Thread: Jointer. American term for what??

That is one name for them, another is a Surface Planer or Planer/Thicknesser.

The yanks call it the same as us, a jointer. (see David Marks on Woodworks for example). They can also be called planers however. Buzzers is another term i think.

They give you a flat surface and a fence at 90 degrees to make one side of your timber flat and the angle to the next side, exactly 90 degrees, i.e. square on 2 faces. They are used for jointing because you get 2 pieces, run them over the jointer and they are both flat, making it easy to join them using glue or biscuits etc. Like making a bench top from joined boards for example.

Then we have a thicknesser, which can also be called a planer, I think. Oh drats, now i'm confused.

"Buzzer" is the aussie name for a jointer

Originally Posted by martrix

"Buzzer" is the aussie name for a jointer

It's also a name for a mosquito

Buzzer.

Jointer is also in common usage in the antipodes.

What does it do?

Well, it's an automatic joint rolling machine.

This is also the reason that it is known as a "buzzer" .

Thanks for that. I know and dream about a thicknesser and have seen some at a more realistic price [for me] lately but what is a surface planer??

Originally Posted by golfinggazza

I know and dream about a thicknesser

What a strange person you must be

Originally Posted by golfinggazza

but what is a surface planer??

That's a plane which doesn't fly very well

Originally Posted by golfinggazza

I know and dream about a thicknesser

Go and see a plastic surgeon

Surface plainer is a jointer. Like a big upside down electric plain. You need one go and buy it.

Strange ?? when you came from a family where the only tool was a hammer with a bent nail to hold the head on and a saw which would not cut butter I said that I would not be without and have endeavoured on a very limited budget to have got most things i need so I do not think it strange to have an ambition to get one. Perhaps not a dream. I managed to get to have a look at a video via a previous post of a buzzer and know them now.
Thanks to all.

Originally Posted by Woodworker101

That is one name for them, another is a Surface Planer or Planer/Thicknesser.

A planer thicknesser combines a jointer used to flatten and square up the timber with a thickness planer feeding the timber on rollers.
With a planer/thicknesser you have to lift the jointer bed out of the way to use the thicknesser part and those beds are heavy.
After the table saw a bench jointer was my next shop tool, as opposed to hand power tools.
I use this on every job I do to straighten the edge when joining boards.
I prefer using a separate jointer and thicknesser so both are always ready instead of needing to move the jointer bed all the time.
Pre power planers, a jointer was the longest hand plane for straightening boards and took a long time to master.
The longer the jointer bed, the longer the timber you can straighten.

You don't got a buzzer, you haven't lived. Well........ is that over the top?

Originally Posted by MurrayD99

You don't got a buzzer, you haven't lived. Well........ is that over the top?

What sort of price are we looking at as it seems it is a must have.

Originally Posted by golfinggazza

What sort of price are we looking at as it seems it is a must have.

There is a lot of stuff (recent) on these machines in the forum. The thing is, a bad machine could be worse than no machine. I started with a (used) combo buzzer/thicknesser and could never adjust the buzzer bit of it to make a good job. Finally, about 3 months ago I bought a Carbatec 6" buzzer. Many here say the 8" is better - and they are right because the tables are longer... but I got a space issue and the 6" is just A-OK for me, not wanting to machine anything longer than about 2m. I guess, somewhere around $500 new..... plus freight