# Serious Imperfection



## grumpy749

I'm sure you know this but its worth stating, make sure you joint with the grain and not against it. I agree harbor freight tools are junk. That's why everything is half price. Just my opinion !


----------



## cabmaker

I hope your brush with sub standard machinery does not keep you from enjoying your pursuit but I can only be sympathetic with your experiance due to you seeking advise and reviews from forum circles

If you ask enough people you will always find support for bad decisions.

Harbor freight is clearly sub standard, but that is not to say that you can't find a few items there that are usable.some refer to these few items as gems. I have another name for them.

If your looking for decent machinery, harbor freight is not your store. Even if you have no expectation you may be disappointed.

JB


----------



## Dusty56

*"....or wobble much" ?* 
Are you saying that the jointer itself wobbles , or it is sitting on an uneven floor ?


----------



## mcfr

I feel your pain although in a different way. I agree harbor freight has its place. I have gotten some tools there and have had good luck. I needed to repair a air framing nailer that was leaking. After some searching I found that the repair kit from Bostitch worked perfectly. As for a planer I purchased a Craftsman 6 1/8 that worked but needed some tlc. Only to find out the infeed table will not level because the f dovetail is broken. I figured no problem as it is a craftsman I will just order the part. Now the bad-they do not make replacement parts for it anymore so I have a perfectly good working jointer that I cannot use. So I am not in any better shape right now than if I had the harbor freight planer. Anyone know where to look for parts for a 113.232211 jointer???


----------



## mantwi

I had one of those about 24 years ago but my experience was different. I got rid of the open stand and made an enclosed base with dust collection, major improvement. As you said the castings were well within tolerance so there was no issue with the alignment. I've always liked end mounted fences they give you a longer bearing surface and that's always a good thing. Replacing knives is a pain no matter what system is used to bring them into alignment. Just lightly snug the knives then pry them up or tap them down with a wooden block. After they are all set at top dead center torque em down then you can use a ceramic stone laid on the outfeed table to hone them into perfect level. (by moving the stone lengthwise on the blade not by running the machine) Mine left a very smooth surface. The only thing I really didn't like about it was the plastic handwheels, I just hate plastic on a machine. I think a lot of your issues are due to not knowing how to properly set up a jointer and that can effect any machine regardless of cost. And please, always, I mean always check the knives on any new machine to make sure they securely installed. Loose knives or other bolts aren't just a harbor freight problem. It's a human problem.


----------



## jcwalleye

I'm a bit confused by your comment:

*I assume if I tried to set it to something like 1/4" or 1/2" it would rip the wood into a thousand pieces. *

I don't know of any circumstance where you'd try to joint 1/4" or 1/2". I imagine only the highest end production equipment would try to take that bite at once. I rarely take more than 1/32" off at a time. It takes a lot of passes, but that's the best way I've found to minimize chip-out.


----------



## jumbojack

you sure the blades are oriented the correct way. I had one of those jointers and it did a very serviceable job for me. I bought it used and it needed a little tweeking. I pulled the blades and sharpened them myself, an easy job. The knives were pretty easy to set with a jointer pal. Depth of cut could be a problem as you mentioned 1/4" cut. About the most I ever take is 1/8 and I consider that hogging off some face grain. Anything deeper than that and I EXPECT tearout. As to the scalloping, this sound more like a feed rate issue. If you dawdle the material thorugh it is prone to scallop. Increase your feed rate.


----------



## Rick Dennington

Hell. it's made in China…...What did you expect from Harbor Freight…..? Nothing but junk in the way of power tools…....Your's is not the first story I've heard and read about…....Prolly won't be the last…...


----------



## CharlesA

It appears that HF no longer carries this (or any) jointer. At least I can't find one on their website.


----------



## Dal300

Here I go again…... 
It's a poor workman that blames his tools.

I use to buy Globemaster tools when I was young and broke.
They worked for what they were meant to do, but not for long.

If you had read more than one article on using a Jointer, you may have learned that anything more than 1/64" to 1/16" is about as much as any non commercial machine should be expected to take.

1/4 to 1/2" are you kidding? what do you think it is, some kind of super table saw blade?

Instead of giving a bad review, how about learning about how operator error is often to blame.

And for the ones who "Squealed Like A Pig" when HF was mentioned, until you use some of those tools be quiet.
There are several threads about HF tool reviews. Read them. Learn from them. Embrace them.
I would like to know how many of you have absolutely no chinese built products in your house, vehicles or shop?

