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Planer vs Jointer

ironman123

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I was set to buy a DeWalt DW734 Planer until I read about cupped and twisted wood and that mentioned that the wood should be run through a jointer first for best results. Now I am not sure which would be better to get and use first. Planer or Jointer.

Taking small logs and making boards 5/16 to 3/8 inch thick and want to get them to 1/4 inch thick with straight and smooth sides to make small boxes. Boards will be 4 to 8 inches wide and about 24 inches long.

All suggestions and advice appreciated. Thanks.
 
ButchC

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How long are the boards you're planning to process? Reason I ask is that when a cupped/twisted board is cut, the waste is much less than if it was left as a full board.

Remember, a jointer makes a flat surface, a planer simply makes the opposite surface parallel to the first.

Butch
 
JR Custom Calls

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A planer will flatten a cupped board... but it won't straighten a twisted board.

It sounds to me like you want a planer, and a jointer isn't a bad idea either. A jointer isn't going to be the right tool for thicknessing multiple boards, but for boxes, you are also going to need flat edges.

I have to wonder if a jointer/planer would be right for you? I have no experience with them, so someone experienced may tell you that this is a bad idea... but the concept seems to be a good one. Plane the boards underneath, then with a few adjustments, you can joint them as well.
 
Tony

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For my money, a planer is the way to go if you can't have both. I don't have a jointer, but have run across very few boards I can't fix on the table saw, then plane to thickness.
 
Mike1950

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I have both- I find thin boards of figured wood present a special challenge- especially some species. You need a planer and can make jigs to get rid of cup and twist with it.
 
TimR

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Not to muddy things up...but add in any likelihood you'd have to using some burly/curly woods and a drum sander may be preferred over a planer. Agreed though on that the jointer is the tool you need to 'un-cup' a side. To some degree, a drum sander can likely help you do that also.
I'm a turner, and admittedly not very experienced with much flat work, but if I had to give up a tool and live with just one among jointer/planer/sander, it would be the sander. I have all three and rarely dig the jointer out, only occasionally use the planer, but use the drum sander quite often.
 
Mike1950

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TimR said:
Not to muddy things up...but add in any likelihood you'd have to using some burly/curly woods and a drum sander may be preferred over a planer. Agreed though on that the jointer is the tool you need to 'un-cup' a side. To some degree, a drum sander can likely help you do that also.
I'm a turner, and admittedly not very experienced with much flat work, but if I had to give up a tool and live with just one among jointer/planer/sander, it would be the sander. I have all three and rarely dig the jointer out, only occasionally use the planer, but use the drum sander quite often.
Click to expand...


Tim is right- I use the sander a lot- but since I start with rough lumber- I could not get a long without planer and jointer. Of course that is from a flatworker perspective- It is that damn lathe that collects most of the dust............
 
Kevin

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ironman123 said:
Taking small logs and making boards 5/16 to 3/8 inch thick and want to get them to 1/4 inch thick with straight and smooth sides to make small boxes. Boards will be 4 to 8 inches wide and about 24 inches long.
Click to expand...

This is the key to answering your question IMO, based on that strict criteria alone. I went for years jointing with a planer sled.I did my edge joint on the table saw or with a router depending on the situation. But once I really got used to using jointers there was no going back. It's a must-have piece of equipment. But then you have to thickness plane after that right? So if you can only afford one piece of equipment I'd say the planer first then a jointer later.

Also, have you considered hand jointing? Those smaller box boards don't take long to joint by hand. I look for opportunities to use my stanley no.7 And running thin boards boards through a jointer can be very problematic. Downright dangerous. I have had many a bruise and even near broken hands from kickback - the force is tremendous. Thin boards are best thicknessed using a drum sander - which are generally the most expesnive of the 3.

