Thinking of Upgrading to an 8" Jointer

[John Buzzurro]

Hi All,

I currently have a Delta X5 6" jointer which I'm really happy with, but I find the 6" width limitation frustrating. I'm thinking that the Delta 8" Professional Jointer (37-380) might be a good way to go, without breaking the bank. I've seen it advertised for ~ $1000, and I can get the local tool guy to beat any price I find.

My first questions is - does anyone know whether this machine will run on a 15 amp circuit? I could not find anything in the spec on amperage. I know that it can run on a 120V line. I am currently limited to 120V 15amps.

My other question - how do other vendors' machines stack up against Delta, as far as quality & performance.

John

[glenn bradley]

Right behind you John. I'll be watching with interest.

From the manual:

"A separate electrical circuit should be used for your machines. This circuit should not be less than #12 wire and should
be protected with a 20 Amp time lag fuse."

[JayStPeter]

The Yorkcraft is the same machine, only less expensive. Can be had at wilkemachinery.com. Haven't seen a bad review on either.

[Lou Ferrarini]

John,

I am also in the market for an 8" machine in that price range. I am almost positive I am going with this one:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/G0593

I like the idea of the spiral head because each insert has 4 cutting surfaces and once you make the initial investment the replacement inserts are a lot cheaper than new blades. Also, no alignment needed after insert replacement. I have also heard they give a cleaner cut.

Also, it says this one is 110/220V.

[larry merlau]

i have an 8 inch dj20, and had a 6 before, after gettin the 8 you wont ever look back.. as for brands i am not sure of the model but the griz has a 8 with the shelix head, if it comes close to your budget i would opt for the shelix. saw one perform and it was excellent. you can also get shelix heads fo rother makes but the griz is set up and ready to roll with one. wilkey might have a similar setup. wilkey is avery reputable place as well

[Dennis Peacock]

The only thing I'll add about a jointer for ya? Make sure you get one with as long a bed as possible, unless you are tight on shop space.

[Ed Bamba]

When I was shopping for an 8 inch jointer, I had to make sure that I could run it with a 110V/15Amp circuit; no 220V service available in the house we were renting. I ultimately ended up buying a nearly new (one board ran through it) Delta X5 model DJ20 for $1100. With your current (no pun intended) electrical service, you may want to keep motor HP and Amp draw in mind. If I'm not mistaken, a 2hp motor needs more than 15 Amps when wired for 110V. For some reason, the newer 8 inch jointers are mostly 2hp or more. My DJ20 seems to handle jointing 7" wide white oak boards without bogging down the motor.

I'm not a motor guru by any stretch, but I think that the highest motor hp that can be used on a 110V/15Amp circuit is 1.75hp, but I could be completely wrong. Hope some chimes in with a more difinative reply.

Take care,
Ed

[Travis Porter]

My Delta DJ-20 is a 1.5 hp and the manual says to use a 20 amp circuit for it at 120V.

Looking at the online manual for the 37-380 it has the same requirement. What is strange to me, IIRC, I believe the plug on my DJ-20 was a 15 amp plug, not a 20 amp when I bought it. Seems odd to require a 20 amp circuit and only have a 15 amp receptacle on it.

As for motor size, I have had the same experience as Ed. No problems face jointing 8" wide oak whatsoever.

I looked at the 37-380 as well before I bought my DJ-20 and wanted the longer bed length. If I were you, I would probably shop around some more and compare some of the other brands (Grizzly and others). A byrd or helix head would be a very nice addition if you can swing it, if not now, maybe later.

Regardless of what you decide, I do not believe you will have any regrets upgrading whatsoever. You will probably wonder why you have waited so long.

Good luck

[John Buzzurro]

When I was shopping for an 8 inch jointer, I had to make sure that I could run it with a 110V/15Amp circuit; no 220V service available in the house we were renting. I ultimately ended up buying a nearly new (one board ran through it) Delta X5 model DJ20 for $1100.

Ed,

I just want to be sure I understand you. You're saying that the DJ20 runs fine on a 110V/15amp circuit? If so, it would seem to contradict what's in the manual about 20 amps.

thx
john

[John Buzzurro]

My Delta DJ-20 is a 1.5 hp and the manual says to use a 20 amp circuit for it at 120V.

Travis, are you actually running it on a 20 amp circuit?

thx
john

[Ed Bamba]

Ed,

I just want to be sure I understand you. You're saying that the DJ20 runs fine on a 110V/15amp circuit? If so, it would seem to contradict what's in the manual about 20 amps.

thx
john

John,
I'll have to double check and get back with you, but I'm pretty sure that is what it is currently pluged into.
Ed

[Mark Singer]

I had a Delta DJ 20 and it is a really good solid machine. If the clones are as good...that may be an option

[Ed Bamba]

John, I just went out and looked at the CB panel and it looks as if the CB for the garage is in fact 20 amps, so I'll have to stand corrected on my previous post. The panel shows one breaker for the garage and it has three outlets. I normaly have either the jointer or TS (1.75 hp) running along with the 1.5hp dust collector, and sometimes the shop vac running for the TS overhead blade guard; all on different outlets. The only time I tripped the breaker is when I inadvertantly left the air filter running when using the other mentioned devices. I'll have to test the breaker and see if it actually powers all three outlets.

I second the comment from Mark re. the DJ20 clones, but those are the ones that have higher hp motors, which requires 220v power. Again, not sure why they had to go with such a high hp motor since the Delta version handles WO with no problem; maybe they needed a to.....well I won't go there

Ed

[John Buzzurro]

Thanks to all for the feedback. I decided I'm going to install a 50-amp, 240V subpanel in the shop, so power will no longer affect my decision. Hopefully, that will be done within a couple of weeks.

I still need to decide on brand. I feel the most comfortable going with Delta, for 2 reasons: I'm already happy with the quality of the Delta 6" jointer I currently own; The local guy sells Delta, will give me the best price, and I can bring it back easily if there's a problem. I realize that Yorkcraft or Grizzly would be a less expensive route, but I'm not sure whether that overrides the advantages of the Delta. Since I'll be doing the wiring myself (with the help of my brother who's an electrician), the money I'll save on that should more than compensate for the cost difference on the jointer.

What do you folks think?

[Mark Rios]

I'm a long way from an expert on jointers but I've been using my 8" with a spiral cutterhead for a couple of weeks now and it's a ton more than I thought it would be. I had a 6" a couple of years ago with standard, straight knives. I had such a frustrating time adjusting the knives that, after I sold it, I swore to myself that I wouldn't get another one unless it had a cutterhead that I didn't have to adjust.

While the 8" size is very nice to work with, the cutterhead is the magic thing for me. The spiral cutterhead is not only quieter, as everyone talks about, the finish on the board is MUCH better than what my DW735 planer leaves. I can't recommend a spiral cutterhead strongly enough for anyone thinking of buying an 8" (or any size) jointer.

This one happens to be from Grizzly. While it's very nice, I can only imagine what a Byrd or a Tersa is like. The couple hundred dollars extra for the spiral cutterhead is some of the best money I've ever spent on woodworking.