Even the food you eat often comes from China and it ain't killed you yet! LOL


----------



## JustJoe

*Here I go again…… 
It's a poor workman that blames his tools.*
and it's a poor tutor who tells a student that the tool is never wrong.

*If you had read more than one article on using a Jointer, you may have learned that anything more than 1/64" to 1/16" is about as much as any non commercial machine should be expected to take.*
and if you had read the whole review you'd have caught this line:

If I run the face of the board over it I will get massive tearout and plenty of scalloping. This is when I take a cut that let's just barely more than 0. *

I realize I'm just a newb here compared to you, but if your entire mantra is to never blame the tool, then why bother commenting on any tool review? What can you add to the review? Doesn't matter if the reviewer praised it or panned it, you aren't going to blame the tool.

I'm beginning to wonder if I missed some clause in the forum enrollment that said we could only give 4-5 star reviews, because it seems now that every bad review brings an instant attack against the reviewer for having the nerve to disparage someone else's favorite maker, or it brings philosophical BS like "it's a poor workman…"


----------



## Dal300

*Just Joe* that is what would give me my first clue that I am doing something wrong. Then I look for a reason what I am doing it wrong.

If it turns out that it isn't me, HF has an excellent return policy I am not afraid to take advantage of, BUT condemning a tool that doesn't do what you think it should because it wasn't built to do it is just wrong.
Many reviews of that particular jointer aren't great, but are at least very acceptable.
The first place I would have gone is HF customer care.

Notice, the OP hasn't bothered to answer anything on his own thread.
HF is not my favorite "maker" by the way, I don't personally have one, but as some other posters immediately discounted any item made by the Chinese as "Junk". The majority of what you have is made in China or some other Pacific Rim country.

I don't have a problem with low star reviews. What I have a problem with is reviewers that don't include all the information they have, giving poor reviews because they haven't done due diligence, or giving poor reviews because they were too lazy to contact customer support.

HF has a 90 day guarantee….. If the OP didn't know he had a problem in that time, that is his fault. Waiting two years to try to give a poor review is nonsensical.


----------



## casual1carpenter

Dallas, when you say, " that is what would give me my first clue that I am doing something wrong. Then I look for a reason what I am doing it wrong." I have to agree with JustJoe, this particular Jointer is not behaving if you are taking light cuts just barely more than 0, and having issues.

Purrmaster stated that "the Assembly was a nightmare. It took forever, mostly because the instructions were terrible. Figuring out where to put what was a process in of itself. The actual assembly instructions were too short and the operating and tuning instructions are non-existent. The parts list and drawing looks like it was done by a 5 year old and Xeroxed about 5,000 times. There were many bolts missing and I had to go procure bolts myself." At the least the jointer needs better assembly instructions for a machine spinning blades at, what 4000+ RPM. Perhaps the issues stem from some operator error as you assume or perhaps they come in some part from improper parts, casting, machining, or assembly. Missing parts and inadequate documentation by themselves are enough for a 2 star or less review, and that is without consideration for the performance issues that he was not able to resolve.

Pacific Rim does not mean bad in and of itself, I will agree with you there. But kindly remember that all Pacific Rim manufacturing does not hold to the same Quality Control, specifications and standards.


----------



## mantwi

Just Joe, I have to agree with Dallas on this one. I think the reviewers complaints were slightly exaggerated at best. I know guys who couldn't get a properly jointed edge regardless of what manufacturer made the jointer. Their technique is that bad and I suspect it has a lot to do with this guys results too. Harbor freight makes low end tools, we all know that. Even the ones that work have their drawbacks but these can be compensated for with a little research and ingenuity. This guy seems to be clueless even his recommendations are ambiguous. If you don't know any better this might be for you but then again maybe not. It's hard to take him serious. As for dogging Harbor Freight I think it should be clear that any tool or machine that is purchased for a fraction of the going cost is going to be less than perfect and if your not willing or able to make any modifications required to get the performance out of it you need than don't buy it. Save your money and buy a Powermatic or Delta or other major brand machines that are made in Taiwan or China just like the Harbor Freight but with better on the ground oversight from the company who's name is on the label. If on the other hand I get a hold of a Powermatic or Jet or Delta or even Grizzly machine that's a dog I'll complain long and loud. These manufacturers have solid reputations and you have a right to expect exceptional performance from their equipment. It's what you pay for that's why brands like Ridgid, Craftsman etc get no mercy from me. They give the impression that their stuff is top of the line and when it's not they should be called for it. I don't think Harbor Freight ever has that problem, people know what it is going in.


