Need advise on pricing Northfield jointer.

[Cody Armstrong]

Ohhh! Andrew has let the cat out of the bag. David, a secret cache of jointers??? I'll bet he has another Porter I've been enjoying learning and have been stumbling around on OWWM also. I have options opening up. Just trying to gather enough information and knowledge before the real deal comes along. At some point I'll have to make the decision of which machine to go with.

If I were to go the auction route I would have to see it in person. Which as you say Matt there's no telling how far away it could be. The more I read on restorations at OWWM site the more I like the idea. But I know better if you know what I mean. I have a 6" walker turner that runs well and would be a good candidate to restore cosmetically for a learning experience. I'm not so sure about a larger size. Ya'll are doing a good job at trying to convince me to go a cheaper route but I'm really liking the pre-refurbished route.

[Keith Weber]

Cody, it's your money, but if I wouldn't pay half of what he's asking for a 12" jointer. But that's just me. If you're willing to wait for the deals, they do come along. I paid $2700 for my 16" Northfield. It was built in 1960 and the tables are so flat, I'm unable to measure any deviations from flat with a long, precision straight edge and shims. There's very few parts on jointers, and other than the drive and cutterhead, they see relatively little movement. I've seen lots of 12" Northfields go for under $2K. That leaves a lot of money left over for new bearings and a paint job. They'd do the same job as your newer one. I run a couple of 2 hp, 3ph machines on VFDs to give me variable speed. The rest, I run off of an RPC. I don't see a single phase motor as a positive.

Everybody's situation is different. If money is no object and you like nice things and you want them right now, then you probably won't find a nicer jointer than the one you're looking at. If you value value, and don't mind a little work (searching or tinkering), then I'm sure better deals will come along.

[Matt Day]

Restorations are a lot of fun but for my small shop, everything else stops. Every flat surface is covered with parts and tools. I'm currently working on a 12" Northfield light duty jointer. I only get about 5 hours a week in the shop, each in small increments of time here and there. I've probably got 100 hours in it so far, not to mention all the research I've put in.

You'd probably need to get a lift of some kind too - engine hoist, chain fall, or gantry hoist for lifting all the heavy parts. My "small" tables are probability 100lb each which I can man handle but the base is closer to 300lb, for which I use a come along i rigged to my reinforced ceiling joist.

And you'll need other things like bearing pullers. I plopped down $75 for a big used OTC puller for get my motor rotor off. And I made a knock down spray booth for my garage.

The point is that restoration is a whole nother hobby which takes time, space, and more tools (yay!). It's a lot of fun and rewarding but if you make your living woodworking, it might not be a good idea financially to do big restoration unless you're working on personal time.

[Cody Armstrong]

Yea Matt and Kieth. I'm just not interested in restoring a jointer myself. I'd rather pay the extra for something that is plug and play. I don't want to work on it until I'm forced to i.e.. bearings fail. If I had to have tables ground I doubt there is somewhere close to me and I don't want to even start looking for a resource before I need it. I have a couple friends that are mechanically inclined should I need help with something but not a complete restoration.

[Martin Wasner]

An honest to god industrial shaper won't need bearings for a long time. They're designed to be turned on and then shut down for thanksgiving and Christmas, but that's about it. In much less than that environment the timeline should be measured in era's.

[Martin Wasner]

Btw. BUY SOMETHING!


the suspense is killing me

[Cody Armstrong]

What's the pot up to.


I got a lead on a 16" Northfield within reasonable driving distance. Waiting for pictures will be a few days.

Shipped in 1947. Everything original, guards, hand nuts for fence, etc.
5 horse or bigger single phase belt driven(Could have been converted to belt after leaving NF per NF records)
3 knife cutter head
Has original oil bath bearings
Spring joint mechanism

Gotta see pictures first before I can go look at it. The only catch I see from here is belt driven. Everybody is saying that direct drive is superior. I can't work out if it's an opinion or fact. Called NF but Jeff was unavailable, was told it doesn't matter whether BD or DD.


Still waiting for info on the refurbed Northfield and Porter in the Northeast. Not positive but I think they are within minutes of each other. So I could have the opportunity to look at a both in person.

[David Kumm]

Direct drive machines become favorites of old machine guys but I wouldn't say they are better than belt driven. The benefits of DD are more apparent with planers and saws than jointers. They may be slightly less smooth but the ability to run at higher rpm negates that. My 16" Porter is DD and the 24" is belt. A jointer isn't a finish surface machine, rather a get the board flat machine. Dave

[Mel Fulks]

That sounds good, if you have space the belt driven is fine. There are already enough you tube clips of on edge coins!

[Cody Armstrong]

I read that belt driven, described as" can be bouncy in the cut" and that makes sense. I would think that when hogging off material that's were a difference could be noticeable. But when taking off 1/8" or less it wouldn't affect the cutter head RPM. If that's what the bounciness is referring to. Like you say David it's not for final finish.

I don't think I've ever tried to take much more than an 1/8" in one pass anyway being afraid of tear out.

[David Kumm]

you won't find " bouncy " to be a problem with a 2000 lb jointer. The balancing of the head is a bigger deal and the cast iron absorbs what little vibration if any there might be. I find I take off 1/32" about 90% of the time. Taking off 1/8" isn't necessarily more productive when straightening a board when hand feeding. A feeder allows for a deeper cut. Dave

[Cody Armstrong]

Alright now that I've found a belt driven machine I'm not so sure it will utilize my space as BD machines can do. I'm sorry for asking a question I feel is petty but I have to be 100% positive.

It will go were the 8" sits in the picture. If DD, I was planning to put the motor/cutter head on either side of the post. Most likely on this side the way the 8" sits. I think if the belt drive is set up like most with motor under out feed then the belts and guard will push it away from the post towards the table to the left more than a DD would.
There's five feet between the post and table saw fence rail. This is the only place it can be put and why I say I'm working with inches space wise. My options to buy a few inches is cut 2-3" off table saw table and move the whole setup over or cut post and move it over a 6" or both. I'd rather not do either of the two options, a lot of work for very little space. Regardless the side of post the motor is on there's over 10' either direction for infeed/outfeed.
DSCN3171.jpg

[Mel Fulks]

BABBITT runs real smooth. Only bounciness I've encountered was on cheap modern stuff. The one you are considering probably will remove at least 3/4inch and might remove as much as 1 inch, so it can serve like a straight line saw.

[Andrew Hughes]

I've ran several belt drive jointers one was so bad the ends of the tables did bounce.I never could get glue ready edges.My hand plane skills did improve.
My jointer is direct drive run very smooth and my Foreplane now collects dust.
I also run a Rpc and I like the snap of the magnetic starter and whipping sound the head make as it starts.
I have my tables set 1/8 from the knives if I back them off more it's even less noise.
5 inch 3 knife Oliver.Here a video of my machine
http://youtu.be/lKctMoDtIUk

Aj

[Cody Armstrong]

David that's about what I normally take off, 1/32 when facing never an 1/8. On edge the same unless there's a bad bow.

Andrew, I've never had the pleasure of running stock on edge to glue up. The fence on mine won't stay square on account of the slack. Always straight line on TS.
Thanks for pointing me to your video. Looks like you made it today.

I found some good pics of a belt drive Northfield that clearly show the belt guard set up on OWWM. I think I'll have to but the ships wheel up to the post if there's enough room for what I'm thinking. If not then I'll make it work regardless of DD or BD.