Jointers

While the table saw and surface planer are generally the tools of choice when a piece of stock needs to be cut to a certain thickness, neither of these tools can properly do their job until one edge of the stock is flat. The best power tool for that job is the jointer. A jointer can be used for cutting hardwoods and softwoods, but you should avoid cutting plywood, MDF or any other manufactured wood materials on your jointer, as this can chip the knives in the cutter.

It is a good idea to keep an additional set of cutting knives for your jointer on hand in the event that you do chip a knife. A chipped knife will leave a raised line along the edge of the jointed board that would need to be removed with a sander, which reduces the effectiveness of the jointer. You should always inspect the knives in your cutting head before jointing an edge.

Always check your stock for any metal before beginning to joint a board. Any piece of metal in the stock can wreak havoc on the knives in a jointer. A woodworking metal detector, available at most fine tool suppliers, can help you find any hidden pieces of metal in the stock, particularly if you are working with recycled timbers.

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