----------



## Purrmaster

Ok, a bit of clarification here:

I've never set it to take 1/4 or 1/2 inch off. My setting has been about just about 1 mm shy of the zero mark on the depth scale. I mention the greater depths because 1/2 inch is only halfway on the depth scale it says it can take off.

As far as my study on jointers…. I read as much information on the web as I could. A book's equivalent worth. I also posted for assistance on several forums. I also read at least 3 books on jointers. I am *not* an expert on jointers even so. If I was I would probably have figured out some way to make the thing work properly. Hence why I said if someone was good with jointers this might be worth a try for that person.

I don't have an ideology as far as brands go. I don't have a hate on for Harbor Freight. Quite the opposite, really. I shop there frequently. I think some of their tools are quite good, including some power tools. In many cases I think their price to performance ratio is excellent.

I also don't have an ideology as far as origin of tools. You can get quality products from China and crap products from elsewhere. And vice versa. This will probably piss off even more people but…. my SawStop is made in Taiwan and I love the thing.

As far as wobbling… no, it doesn't wobble under the majority of circumstances. It's one of the good things about it. It's heavy enough to be steady. The stand was a pain to put together but once assembled it's been fine.

Harbor Freight still carries it. It's not listed on the website but you can get it at the store. There are several items listed on the website that are still available. I don't know why.

As I said I am *not* a jointer expert. Even so, I learned as much as I could and have put many hours into tweaking, checking, and adjusting the jointer. I sharpened several different sets of blades well beyond 2,500 grit. I am open to the idea that I have screwed something up. But I have tried and tried and tried to get this machine to cooperate.

If someone would be kind enough to come over and help me fiddle the thing into workability I would be most grateful.


----------



## CharlesA

That sure seems like a lot of effort to put into a machine. And although you can return things to HF, we know they can't help you with anything you buy there. Seems like a fair review given all that.


----------



## JustJoe

Post #14 kind of sums up what i've been seeing on negative reviews.
The OP talked about a jointer. Within the next 13 replies the poor guys being called clueless and assumed to be incompetent. Now people are talking about the store he bought it from and going off on tangents about cheap vs expensive, HF vs the rest of the world, this brand vs that brand etc. 
The reasons he gave for the negative review were all related to the tool. All the responses were related to him or the place he bought the tool. With responses like that it's a waste of time to do a review, might as well just start a normal thread "let's talk smack about the HF (insert tool name here) and then move on to debating china vs USA." Of course that thread's been done to death so we might need to change the title to keep it fresh.


----------



## mantwi

I thought the idea was to compare notes on what's been said and reach a consensus of sorts. I don't think anyone is trying to insult prrmaster just responding to his statements. He doesn't exactly inspire confidence in his understanding of how a jointer is used. As I said I have owned one of these HF jointers in the past and waqs pleased with it and honestly I can't imagine what you do to get the outrageous results he's listing that iwould be considered good and safe practice on a jointer. If his knives are set flush with the outfeed table I don't know anything you could do to get these results taking equivalent to as 64th of an inch. If the bearings were bad or the cutter head out of round why didn't he say so? Possibly because he isn't knowledgeable enough to detect it. This isn't a slam on the man everyone starts that way and we should be willing to look at the whole picture and walk him through the problem solving process. Just saying, yea Harbor Freight is junk isn't helping this man with the obvious issues that are his and not the machines. It's dangerous and irresponsible to pass over the clear signs of his inexperience here. And by the way. If prrmaster lived in my neck of the woods I'd be happy to help him sort through this problem. How bout it, anybody in Oregon willing to give this guys jointer a look? It would be interesting to hear a more seasoned opinion of this situation


----------



## mathom7

Purrmaster

Thanks for your review.

All I expect from a review on a site like this is another hobbyist's experience. You listed issues that provided frustration from your particular experiences, without claiming expert knowledge.


----------



## JustJoe

*I thought the idea was to compare notes on what's been said and reach a consensus of sorts.*
I thought the idea of a review was that somone reviews a tool. It's more of a one-way thing. He used it, he talks about it. Down the road some other potential buyer wonders what past users think of the tool and so they read it to get his opinion. Your experience 24 years ago and how you modified the machine to make it work better might be slightly related to the original topic, (slightly - to think that there have been no modifications for better or worse in the last 20 years is one giant leap of faith) but the follow on posts go off on the usual HF vs the world, cheap vs good, taste-great less-filling tangent.

