take a little time to set up, each time you run a board. The upside is, if you have a 15" planer, you now have a 15" "jointer."


Have fun.

[Brian Sommers]

Since I can't afford the $1200 grizzly right now, should i

1. Buy a cheap bench top jointer $3-400 or
2. Buy a lee valley jointer plane $311 or
3. Build my own wooden jointer plane http://www.shopwoodworking.com/build...d=PWDTbl102414
4. Other?

[Allan Speers]

Re jointer planes:

You need to realize that a typical jointer plane (22" - 24" or more) is mostly used for edge jointing, NOT for face jointing.

The whole hand tools thing is rewarding in the extreme, but there's a lot to learn. And again, you'll need a very good workbench, if you don't already have one. Then you'll need to invest in a good sharpening system, and learn how to use it, and so one down the rabbit hole ........ WEEEE ! .................


Come down to the neanderthal forum, and start asking questions. Enjoy the ride.

[John Donhowe]

I think a lot of confusion could be avoided if we in the US would adopt the UK nomenclature: they call our "jointer" a "planer" (it does what a hand plane does), and or "planer" is a "thicknesser".