Hope that helps :sarcastic:
 
barry richardson

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If you have a good bandsaw, you can slice the boards to your desired thickness, a pass over the jointer on each side, and done. This is how I make boards at my home shop, works great. Of course having a planer would be better, but I don't want a lunch box, and don't have room for a big one...
 
ironman123

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Thank you all for your input. I will weigh every suggestion/recommendation and try to make the right decision. Kevin I have a Stanley #4 and try to use it for edges. Had one of those (long time ago 1967) Craftsman $79.99 6" Jointer/Planer things and couldn't figure how to use it good so I got rid of it in the 70's.
 
ironman123

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Well I came up with a JET 707400 B3NCH JJP-8BT Jointer/Planer for up to 8 inches wide. Would that be worse or better than just a planer?
 
ButchC

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I dont know anything about that model, but jet makes good hybrid units from what i have seen i ln the past.

Lookin forward to a review if you get it!!
 
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Kevin

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Ray have you ruled out using a planer sled?That way you can spend all your available money on the best quality planer you can afford. Because although it's not nearly as handy (as quick) as a jointer, it's pretty much just as effective provided you spend the time to build your sled accurately and shim the boards properly. The only thing I don't know from experience is how well the smaller benchtop planers fare with the added weight of a sled when pulling the board and sled through. I had a DW 735 at one time but I also had my woodmaster 725 which is what I used with the planer sled. The wood master has not trouble pulling large timbers through but not sure about small benchtop planers.

Try to find someone who uses a sled with the particular planer you want. Sleds work I can vouch for that.
 
JR Custom Calls

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I'm curious if people just dislike the planer/jointer combo's... they definitely don't seem very popular, but the concept seems great to me.

After Kevin pointed out the not great reviews on that JET, I looked around a bit. Rigid seems to have a pretty good reputation, and their lifetime warranty seems like a pretty cool deal. This model has great reviews on HD's site, and almost as good on amazon and other places - http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-6-Amp-6-1-8-in-Corded-Jointer-Planer-JP0610/202269174

That said, the sled idea has me intrigued. I don't have a planer, but my dad has one... and the 3 or 4 times it has been used has been by me. He has the dewalt with the blower, and I just can't get the hang of it. Always wants to twist the piece as it pulls it in, and I get snipe on both ends. Probably technique or setup, but with my limited time to get up there and use it, I just suffer through and hope I have an extra 3 or 4" on the board I"m planing.


EDIT: after reading up on it a bit more, I realized that it's not a true thickness planer... their use of the word 'planer' is somewhat deceptive.
 
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ButchC

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JR Custom Calls said:
I'm curious if people just dislike the planer/jointer combo's... they definitely don't seem very popular, but the concept seems great to me.

After Kevin pointed out the not great reviews on that JET, I looked around a bit. Rigid seems to have a pretty good reputation, and their lifetime warranty seems like a pretty cool deal. This model has great reviews on HD's site, and almost as good on amazon and other places - http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-6-Amp-6-1-8-in-Corded-Jointer-Planer-JP0610/202269174

That said, the sled idea has me intrigued. I don't have a planer, but my dad has one... and the 3 or 4 times it has been used has been by me. He has the dewalt with the blower, and I just can't get the hang of it. Always wants to twist the piece as it pulls it in, and I get snipe on both ends. Probably technique or setup, but with my limited time to get up there and use it, I just suffer through and hope I have an extra 3 or 4" on the board I"m planing.


EDIT: after reading up on it a bit more, I realized that it's not a true thickness planer... their use of the word 'planer' is somewhat deceptive.
Click to expand...

Yeah, its not a hybrid at all. Thats the jointer i have and it wroks well.
 
ironman123

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Kevin: thanks for bringing those reviews to my attention. I think the first guy should have spent more time and effort on setting it up in the beginning and measured and adjusted some things before using it, then he wouldn't have much to say other than JET's qc sucks. I will not rule out the DW734 and will also look into a larger planer and use of a led. Thanks

Jonathan: Thanks for your input. Glad you read more on the Rigid. I personally don't care for Rigid brand and some Porter Cable stuff.

This is one of the many reasons I appreciate this forum....honest feedback.
 
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