*This isn't a slam on the man everyone starts that way*
That might not be a slam, it's just a general assumption you've made based on the way he wrote his article. You've never met him or been to his shop but he generalizes his measurement settings so he must be a total moron. Now maybe I misread your meaning there, but then this sure doesn't sound like glowing praise:
*This guy seems to be clueless even his recommendations are ambiguous. If you don't know any better this might be for you but then again maybe not. It's hard to take him serious.*
That's a bit harsh, or is it not a slam because you threw in some wiggle-room with the word "seems"? You do remember that quote right? It came in the middle of a long discussion - right after a bit about past woodworkers with no skill that you have happened to know, and right before some long soliloqy about HF and buying cheap tools that need tweaking, saving money for expensive tools and whatever else was in there, not one bit that has to do with this particular jointer.


----------



## Dusty56

Rather than reprint this entire posting, I found this comment to be very interesting:
"I mention the greater depths because* 1/2 inch is only halfway on the depth scale* it says it can take off."
Really ? A six inch jointer with a full inch of stock removal capability ?
Have you ever used any other jointer to determine if it is your jointing method or actually the machine at fault ?
It seems that you put a ton of work into adjusting everything on the machine, perhaps it is the operator. There is a learning curve for sure on jointers. Do you have any friends that are experienced woodworkers that might check it out for you ?


----------



## wormil

The review is fairly written from my point of view. This is not a tool marketed to professionals and Purrmaster seems to have gone to some lengths to make it function correctly. Taking remarks about 1/2" cuts out of context and slamming the guy reflects poorly on the person doing it. Just because someone has a different experience or a different opinion doesn't make them wrong. If you think the guy has overlooked something then why not just tell him instead of making it personal.


----------



## Purrmaster

As I said, I'm not a jointer expert. This is my first and only jointer. I had to start somewhere. Someone who is a jointer expert may be able to coax the thing into submission.

My recommendation is: If you *are* experienced with jointers and you're looking for an inexpensive machine, this might be the machine for you. I've read reports of people who have managed to get it to work well for them.

Here is the catch-22 of my situation here:

Perhaps the best tools for a beginner very high quality tools because they are the most likely to be set up well out of the box and have easy to use features. I'll take the example of my Veritas jack plane. I got several other planes before it, including a used Stanley jack plane. I struggled with them. I finally got a Veritas plane and discovered easy, smooth planing.

Now if I really knew my stuff I may be able to "tune" the other planes into performing just as well. But I don't, because I'm new. I learn all I can from books, videos, and websites. But that only goes so far.

So the lesson would be: Get premium stuff that just works. Problem is, I can't afford to get only premium tools. Since I'm just starting out I have to stock everything up from scratch. Planes, chisels, saws, jointers, etc.

I've also been told to check the used market for oldies but goodies. That would be a good idea, except I'm starting out. I don't have experience with woodworking tools. I would have no idea what to look for to keep from getting screwed. The thing could be on its last legs and I wouldn't have a clue. I imagine some of you would be under the same constraints if you were looking at an old Macintosh computer. Did you know that a bad PRAM battery can keep the things from booting? That's a $5 fix. But it could also be that the logic board is shot. Or that you'll need an ADB keyboard and mouse instead of USB?

At least with a new tool there is a warranty, documentation, and some support. I'm not saying I have a dislike for used tools. I don't. My cousin very kindly gave me his old drill press. The thing is probably 20 years old. I love it. It works like a charm. I feel no need to replace my drill press with something new and shiny. But I also trust my cousin and he'd help me with it if something went wrong.

I am very open to the idea I may not be tuning it right. What I can tell you is that everything is set to precisely the way the instructions (paltry as they are) that came with it specify. I've put many hours into messing around with it trying to make it work. I've been screwing with it continually for 2 years. I think if your average joe picked up this tool they would have a similar experience. In the hands of an expert it might sing.

But I am not an expert and can only review it based on my experience with it. Your mileage will vary.

But I still wouldn't buy it again.


----------



## Thrakintosh

Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten.

I've been burned by the "savings" at HF once (one too many times). With that said I have their DC and it hasn't been a terrible investment. Your mileage may vary.


