# Good jointer for a small workshop



## JoeLyddon

Where did you buy it?
How much was it?
How long is the bed?

Looks nice… must be really good with that Helical blade…

I'm surprised to hear that about the fence… I thought they were Woodworkers designing FOR Woodworkers… guess not…

Thank you… Be SAFE…


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## Tennessee

I've always been interested in the granite tools, but never had enough guts to actually order one. Looks like you got a winner!


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## MoshupTrail

I got this one at Lowe's, but had to special order it. It took about 2 months to get in.
The bed is 30" long and sits 9" above the surface of my bench. Thinking I might build a special bench for it. But for now it works!

@Joe - I run a lot of oak and all it takes is a little knot and you've got a ding in a knife blade. I'm hoping this one, with the carbide blades, will hold up well. Other than that, the cut is about the same as a knife-blade planer. The granite is nice because you don't have to worry about it rusting, and it doesn't get sticky, like a steel bed.


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## goethert

I heard there are a couple of power tools that you never want on the bench top, the jointer is one of them.
Is it true?


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## CFVRH

I've had this same jointer for a year now and just love it! I agree with you on the adjusters for the fence…they need a better design. I love the granite top too. This thing is a little powerhouse & has done everything that I've thrown at it. I also built a set of infeed & outfeed rollers for doing longer stock. It cuts really nice too.


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## eatsawdust

I have been debating getting one of these or a slightly bigger one with the granite (model 40630gh), thanks for the review, I just love Steel City tools, and I also like how you color coordinated the totes to match your jointer.


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## NormG

It resembles the Porter Cable and Delta models greatly. I have a Delta and it has done a very nice job for what I use it for


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## Dusty56

Hard to tell from your photo , but are the cutters only one sided ? 
I was just reading on SawMill Creek that the cutters were only HSS and not carbide. 
They also said that there are only 12 cutters in the head. Any confirmation or denial ?
I guess those Helical Heads vary in design quite a lot from the true Spiral heads.


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## MoshupTrail

I think they are 2-sided. Don't know about HSS vs Carbide. But, its a great little machine regardless. You can see the quality of the cut in the photo. I can mount it on a small workbench with wheels and roll it out of the way easily when it's not being used.


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## blackcherry

I live on the outskirts of Chicago and near by is the main warehouse that feeds the Midwestern part of the USA for Steel City Tools. So one day on craigslist I came a pond this ad for refurbished Steel City Tools and went to investigate I pick up this same jointer and the 13 inch planer, sold my Delta style two speed planer and just about got the planer for a even exchange. Your so right about getting the fence right but once set I haven't had to tinker with it again. Here the site page on Craigslist http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/tls/3853009313.html I just took a closer look at your photo and see you have the same planer as well I really like this planer it crazy good on figured woods, one tip that I use is to moisten the piece of figured wood before planning by just wiping down with a damp rag result are no tear outs at all…BC


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## blackcherry

Dusty it has been just recently that they now offer the carbide cutters also this style cutter can only be rotated once so once you rotated you've just use your last cutting edge. Some of the higher end spiral heads have cutting edge on all four sides Steel City has cutting edge on only two sides that's why these are not as pricey.


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## Dusty56

Thanks for the info , BC : )


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## rustythebailiff

I am planning on getting one next year. Just FYI, if you want a longer table, the granite tops for the floor model will fit the bench model. According to Steel City, they run $99 each, and give you an almost 4 foot long table!


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## MoshupTrail

That would be pretty cool. But you'd have to bolt it down for stability.
It also raises the price to pretty near the price of a floor-standing model.


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## RibsBrisket4me

Very interesting!! Looks like that might be the best bench top jointer on the market. Thanks for the review!


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## MoshupTrail

I think so. Its been doing great stuff.


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## Howie

I ordered this jointer 7/15/13 from Lowes. They called tonight (7/18) and told me it would be backordered until October 28. I canceled it. 
I had a Ridgid joiner I rarely used and sold it because it took up too much room in the shop. Kind of figured this might be okay. I usually use my Incra to joint edges with.


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## MoshupTrail

@Howie - It's worth the wait! Use the Incra until October. Then enjoy this one!


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## Ozwald

Thanks for the reviews guys. I've been looking at jointers off/on for weeks now & pretty much all day today. This seems to suit my needs just right, but it's a bugger to track down. I did just find one on Lowes.com for a good price & free shipping to the store. Looks like I'll have it early next week.


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## Ozwald

Well it looks like Lowes is going to treat me just like Howie. Now my expected delivery date is 12/31. I wonder how they can consistently be 3-4 months off & yet still not tell us that it's a back order. Luckily I'm not in dire need of it at the moment, but it's still pretty upsetting. From the reviews it looks like I'm better off just waiting another 3 months without a jointer. My question is what happens in December, are they going to play this game all over again & tell me April?


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## RibsBrisket4me

That makes me wonder what is going on at Steel City Tools….I can't imagine this tool is selling so fast, they can't keep up with production…..hmmmm


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## Howie

While I think I would like to have one somehow waiting 3 months for a $300 tool is a bit ridiculous in my book. I could see it if I was waiting for a 3k $ SawStop or Unisaw. Kind of makes me wonder what is going on with Steel City.


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## MoshupTrail

Having now used it for several projects… It was worth the wait.
Recently did some 6' 4×4's (really big honking chunks of wood!) and it did remarkably well.
Normally, I don't expect it to do anything that large. Smaller stuff comes out real nice.

I am really satisfied with the helical heads.


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## Ozwald

I can understand the back order status not only from the reviews, but after a lot of digging I can't find anything of SC's quality in that price range. I'm either stuck with a 'roll-of-the-dice' company where the jointer I get takes a lot of jury rigging to perform well, or a well-built antique off Craigslist (in rural Montana, CL is really hit or miss & often really slim pickings) that's going to require a lot of restoration - elbow grease may be free, but cleaning/refinishing products aren't.

The thing that gets under my skin the most is if you go on Lowes website, they're still claiming they're shipping the unit in 3-5 days when they know full well that it's on back order. It's just dishonest. I'd cancel my order & place it through someone else, even if it meant paying a few bucks extra, but they were the only ones I found who would let you do more than join a watch list to see when it was in stock.

I'm primarily a turner, so not having it for a couple more months isn't the end of the world (and I scored a great deal on a big Delta lathe yesterday) but Lowe's dishonesty in the matter certainly rubs me the wrong way.


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## MoshupTrail

Yah, I've noticed that the inventory and availability on Lowes' web site is not very reliable.

Somewhere (Woodcraft I think) I learned that SC was requiring retailers to purchase very large lots of SC tools. That might account for the off and on availability.


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## DMC1903

I too purchased a similar model of Jointer from Steel City, initially the cuts were perfect and very smooth.
However, after numerous bdft, the plastic bushing that secure the deck started to wear, I was unable to keep it coplanar. After many several hours of pure frustration, a few calls to Steel City. 
I elected to return it to Lowes, no questions asked.
Now my Grizzly jointer works great, I do miss the Helical cutters,
Best of Luck with your new toy


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