Thread: Power feeders

I've never heard of anyone using a power feed on ajointer. I think it would defeat the purpose as it could push the boards flat, not allowing the twists, warps and bows to be machined out.

G'day sinjin.

In my two and a half years of selling machines, I have only sold one jointer with a power feed. And I delivered that one yesterday.

The main reason you would use a power feeder on a planer/jointer/buzzer is to achieve a constant rate of feed over long pieces. As Rowan has mentioned, you don't want to apply too much downward pressure, no more than what you can with your hands.

I agree with all of the above. The only reason i asked this was that i have just seen a link to a jointer power feeder. So i thought i'd ask the question

I use a power feeder on my router table.
I also use it on my sawbench for repitition work.
In both these situations it is an excellent tool.

I agree with Rowan, I wouldn't use it on a jointer unless straight and square timber didn't matter. But in such case I still wouldn't bother with the power feeder on the jointer as I would just put the timber through the thicknesser.

Originally Posted by sinjin

i have just seen a link to a jointer power feeder.

So where's the link?

have a look see http://www.gregmach.com/new_machiner...tp_pfaf100.htm

Hi Sinjin
I just purchased a similar power feeder nyself ( TRUPRO PF AF 32) and hope to try it out on the planer soon. I reasoned that so long as you took into account the twist of the board you were planing and positioned the feeder accordingly, then there should be no real problem with using a feeder.

I also got an extra base thrown into the deal so that I could just swap the machine over from base to base without using a bunch of bolts every time I wanted to use it on another machine.

I used one recently for the first time and was impressed how much easier it is. It didn't remove the twists and warps. I can see in commercial applications they would be great.

cheers,
conwood

I admit to being a bit confused here:confused: (aka "situation normal ). I'd always thought the the whole point of a jointer is to remove the high spots so as to get one flat face and side (at least), which sometimes requires a little looking and a little manipulation.

Maybe I should just go and hone up my #'s 7 & 8

Hi SINJIN, Mate they are the greatest bid of gear you can get like BOB said if you buy one get a few bases with it,on the Jointer it is only used on the outfeed table,you feed by hand till it picks up on the out feed,yes and you do use them for edging as well,but there is a little trick to it,you turn it 90' so that it presses the face of the timber to the fence and a few degees down so that you get it pushing down to the outfeed and to the fence at the same time...Hope this helps........Peter

I used power feeders during my apprenticeship and after for a few yrs. And i think they are a great piece of equipment to have. I think many on the forum are very weary of spindle moulders which is a shame because they can do amazing stuff. BUT. i agree they can frighten the day lights out of you if you are not on the ball at all times. Hence with a power feeder you get very safe accurate consistant control. The reason i posted the question was i have never used one on a Jointer under 2m beds. I did help push some beams on a jointer that was maybe 5m long once just enough for the power feeder to take hold and then be squared on 2 faces at once by a jointer then go onto sawing.
Anyway it looks as if a couple are trying so..if it works good.

Today I set up my power feeder on the jointer, carefully read the instructions and fed a piece of 200 wide * 40mm thick * 2.2 m long piece of walnut through the setup. ^&*(#$%^ magic . Worked like a dream and as an added benefit I was able to set the depth of cut to at least twice that which I had been using.
Just push timber into place, stand back, watch timber come out other end, pick up timber to inspect and do it again if reqd.
I purposely chose a piece of walnut that had a fairly bad twist in it; handled it perfectly.
I did good with this purchase.

Great Bob