----------



## mantwi

Joe my boy I was offering constructive criticism which is something you seem to have lot of yourself. It's been my experience that if matters are discussed candidly solutions can be reached. If this isn't the forum for that my bad. In my view prrmaster's acknowledgement of his inexperience in some areas does indicate a desire to learn therefore it's not insulting or out of line to attempt to ascertain his level of familiarity with a given piece of equipment. He didn't have a problem with it, you're the one who got all indignant. Your rant is killing any chance of finding a solution, you guarantee that he doesn't miss an opportunity to feel insulted even if no insult is intended and so prevent any possibility of a good outcome. Good job.
p.s. If you want to write reviews that aren't panned by the readers you need to start your own blog, magazine or whatever so you have total control over what gets seen. Even the best get criticized, just follow the reviews thread for a day or two. Everybody has an opinion and that's why we're here to share and learn.


----------



## mantwi

prrmaster. I understand the comparison to a an old Mac very clearly. I am the king of idiots when it comes to computers, I can't even figure out how to upload photos here or I'd h some reviews up myself. Does it mean I'm ignorant about IT stuff, yes. Does it mean I'm a total moron, no. No body knows everything and your comments left the impression you were looking for answers, that's a good thing. I didn't and don't think you are anything but what you said you are and respect your desire to learn. When trial and error fails it's time to look and listen. The answer may be that your machine is unusable but since it's the one your stuck with it's best to learn how to overcome it's deficiencies if possible. Good luck, I'm outa here.


----------



## Purrmaster

I *am* looking to learn how to correct problems with it. Hell, I'm looking to learn everything I possibly can about woodworking. If I could tune the thing up into a champ jointer, that'd be great.

But one could also argue that if a tool needs modifications and expert repairs and fiddling, perhaps that isn't such a good tool? Especially if the instructions for the tool don't mention any of these extra steps or how to tune up the machine. The documentation for my DeWalt planer is pretty good and it covers pretty much all adjustments you'd need to make.

Considering that no matter what it gives me tearout and is a pain to change settings on I considered giving it 1 star and saying it should be melted down for scrap.

But it was very inexpensive, for a jointer. And in the hands of an expert with the right equipment it might be a serviceable machine.

If anyone wants to come take a look at it that would be great.

P.S. Yes, I've noticed that no matter what you put in a review it's going to annoy some people. And it does make me reluctant to post more reviews. Oddly, the only exception I've seen is if you give a high rating to a tool from a high end maker such as Veritas or Lie Nielsen.


----------



## Dal300

Purrmaster, I apologize if I came off as insulting. As I get older I get to be more of a curmudgeon. I have little tolerance for things that to me should be simple to fix, modify or repair, or the people who don't do due diligence to find the problem.
To me it boils down to gaining a new skill level, whether it is directly to do with your wood working abilities or ancillary to them, Just as sharpening a chisel is ancillary to making a mortise. All of these skills are important.
I have many HF tools, also tools from other companies that are very highly thought of. You would really be surprised at how little actual information is given. As an example I have a some Stihl chainsaws and weed trimmers that belong to the place I work. My task is to repair them. Stihl will not give you vital specs on torque to yield bolts, 2 cycle rod bearing clearance, (only a single ten-thousandth means life and death on a few of those engines). 
I was raised that if I have a tool that is broken, I fix it…. it never goes to a repair center except as last resort. That would only be for something like my brother in law's 3 cylinder, 2 cycle SAAB where the rods and crankshaft are assembled in the factory as one piece.
Wher I grew up, winter lasted a long time, sometimes from mid October to mid May. During that time we would go through every piece of equipment, many times without a manual, clean, adjust, rebuild, replace, grease, oil, align and make ready for service for another season.
What did we do for a living? We had a small logging company, we had a custom molding company to make all the moldings used in a timber frame cabin, we had a small trucking company, (7 trucks my mom and stepdad owned), and we built custom cabins in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and North Dakota.

Tearing down any piece of equipment will give you much insight on how it works and how it is adjusted and aligned.

Good Luck.


----------



## Purrmaster

Nah, you didn't. I've considered trying to take the thing apart to check for defects. But I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to put it back together again. I still have hopes of someday being able to get the thing to perform well. I think it's going to take finding someone local who knows their stuff to look at it for me.

