It seems like the common bed size for a 6" jointer is about 45". You
can get at least a few that are 55" (General International and King
Industrial, maybe others, then the Powermatic at 66".
It seems like stepping up to an 8" jointer generally gets you up to the
74" length.
Here's my question. Given that many people want to joint long boards,
but don't necessarily need the additional width, why don't manufacturers
sell 6" jointers with really long beds? Do they basically assume that
if you want the extra length you'll pay for the extra width? Is it just
too hard to make a long skinny bed flat?
Just curious...
Chris
CW wrote:
> There are devices, still made by Stanley and a number of others, that allow
> you to joint boards any length, any width. They also hang on a shelf when
> not in use.
Yep. I don't have a jointer or planer, so I recently made an end-grain
cutting board (13x20x2) using a table saw and a hand plane for all my
milling.
Chris
Chris Friesen wrote:
>
> It seems like the common bed size for a 6" jointer is about 45". You
> can get at least a few that are 55" (General International and King
> Industrial, maybe others, then the Powermatic at 66".
>
> It seems like stepping up to an 8" jointer generally gets you up to the
> 74" length.
>
> Here's my question. Given that many people want to joint long boards,
> but don't necessarily need the additional width, why don't manufacturers
> sell 6" jointers with really long beds? Do they basically assume that
> if you want the extra length you'll pay for the extra width? Is it just
> too hard to make a long skinny bed flat?
>
> Just curious...
>
> Chris
\
Why bother? The 6" longbed would probably be just as expensive as the
8". The length is the floor space eater not the width, so no advantage
there. I'd rather have the extra couple of inches. :)
-jj
--
Remove BOB to email me
Chris Friesen wrote:
>
> It seems like the common bed size for a 6" jointer is about 45". You
> can get at least a few that are 55" (General International and King
> Industrial, maybe others, then the Powermatic at 66".
>
> It seems like stepping up to an 8" jointer generally gets you up to the
> 74" length.
>
> Here's my question. Given that many people want to joint long boards,
> but don't necessarily need the additional width, why don't manufacturers
> sell 6" jointers with really long beds? Do they basically assume that
> if you want the extra length you'll pay for the extra width? Is it just
> too hard to make a long skinny bed flat?
>
> Just curious...
>
> Chris
not enough room to dedicate to one longer?
Cost?
Weight and shipping cost?
difficulty keeping overly long tables from remaining perfectly parallel?
to name a few...
Dave
"Chris Friesen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> It seems like the common bed size for a 6" jointer is about 45". You can
> get at least a few that are 55" (General International and King
> Industrial, maybe others, then the Powermatic at 66".
Want longer? Look here
http://www.grizzly.com/products/G0526
or here
http://www.wmhtoolgroup.com/index.cfm?area=shop&action=detail&iid=6056033
"Chris Friesen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> It seems like the common bed size for a 6" jointer is about 45". You can
> get at least a few that are 55" (General International and King
> Industrial, maybe others, then the Powermatic at 66".
>
> It seems like stepping up to an 8" jointer generally gets you up to the
> 74" length.
>
> Here's my question. Given that many people want to joint long boards, but
> don't necessarily need the additional width, why don't manufacturers sell
> 6" jointers with really long beds? Do they basically assume that if you
> want the extra length you'll pay for the extra width? Is it just too hard
> to make a long skinny bed flat?
>
> Just curious...
>
> Chris
There are probably a couple reasons, including a need to increase size to
make the length stable, and the fact that it doesn't add much more to
expense overall to use almost the same motor and 2" to the cutterhead and
cutters than to just use the 6" cutterhead. You've already paid for the
extra table mass.
On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 17:08:43 -0600, Chris Friesen
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>It seems like the common bed size for a 6" jointer is about 45". You
>can get at least a few that are 55" (General International and King
>Industrial, maybe others, then the Powermatic at 66".
>
>It seems like stepping up to an 8" jointer generally gets you up to the
>74" length.
>
>Here's my question. Given that many people want to joint long boards,
>but don't necessarily need the additional width, why don't manufacturers
>sell 6" jointers with really long beds? Do they basically assume that
>if you want the extra length you'll pay for the extra width? Is it just
>too hard to make a long skinny bed flat?
>
>Just curious...
>
>Chris
I can't answer your question, but even if you really don't need to
joint a 8" edge, having an 8" jointer allows you to move the fence to
more areas of the blade, extending the time required between
sharpening.
On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 17:08:43 -0600, Chris Friesen
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>It seems like the common bed size for a 6" jointer is about 45". You
>can get at least a few that are 55" (General International and King
>Industrial, maybe others, then the Powermatic at 66".
>
>It seems like stepping up to an 8" jointer generally gets you up to the
>74" length.
>
>Here's my question. Given that many people want to joint long boards,
>but don't necessarily need the additional width, why don't manufacturers
>sell 6" jointers with really long beds? Do they basically assume that
>if you want the extra length you'll pay for the extra width? Is it just
>too hard to make a long skinny bed flat?
>
>Just curious...
>
One tried, but got shut down before it got off the drawing board.
Frank
On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 17:08:43 -0600, Chris Friesen
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Here's my question. Given that many people want to joint long boards,
>but don't necessarily need the additional width, why don't manufacturers
>sell 6" jointers with really long beds? Do they basically assume that
>if you want the extra length you'll pay for the extra width?
My guess is that the extra width isn't all that expensive if you're
already building the length.
FWIW, the extra 2" really is useful. I've owned 6" and 8" machines,
and since most of the stock I buy is 6-8" wide... <G>
6" is good, 8" is perfect for the serious hobby or small pro shop.
Barry
On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 16:03:42 -0800, David <[email protected]> wrote:
>Chris Friesen wrote:
>>
>> It seems like the common bed size for a 6" jointer is about 45". You
>> can get at least a few that are 55" (General International and King
>> Industrial, maybe others, then the Powermatic at 66".
>>
>> It seems like stepping up to an 8" jointer generally gets you up to the
>> 74" length.
>>
>> Here's my question. Given that many people want to joint long boards,
>> but don't necessarily need the additional width, why don't manufacturers
>> sell 6" jointers with really long beds? Do they basically assume that
>> if you want the extra length you'll pay for the extra width? Is it just
>> too hard to make a long skinny bed flat?
>>
>> Just curious...
>>
>> Chris
>not enough room to dedicate to one longer?
>Cost?
>Weight and shipping cost?
>difficulty keeping overly long tables from remaining perfectly parallel?
>
>to name a few...
>
>Dave
As a newb to woodworking, I had read enough commentary on "go for 8"
that I was determined to get an 8" but the bed length in my small
shop just wouldn't work.
If I could have handled the length, I would have sprung for the extra
2 inches as the 6 has forced me to rip many a wide board already just
so I could joint it.
Someday...
Warren
There are devices, still made by Stanley and a number of others, that allow
you to joint boards any length, any width. They also hang on a shelf when
not in use.
"Warren" <[email protected]> wrote in message >
> If I could have handled the length, I would have sprung for the extra
> 2 inches as the 6 has forced me to rip many a wide board already just
> so I could joint it.
>
> Someday...
>
> Warren