If you’re a musician, you clearly need to own the musical instrument you play in order to get better. Likewise, if you’re a woodworker, you need to own a jointer to be able to accomplish projects easily and get the results you want.
In case you didn’t know, jointers are stationary power tools that come with cutting blades. They’re tailored to flatten and smoothen any piece of equipment, especially wood. They make wood pieces ready for any DIY or home improvement project. You can even make perfect cabinets or speaker covers for your music studio with a jointer.
Raw lumber and jointers
Raw lumber has rough and irregular surfaces that call for jointers. Working with raw wood is difficult and could cause splinters to get stuck in your skin. Jointers smoothens and flattens raw lumber so that you can join the wood edges and surfaces to make a joint. This is why they’re called jointers.
Storage
Because the jointer is the first tool that will face raw lumber, it’s essential to place it near the lumber rack to eliminate the need to carry heavy wood across the working area. It could be positioned directly below the overhead wood rack or shelving. Bear in mind that you need several feet of distance on one end of your jointer because huge pieces of wood will be passed over it.
Features
Jointers have an adjustable fence and a protective guard. As a user, you shouldn’t disregard these safety features. They keep your hands far from the cutterhead—the cutting blades that are too strong they could separate your arms from your body (yikes). The heights of the blades can be modified with wheels which are mounted on the end-feed table. Most jointers also have wheels that lower or raise the blade by 1/64-inch for every revolution.
When using a jointer, ensure that you utilize the push pads to keep your hands away from the cutterhead.
If you’re a beginner, here’s an instructional video on how to use a jointer: