# Good Jointer for the Price



## a1Jim

Thanks for the review


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## patron

always nice to upgrade

glad you resolved the glitches


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## MarkDavisson

I own the same machine. My one complaint is that the fence is difficult to secure at the desired angle (almost always 90 degrees to the table). The act of tightening the handle pulls the fence away from the angle you are trying to secure. Once you have it, it stays put. But getting it there is a pain.

Everything else is great, and this machine, at the price charged, represents a great value.


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## Bob817

Erik,
You said you adjusted the outfeed table, just exactly what did you do because I'm having the same problem with my old jet jointer? Thanx,


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## ErikF

Bob,

I the adjustments to my outfeed table by adjusting the gibb screws and I also had to shim back of the table to raise the end due to a slight sag. It took me a while to get everything lined up and I am not sure if it was the most expedient way of doing it but I am happy with the results. I read that you can buy quality metal shims on amazon that come in different thicknesses and this seems to be the most accurate way to do it. I am too impatient to wait for a package in the mail so I cut up a soda can instead.

I also made similar adjustments to the infeed table because everything was so out of whack. Once the tables were getting near coplanar I clamped my best straight edge to the outfeed table to see where the gaps were. Once I did that I was able to make my adjustments with the gibb screws to get my final results.

This is my first run at tuning a jointer so time will tell if my method works or not. Hope I was a help, let me know if you have any further questions.


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## Bob817

I will give it a try Thankyou very much for your reply Erik.


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## ArtB

I just dont understand, if you get a brand new machine. It has to be fine tuned, for the better part of the day. parts are plastic junk and you are forced to buy a two year warranty because you dont trust it, it gets four and a half stars. I call this one star, because the motor didnt blow up when you turned it on…


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## ErikF

I don't understand your logic…unless you have owned this machine and had problems with it? I paid a lot less for a new machine that took some time to set up, and I think this would happen in most cases when assembly is required. There are two plastic pieces that I would prefer to be metal but they work fine.

Are you one of those people that leaves a review for a car even though you have never owned or driven it?

Anybody reading this review: I spent my entire morning making accurate cuts with this jointer. I learned how to adjust the tables by a guy doing the same thing with his much more expensive Grizzly jointer.


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## LeChuck

I have the same and installed it a while ago but just getting around to finishing the setup as I'll need to use it soon. I didn't like the lack of a useful system to tighten the belt other than relying on the weight of the motor itself (not heavy enough) and muscle.

Mine came with a tool that appears to be a height gauge for the blades. Have you used that? Of course, it's not mentioned at all in the horrible manual. The "manual" says that the back of the bevel on the blades should be 1/6" from the surface of the blade assembly. I'm assuming that it should be 1/6 *below* the surface even if the manual does not specify. Mine look like they are set flush, and if that tool is indeed a height gauge, it shows that all 3 blades are indeed about 1/6" too high. I want to make sure I'm not going off the wrong position from the start, and not unsetting the blades for nothing…

I have a feeling this tool will perform just fine once setup, but it's really let down by the manual, and the assembly of the stand and motor is not a fun moment to say the least.


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## ErikF

LeChuck,

I hear you on the shortcomings of the manual and I did forget to mention the motor. I loosened the bolts and used a piece of hickory to put some down force on the motor, it worked pretty well. Be careful when setting the knives, if they are out too far the will make contact with the infeed table. I did not use the tool that came with the jointer. Once I got the tables to be coplanar I set the infeed table slightly higher than the cutter head. To ensure the knives were set properly with the table I used a piece of glass and 4 magnets to set the knives. If you are not familiar with this method: set the pane of glass on the outfeed table with one edge just over the cutter head. Loosen the knife and allow the magnets to pull it up, this will get the blades set exact with the table. After you are done with this run a few boards over the tables…I found the "sweet spot" for the outfeed table after a few passes. Again…I never messed around with the tool that comes with it. I couldn't tell what it was supposed to do.


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## LeChuck

Thanks for the tip. I don't have a piece of glass handy or magnets at the moment though. This is strange, because the knives are in line with the cutter head, leaving a gap of 1/6 at the bottom of the groove. They are probably supposed to almost bottom out there. But the factory settings seem to go off of that knife position. Per what I can tell, once you back to the front table far enough, you can lay the height gauge down on the cutter head and then get the knives to touch the bottom of it to get the right height. I guess I'll try that first.

The thing is, it seems that to get the proper setup, you need to go off of the correct knife height first, I mean the proper height of the knives from the cutter head, then you will set your rear table to be exactly in line with that, then zero out your front table. If you decide on an arbitrary position for your outfeed table and set your knives to that, they may not stick out of the cutterhead at the right height. That's the theory. Not sure what difference it actually makes.

My tables seem to be almost exactly in line, although the issue is with the fence. It is not totally flat and has a warp to it, so setting up at 90 degrees at the front, which is a pain in itself, means it's not at 90 in the back.


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## cutworm

ArtB. If you want to rate this machine buy it and then rate. Otherwise let the man review the machine as he see's it. I thought it was a good review.


