Thread: Jointer advice required

looks to be a reasonable machine, first up the bolt is for your 45 degree stop adjustment on your guide arm, as for tips well dont use short timber, keep your cuts to 3mm or less, keep your blades sharp and properly adjusted, use a pushstick, keep the work area clean and uncluttered one fall and the loss is horrific, others will have more but this will get you started!, have you "googled" for a manual!

the bolt is for your 45 degree stop adjustment on your guide arm

Thanks Dave, that had me beat! Thanks for the safe working tips too.

With regards to the user manual, I have searched on the Internet for the Master brand, and the Toolmac brand, without success.

Originally Posted by JillB

As I have never used a jointer before, can some experienced users please post some good safety tips and traps for new players?

#1 Rule NEVER, NEVER,NEVER,NEVER run you fingers over the knives when pushing timber through!

Feed up to the knives then RAISE your hand and place in on the outboard side then proceed to out-feed.

That way your finger are never close enough to the blades to be cut off.

I seen it too many times the timber slips and the fingers fall.

Apart from that enjoy your new machine I had one very similar in the past.


Cheers


Steve

Originally Posted by toolbagsPLUS

#1 Rule NEVER, NEVER,NEVER,NEVER run you fingers over the knives when pushing timber through!

Feed up to the knives then RAISE your hand and place in on the outboard side then proceed to out-feed.

That way your finger are never close enough to the blades to be cut off.

I seen it too many times the timber slips and the fingers fall.

My left ring finger is about 5mm shorter than it should be exactly because of this

Originally Posted by JillB

Thanks Dave, that had me beat! Thanks for the safe working tips too.

With regards to the user manual, I have searched on the Internet for the Master brand, and the Toolmac brand, without success.

I had a quick look as well but came up empty as far as the manual goes but I'll keep trying, as for the bolt just set the guide at the 45 deg angle and check it with a mitre gauge the bolt is a stop at supposedly exactly 45deg. if not perfectly 45 then adjust the bolt as necesary

check you tube out for push sticks, there are some good ones on there, as has been said do not put your fingers over the blades at any stage, if they bight and throw the timber it leaves your fingers exposed to be eaten up by the revolving bighties underneath, (see "ouch" in dictionary)

with the machine unplugged check the alignment of the forward (infeed table) to the rear (outfeed table) with a long spirit level or a good straight edge, set the depth of cut at 0 (no cut) place the spirit level or a straight edge right along the both tables and check there is no variation of "flatness" on either table, they should both be in perfect alignment, (perfectly flat with no gap the full length of the tables) if there is then adjustment is needed, this can be tricky, I wont go into that just yet, plenty on here that will give advice as to how to rectify this if found incorrect, also check the blades are not cutting at the 0 setting, too high a blade set will cause problems, too low will create probs as well, they must be perfectly flush with the rear table,

make sure you unplug the machine before you try any of these checks!!!

Don't ever use the machine without the gaurd in place and working properly, if you have never used one before I would strongly consider seeking some instruction from someone who is experieced in using a jointer/buzzer, maybe a local wood club

Jill,

Try this one from Grizzly. It's not the same but it may give you some insight to your machine.

http://cdn0.grizzly.com/manuals/g0654_m.pdf

Many thanks for all this help, esp the Grizzly manual, Bleeder. I have learnt lots in a short space of time from all you guys. As with the table saw, my policy will be to not have any part of my hands within 4 inches of the cutter head blades at any time while it is running.

I also found some interesting article on setting up the blades here ( esp the instructions supplied by Jon Healy) and here.

Also there are some good jointer articles in:

Australian Woodsmith Issue #79 ( with a traditional tool chest on the front cover)
Time Life The art of Woodworking series - "Woodworking machines"

So, my next step is to clean all the surface rust away, wax it, and test the settings and blade sharpness

JillB

If you find that the fence is not completely flat and square end to end, a metal engineering business can grind it dead flat for you. On a previous jointer I had it cost me about $100 to get it done with perfect results.

For surface rust removal (even quite heavy corrosion), may I recommend this stuff:

3M Rust Dissolver, 250ml - Supercheap Auto

Most of the auto parts shops have something similar - its basically phosphoric acid solution. Follow the instructions, and I get great results scrubbing the stuff with some medium steel wool. Don't get it on any aluminium parts though !

Check out:
118 – Jointer Setup | The Wood Whisperer and
How to Mill Lumber | The Wood Whisperer