homemade jointer

[islayhawk]

Has anyone made a jig for an electric planer to use a jointer.
I made one and although it gives an edge square to the sides I find that it leaves the workpiece slightly high in the middle. I have never used an electric planer or jointer before so maybe its a fault with the pressure I use feeding it through. Is that possible.

 

[Inspector]

Can we see some pictures of it?

Pete

 

[islayhawk]

 

[islayhawk]

Still to tidy up. Insert at right hand side moves up and down to keep level with input bed.

 

[Inspector]

If the two tables are perfectly parallel to the beds and co planer to each other it should work. You are limited to some extent by the length but as long as you transfer the pressure on the board from the front table to the rear as the board is pushed over it should cut straight. The higher area in the middle can be technique or the rear table is a touch higher than the cutter head. The knives may need to be adjusted if they are not the disposable type or if the rear table is adjustable raise or lower it as needed and then the wood extension to match. If you master using your machine if and when you graduate to a proper jointer/surfacer you will find it a breeze to work with.
It would be a good idea to make a guard to cover the blades.

Pete

 

[islayhawk]

Yes indeed - a guard should have been the first thing but I have one in the making.

 

[Neil S]

Something that took me a while to twig (maybe I'm just slow!) but you need to run the board in concave face down. if it is convex you will not be able to stop it rocking as you guide it through and you will just keep getting bent boards out.
Sorry if this is obvious. Just thought I'd mention it as you stated you've not used a jointer before.

-Neil

 

[Doug B]

I would say your infeed & outfeed tables are the problem, the longer they are the better. The best surface planer I’ve used had 3 foot tables, I’ve used a small kitty P/T the short beds made getting a decent length of timber perfectly straight hard work.