Thread: Difficult Stuff done Safely on a Jointer

Its one of those yeah / nah type of instructional videos. Some good ideas but within limits. Just how far does one push those limits becomes the safety issue.

More the point why? Why perform those tasks when other options with less hazards, less risk, and far far lower potential injury outcomes are available?

70 mm blocks through a jointer / thicknesser? Nah! and one would have to ask why? The hot melt glue does work until you manage to clip it with the cutter head.

As for passing a short block over the cutter head on a jointer with or without the push block. Nah! well a never on my watch NAH! Far far too hazardous! A simple never!!!! His technique of a sled with fore and aft support blocks with them and the short work piece all temp glued to the sled then passing through the thicky for both faces is a "safer" technique - or at least presents less risk - but again why? It would have to be super expensive or very special wood to warrant such risk imo.

Some of those techniques simply make me cringe - using toggle clamps set so close to the cutter head / face that the euro style guard must be retracted considerable more than it should simply to clear the clamp bolts - nah!

Sandwiching a thin rip between sacrificial (well edge sacrificial) blocks to true an edge - yeah. Again why?

An old fashioned shooting board and hand plane will perform many of those same tasks with fewer hazards and far far less risk.

Truing the face of thin sheets / veneers - well that is what drum sanders were invented for.

Take away what you will from the video - but please don't take away the idea that all of those techniques are "safe."

Perhaps "safe within limits" so please have a good think about what other options you have available that can perform the same tasks with far less risk.

I process a lot of thin stock and cut very small components for the inlay banding that I make and fully understand the hazards, risk vs benefit decisions we often make - but no wood is worth the loss of fingers!!!

another after thought.... how much does each of the following "cost" or what is its "value" to you,

• a 70 x 70 mm block of wood - either a common species or the most expensive wood on the planet.
• a replacement single cutter or multiple cutters
• a helix head
• a toggle clamp
• your processing time fiddling about with glue blocks etc

or

• at best a clean pair of jocks!
• a finger injury incapacitation
• two fingers .....
• a day / week / month out of action
• permanent loss of use, or total loss of one / two or more fingers etc.

Seems harsh but do the sums.

I watched the video and understanding the language makes a bit of difference.
Some of what he's demonstrating he's actually saying "do not do this because of this and this".
A viewer who does not understand the language or maybe a bit of a newbie would not necessarily work this out.
I'm not saying I agree with every technique but it's not as bad it might seem.
This highlights just another problem of what's posted on Youtube.

Originally Posted by BobL

I watched the video and understanding the language makes a bit of difference.
Some of what he's demonstrating he's actually saying "do not do this because of this and this".
A viewer who does not understand the language or maybe a bit of a newbie would not necessarily work this out.
I'm not saying I agree with every technique but it's not as bad it might seem.
This highlights just another problem of what's posted on Youtube.

Very true. Like most viewers who are not fluent in Italian I was only receiving part of the story - the visual.

Such an example highlights the value of visual / verbal / written communication and how effective / powerful they are overall or relative to each other. Also highlights the value of well edited / produced visual media that reaches a wide audience across many languages / cultures. A simple on screen "big red X" or "nice green tick" adds a powerful message - do not do - OK to do!

The viewers initial interpreted message may be quite different from the intended message. Hence my cautions. Think before using that "partial" info. Question the source and also your own interpretations - "was that what they really meant?"

I actually turned on the subtitles then used Google Translate to verify / clarify some of my interpretations. (very tedious though.)

Originally Posted by Mobyturns

Very true. Like most viewers who are not fluent in Italian I was only receiving part of the story - the visual.

Such an example highlights the value of visual / verbal / written communication and how effective / powerful they are overall or relative to each other. Also highlights the value of well edited / produced visual media that reaches a wide audience across many languages / cultures. A simple on screen "big red X" or "nice green tick" adds a powerful message - do not do - OK to do!

The viewers initial interpreted message may be quite different from the intended message. Hence my cautions. Think before using that "partial" info. Question the source and also your own interpretations - "was that what they really meant?"

I actually turned on the subtitles then used Google Translate to verify / clarify some of my interpretations. (very tedious though.)

Points well made and it does change the perception of the whole thing.