I actually tend to agree with you about fixing machines. It kind of bugs me that if a small thing breaks on a machine the impulse is to toss it. It seems wasteful to me. That's why I got a soldering iron some time ago (for electronics).

Like I said, any suggestions on how to rehabilitate this tool are more than welcome.


----------



## Dal300

20 years ago I had so much family in your area I could have sent someone to your house to show you what to do, what to fix, what to look for.

Dad died about 9 years ago and most of the family moved on. 
If nothing else works you are welcome to PM me and we'll talk out the problems on the phone, or you can email pics.


----------



## mantwi

Prrmaster: Dallas is right, nothing will demystify a piece of equipment like taking it apart. It's amazing how simple the majority of the machines woodworkers use are. The most complicated ones consist of just a drive train (usually just a pulley and a belt or 3) elevation mechanism (usually just a wormgear set-up) and if it's really complicated a tilt mechanism too (just another wormgear). For years the woodworking magazines had me buffaloed into thinking it took some special skill set to work on your own equipment, that's not true. I am a lousy mechanic, I mean really bad at working on cars. Now that's complicated but the first time I tore into a cabinet saw I replaced bearings in both the arbor and motor, Disassembled cleaned and realigned the major components and use the saw everyday in my one man furniture shop. Did the same with an old Makita 2030N combination jointer/planer machine. It's a challenge but you can find online resources or even better men like Dallas who are willing to help you through it. And like he says once you have torn down and rebuilt a piece of equipment you know it inside and out and understand how to get the best performance out of it. You have a great attitude, you're not whiny or thin skinned and I know you'll do well at this hobby/trade. God bless.


----------



## Purrmaster

I was thinking maybe I should take a bunch of pictures and post them. Someone might notice something I haven't.

I do know the tables are sagging on the ends now. The straight edge shows it. They didn't at first. I have heard of something called shimming the tables. Sticking a thin piece of metal within what I think are called dovetailed ways. I did get two sets of feeler gauges for this, so I can bust off one of the feeler gauges for use as a shim.


----------



## MarkDavisson

I have one. Assembly took some time due to poor instructions. Took more time to get the tables co-planar. I can't take aggressive cuts. I have to joint with the grain. I have to check and re-check the perpendicularity of the fence. But I like it and think the product, and the price, represents value. I like Chinese people.


----------



## mantwi

Here's the link to a tutorial on making a knife setting jig for your jointer. This is a must regardless of the brand you have and will greatly simplify the process.
http://www.finewoodworking.com/workshop/video/jointer-knife-setting-jig.aspx


----------



## NormG

I was just at HF assisting a friend pick up something, there was one sitting on the floor displayed


----------



## Purrmaster

I have a knife setting jig. A Rockler version of the Jointer Pal. It works pretty well.


----------



## Dal300

As long as the blades are all set the same, it doesn't really matter what you use to set them.
I use to watch my grampa and my dad lower the blades when they came back from the local guy, and bring them up to a straight edge. Lock them down and call it good.

Of course this was a belt drive Irwin, 4 blades, originally a steam engine, later a Ford 330. It stayed belt drive, (Think 6" wide belts made of leather or canvas).

Still, there isn't much difference, it is all a learning experience.


----------



## DS

Wow… I just found this thread and I am a little surprised at the traffic it is getting.

I have this jointer and I have to say I am fairly pleased with it.
Disclaimer: I am sort of anal about setting up all my tools. I usually dis-assemble a tool before I assemble it. then I dial everything in as I go putting everything into a proper tolerance.

That said, this was a cheap jointer. The sheet metal base is substandard, but the cast beds and fence are actually failry closely toleranced. I've had my machine for about 4 years and only once had to re-spec it after I moved into the new digs.

I've put lots of board footage across this thing and can't really complain. My unit came with a blade setting jig that has simplified life when changing the blades. I think I'm on my third set. Changing jointer and planer blades is always a bit of a pain no matter what the brand, so I just plan on taking my time and getting it right as much as possible.

Are there nicer jointers out there… you bet. Can this one get you by until you win the lottery… it sure has for me and I've turned out some fairly nice stuff from my garage.

If you've got the bucks, buy a nicer machine. If you've got the talent, but not the bucks, I wouldn't hesitate to make do with this lil workhorse.

My 2 cents.


