Delta Rockwell 6" Jointer

[Dave Worsley]

Hey all I need some advise i have a lead on a Delta Rockwell 6" Jointer is asking $250, and i can drive down and get. But my qustion is and i know its going to be stupid! But is a jointer something that i really need in a shop, and what kinda things would i use it for.. I have not seen any pictures yet but claims it in excellent condintion! what should i do??????

[Jim Becker]

Jointers are for making lumber flat, straight and with perpendicular edges to one face. The compliment your thickness planer in material preparation and can help greatly with joinery that is true. They are not required, but those of us who use them religiously wouldn't give them up!

[Curt Harms]

Hi Dave

I had a benchtop planer before I had a jointer. When I was building shop benches and bases I was using borg 2 X 3 s or 2 X 4s and plywood panels. I would plane the 2 Xs but the joints still didn't really fit together well. They were ok, but not great. One fine day I found a 6" Bridgewood on sale and brought it home. I learned about face jointing as well as edge jointing and on my, what a revelation. Things fit well. Jointers will remove bow and twist as well as truing up an edge. Planers make surfaces smooth and parallel, but planers don't do a great job of fixing problems with boards that occur over a couple feet or more. On the other hand, trying to perform the planer's functions with a jointer are not likely to be very successful, a board jointed on both sides may be smooth but there's no guarantee it'll be the same thickness side to side and end to end. A planer will produce that. I hope this makes sense.

Curt