I am not going to claim that this is my favourite tool. It is certainly not the tool that has been in my shop for the longest either. It is however the tool have has made the greatest impact on what I do and can do in my shop.
I bought the 6inch joiner to mill the lumber for the Grand Kid's crib, just over two years ago. My plan had been to use pine for the crib but once I got to Brant Custom Wood and found that poplar was stronger, nicer and cheaper I opted for poplar.
I bought the 6inch joiner to mill the lumber for the Grand Kid's crib, just over two years ago. My plan had been to use pine for the crib but once I got to Brant Custom Wood and found that poplar was stronger, nicer and cheaper I opted for poplar.
The poplar was rough and there was no way that I was going to try and hand plane a crib's worth of wood. If you look at project photos you can see that the crib is slats on all four sides, something close to 80 slats. The only real solution was a joiner to compliment my planer and I bought the King. It was fairly reasonably priced, and readily available, also I had experience with that tool before and felt then, and still feel that it is adequate to my uses. If I made more furniture I would probable feel that joiner was a bit small. I found the learning curve quite short, I had taken a power tool course at Mohawk College the previous winter. The course was very useful and I am glad that I took it.
The joiner enabled me to use rough lumber for my projects. Until I got the joiner I was stuck with ready prepared lumber, generally twisty and only approximate thicknesses. Starting with over sized rough lumber and working it through the joiner and then planner has meant that I can make much nicer projects than I could have otherwise. The latest example is the shelf unit for the Toronto kids but the ongoing example is the dozens of cutting boards that I have made in the last six months. Without the joiner I could not make the boards efficiently enough to by able to sell them at a reasonable price.
The method of deducing a rough board to usable lumber is not artistic, it is systematic.
1. join the board until you have a flat face. If the board is cupped join the concave side first until flat.
2. join one edge until it is flat and square with the good face.
3. cut the material to width on the table saw, good side down good edge against the fence.
4. run it through the planer until the correct thickness.
Things I've learned though probably obvious to other people.
1. Mill all the lumber for the project + a couple of extra boards all at once, that way they are exactly the same size and thickness, exactly.
2. Sharpen or change the blades in the joiner and planer more often that you probably do now. Sharp blades make a difference there too.
3. Have lots of push sticks around, lots, they fall on the floor and it is easier to reach for another one while working than it is to interrupt your work flow to crawl under something to get it back.
4. Two words --dust collection--
The joiner enabled me to use rough lumber for my projects. Until I got the joiner I was stuck with ready prepared lumber, generally twisty and only approximate thicknesses. Starting with over sized rough lumber and working it through the joiner and then planner has meant that I can make much nicer projects than I could have otherwise. The latest example is the shelf unit for the Toronto kids but the ongoing example is the dozens of cutting boards that I have made in the last six months. Without the joiner I could not make the boards efficiently enough to by able to sell them at a reasonable price.
The method of deducing a rough board to usable lumber is not artistic, it is systematic.
1. join the board until you have a flat face. If the board is cupped join the concave side first until flat.
2. join one edge until it is flat and square with the good face.
3. cut the material to width on the table saw, good side down good edge against the fence.
4. run it through the planer until the correct thickness.
Things I've learned though probably obvious to other people.
1. Mill all the lumber for the project + a couple of extra boards all at once, that way they are exactly the same size and thickness, exactly.
2. Sharpen or change the blades in the joiner and planer more often that you probably do now. Sharp blades make a difference there too.
3. Have lots of push sticks around, lots, they fall on the floor and it is easier to reach for another one while working than it is to interrupt your work flow to crawl under something to get it back.
4. Two words --dust collection--
Foot Note:
I know that you can plane and join edges with Hand Planes. I love hand planes, I love the smell of the wood, the lack of noise, the lack of wood chips etc. etc. etc.
I am just not there in my personal evolution yet. I may never be able to abandon some of the labour saving devises of the shop, only time will tell.
I know that you can plane and join edges with Hand Planes. I love hand planes, I love the smell of the wood, the lack of noise, the lack of wood chips etc. etc. etc.
I am just not there in my personal evolution yet. I may never be able to abandon some of the labour saving devises of the shop, only time will tell.
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