----------



## adaughhetee

I also have this jointer and for the price I can say i'm pleased. I'm more than certain it is sub standard to others directly the fence setup. The blade set-up process has made me afraid to remove the blades so for the last three years I've just been running the factory set-up doing touch-ups with 600 grit sandpaper on a paint stick. I have to be mindful of grain direction or I will get tear-out. The scalloping is also bad but, I remedy the situation by making a very slow last pass (about a 1/3 the speed I see on WW shows) which gives me a glue ready edge. I've planed everything form pine to padauk and even some Argentinean Lignum Vitae and curly maple without issues. Does it have issues? Yes. Is a big part of what harbor freight carries junk? Yes. But I wouldn't completely write it off.I'm not saying that your's Doesn't have issues (especially with HF's hit or miss quality) just that the one I have is more than acceptable for the price and newbies on a budget might still want to give it a second look.


----------



## Routerisstillmyname

Forget about all those jigs. as long as your tables are flat ,all you need is one old jointer blade and your hearing to set jointer knives.


----------



## mantwi

Your on your way man. Shimming the ways will bring the tables into a coplaner orientation and make a world of difference in the performance. Just take your time and remember it's not rocket science it's woodworking. Read everything you can and figure out the most direct route to what you are trying to achieve. It should be enjoyable and even the problem solving gives a real sense of satisfaction. That Confucius guy, the one who said get a job you love and you'll never have to work again. He must have been a woodworker.


----------



## ic3ss

Purrmaster,

My, what an unfortunate experience. I have heard that most of HF power tools have to be worked on out of the box to get them to do a decent job. If you have the time and ability HF can be a way to save money, but mostly it sounds like frustration.

So, they actually use set screws to hold in the knives? Really? I have an old Jet 6" jointer I found on craigslist a few years ago for $200 and all it needed were the two cutter head bearings replaced. I too use the jointer pal jig and it's perfect for this.

My suggestion: cut your losses and sell the HF for what you can get for it and hit craigslist for a used 6" jointer, you may have to cough up $300 or more but at least the thing will work.

Best of luck to you,

Wayne


----------



## Ocelot

I have this jointer and find that it works very well for me. I paid about $200 for mine - new. The manual is almost worse than useless. There *are* jackscrews on the head of mine, though the manual does not mention them. For the machine itself, the only issue, as someone else mentioned, is setting the fence square without it moving while you tighten it down. I did have the advantage of a 80-year-old former machinist who came to help me adjust it. However, I could have done it by myself. We used a machinist's dial indicator which I also bought at HF for less than $10.

I think it's the best bang for the buck of any machine in my shop. Since I'm always starting with rough lumber these days, I use it for every project.

If I won the lottery, I'd buy an Oliver 4240 with a Byrd head, but that's about $3500 + $800 freight, so until then I'll try to be happy with my little $200 HF machine.


----------



## Woodbum

Dallas: from one curmudgeon to another, hell, we even share the same signature; I agree with what you said about blaming the tools and fixing what is broken as you can. But I can't vouch for Harbor Freight tools in any way. I personally have never used a Harbor Freight major tool since their location is not convenient for me and I was less than impressed with what I did see when I was in their stores. I have bought odds and ends from them such as nitrile gloves, but believe there is some correlation between ridiculously low prices and quality, or lack thereof. I know that a lot of people on this site swear by HF tools, and the rest swear against them. But it seems to me that the way Purrmaster described it, what was wrong with this joiner was what a joiner is to be used for in the first place: therefore making this particular machine pretty worthless. If I have to dick around with a piece of equipment that I bought just because of the low price as much as Purrmaster has, then the COST OF OWNERSHIP is too high, and therefore for me makes it a bad VALUE purchase. Going in the door pricing is one thing, but lifetime VALUE of the tool is more important. I want to buy a tool and use it. I am not a restorer or machinist or anything else that makes me enjoy working on my tools when they don't work. We buy tools to work wood with, we don't buy tools to work on the tools, at least I don't. If I need a particular piece of equipment, and can't afford it, then I will save until I can, rather than buy some sub-standard engineered nightmare that I have to continually work on in order to use it. I just keep getting grumpier with old age and have a much lower tolerance for things that should work but don't.

Purrmaster, I wish you well in all of your future endeavors, but as was stated before, my advice is to cut your losses, get what you can for the HF boat anchor, sorry, joiner, and look for something else in your price range or save until you can get what you wanted in the first place. BTW not all Chinese tools are junk, it just depends on whether the company buying what is produced has serious quality standards that they enforce in the Chinese manufacturing processes.


----------

