Small jointer, need straight edge on 8ft board

[Troy Gobel]

I have a small benchtop jointer and need to obtain a straight edge on a long 8ft board, but I get to many waves putting it through, especially on ends. The jointer table is only 30" long and I suspect (and tried) adding more support on either end of the cut but it hasn't helped much. I did align blades.

Any ideas on how to run it through/support it?

[Lee Schierer]

When I have to deal with a crooked board edge, I first face it on my TS. I bought a 72" extruded aluminum square tube, mounted a small piece of angle aluminum on one end for a pusher and set it up against my fence. Then I tape shims between the board and the tube, where there are any gaps between the board and the tube, so I don't bend the tube as I hold it against the fence. I then rip the other edge. Flipping the board over with out the shims and ripping the second edge gives me two parallel edges. Jointing an edge that is already nearly straight on your jointer should be no problem.

Good jointer technique is also necessary. Place the flat face of the board against the fence. Apply pressure at the leading end of
the board and press it flat against the fence. At the back end of the board use your other hand to begin pushing the board.

As the material passes over the cutter head use use one hand to keep the board against the fence and allow the board to slide past it as the other hand pushes the material. Keep the downward pressure on the part of the board just past the cutter head.

If you find you are going to be jointing boards of that length often, then you should consider a larger jointer. The bed length should be at least equal to half the length of the board being edged for best results.

Lee

[Craig Honeysett]

I suspect you are getting the best that a benchtop joiner can give you. A couple of easy options are to use an 8ft length of 1/2 - 3/4 quarter plywood ripped to approximately 8 inches. You can either clamp this to your piece and use the factory plywood edge with your router and a flush trimming bit to square the edge, or pick up a set of JointR Clamps to clamp your board to the plywood or other straight board and run it through the table saw as a jointer. I prefer the router myself but both work.

[Kevin Gerstenecker]

It is possible to get a reasonably true edge on a long length of board with a smaller Jointer, but it takes some doing. If you have enough practice with the Jointer, and an extra pair of helping hands, it can be done. Jointing is like anything else......it takes practice and the right touch to get good results. If the machine is properly adjusted, and your feed rate and pressure on the infeed and outfeed table is consistant, you can get a pretty true edge on a long board. I have done this many times, but I have been running boards thru a Jointer since I was old enough to safely do so. Make sure the face that is against the fence is flat, and the fence is square to the table, and the infeed and outfeed tables are set correctly. Don't take too big of bite with each pass, and try to apply the same pressure at all times. I can "listen" to my Jointer and tell how I am doing, just from the sound. Even with Hearing Protection on, which I always wear with this and other noisy, whining machines, I can "Hear" the jointer telling me how things are going. I know this sounds corny, but with enough Jointer time, you will see what I am describing. Just take your time, you should be able to accomplish the edge on an 8' Board, providing the board isn't badly "Out of Whack".

[Steven Wilson]

When I joint for a glue up I always go over it with a finely tuned #7 plane with a Stanley #386 jointer fence attached. Edge jointing with a handplane goes quickly and is very accurate; saves me from having to be too AR when using my Powermatic 60.

[Ken Salisbury]

You have some good solutions to your problem from the previous posters so I have nothing to add except to ask you to read the SMC Terms of Service which require members to provide both a first and last name to be a SMC Member. You can either e-mail me that information or send me a PM. I will have your member registration update to reflect a correct name.

Thanks in advance

[Troy Gobel]

I'm going 2 try the router/board method and then I'm going to try to create a in/out feed support system.

Thanks for all the great input. I'm a beginner pretty much.

[Zach Ware]

I'm going 2 try the router/board method and then I'm going to try to create a in/out feed support system.

Thanks for all the great input. I'm a beginner pretty much.

how did the router work out for ya

[Van Huskey]

how did the router work out for ya

FYI Troy hasn't visited here in about 9 years...