1930s J.D. Wallace jointer restored

[Myk Rian]

I've been working on this for a month or so. It's an 8" short bed.
Originally had a direct drive motor, but is converted to belt drive. Mainly due to the motor being missing. I removed the original cast top in favor of one made of pine. Added a motor shelf for the Delta 3/4 hp.
These jointers have a skewed knife head. An early helical design. It leaves a very smooth surface.


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[Timothy Wolf]

That looks very nice where did you get it from?

[Phil Thien]

Outstanding. I wonder if, once upon a time, they may have considered a short-bed jointer somewhat portable?

How do you sharpen the skewed knives?

[Myk Rian]

I picked it up in Traverse City, Michigan, in pieces. A 250 mile drive, but we were headed north anyway, so it was a side trip.
Picture from CL ad.



Wallace called the 4" and 6" jointers "portable". This 8" weighs in at about 300lbs with the base. Even without it, it's about 150.

After setting the knives in the head by any usual method, you must joint the knives with a stone, while it's running. Otherwise it will leave a slight rise in the center of your work piece.
Not something for the faint of heart to do.
The head before cleanup, showing the skewed knives.

[Phil Thien]

I've heard of using a stone on knives while a unit is running. I never understood how that doesn't destroy the sharp edge.

If jointing wood eventually leads to dull knives, you'd think jointing a stone would lead you there faster.

No?

[Myk Rian]

I figured that also. Jointing the knives does flatten the back of the bevel. I used a 180 oilstone first, then a hard Arkansas. Afterwards, you remove the wire edge it leaves on the front of the knives.
With the skewed head, the outer edges of the knives are about .002" higher than the centers of the arc. If you can live with that, then just leave them alone. Especially if it's going through the planer anyway.

[Phil Thien]

...the outer edges of the knives are about .002" higher than the centers of the arc. If you can live with that, then just leave them alone...

Yep, that is what I'd do.

[Don Jarvie]

Nice job, Don