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## Howie

I'm with cutworm. Not everyone can afford or want the most expensive name brand on the market.

Good review Erik


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## MarkDavisson

I also agree with the way Erik reviewed the tool.

I'm perfectly willing to buy the most expensive name brand on the market as long as that purchase represents the greatest value for the dollar spent. The amount that I spend is not the important part - it's how much tool I get per dollar spent.


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## Howie

You got it Mark.


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## Fallon

I see the number of stars as a function of quality 'n stuff vs. price. It doesn't necessary have to be a flawless diamond if it gets the job done well enough & is cheap.

If you shop at Harbor Freight you should be well aware you are going to be trading some quality for price. Some HF stuff is good value for the money, some is crap no matter how cheap it is. I'm happy to hear what other people think.


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## LeChuck

I think many of us would be willing to save a bit extra and spend on a better tool from a good brand that would come all precisely setup from the factory, ready to work…..except it doesn't exist!

I have, and have had machines and tools that are way more expensive than this jointer and all required setup, sometimes hours of it. That includes my Rikon bandsaw, Ridgid table saw, expensive Incra fence etc… so that's the deal. Frankly the biggest issue I have with this jointer is the fence, and I reckon it's not the only brand that uses or used this type of fence. if I had to do it again, I would want a jointer with a fence that can be adjusted forward or back without changing the alignment, so 2 adjustments points instead of just one. I would probably wait a bit longer for a used one.

For what it's worth, I think I figured out how the blades should be adjusted using the provided tool. You are supposed to use the notches in the tool to set the height, as the blades fit perfectly inside those, and so once you raise the blades into the notches of the tool using the set screws, the tool positions itself. So what I'm doing is back off the bar nuts enough to allow the blade to move (but keep it tight enough to not let it slip on its own), place the tool, then using the 2 set screws, turn them counter clockwise to raise the knife into the tool's notches until the tool raises a bit, then turn the set screws back in to allow for some room, and at that point press down on the height tool to get the blade to the correct height, and then carefully tighten the bar nuts. In the end, this method will place the back of the knife's bevel 1/16" above the cutter head (not below as I previously thought). And sorry if I typed 1/6 repeatedly before. Must be tired.

Then once that's done, you can set the outfeed table to be level with the knives using a ruler, piece of wood etc…

Most how-tos out there have a big flow in my opinion as they gloss over the situation when neither knives nor outfeed table are positioned correctly out of the factory. So you cannot use either as a reference, but you have to start somewhere…

Also, here's a tip that I found on another forum. HF sells some magnetic welder squares. One of them has a 7" side and 75 pound pull weight. You can use this to align the fence at 90 degree to the table and the magnet will hold it there while you tighten. It worked very well for me. If the fence moves a little bit when you tighten it, you can use some metal shims (feeler gauge) between the magnet and the fence to compensate. That was part of the previous tip. This is really practical for the unfortunate people who have only 2 hands…The square is only $6.99 and could be useful for other purposes.


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## LeChuck

Well, scratch all of that. Setting the knives that way will make them stick out too much. They won't hit the tables but they hit part of the main assembly and the head won't turn. So much for the 1/16" from the doc. So I guess I'll throw the height gauge into a drawer somewhere and wing it…


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## LeChuck

Alright, sorry about the multiple posts but hopefully this will help others with same or similar jointer.

I stopped pouting and second-guessing myself and went back to it with a vengeance. Used the same method as above but this time using the bottom part of the height gauge and not the notches. It brought the knives at the right height and aligned properly, tightened everything up, used a straight edge to align the outfeed table with the knives until the knives would barely brush the straight edge (there's a slightly higher point in the middle of the outfeed table, but not enough that it will make a perceptible difference), then brought up the infeed table up until it would touch the straight edge, zeroed the indicator arrow (add a little washer there)....done, and done.

All in all, once the proper method is used, there is no more setup time with this than any other jointer. I'm sure that if HF paid a bit more attention to their manuals and setup procedures, their reputation might go up.


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## ErikF

Glad to know the knife setting tool does its job. If it doesn't get stashed away too deep before the next time I make adjustments to the setup I'll be giving them a try. I really couldn't believe they didn't include a picture showing how the knife setting tool works.

Good job on figuring it out.


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## awoodthing

I'm glad I came across this post, as I got a deal on one of this for $150.00  I'm printing this thread so I can staple it to the manual when I get it tomorrow. Thanks for the great reviews and info.


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## Racer2007

Never seen a jointer yet that didn't need to be setup and adjusted to the proper allingment. Good review.


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## cutworm

Erik,
Do they still sell this model? I only saw an 8" one on their website? Anyone know how they may be different other than width? I have been looking at it for a while now trying to decide between it and the Ridgid provided there are any left at the next sale. About the same price. Have you found a source for knives for yours?


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## ErikF

Cutworm,

The local Harbor Freight out here in California only has the 6" model available at the store. I looked on their website as well and only saw the 7" model…not sure where you would find knives for it when the time came to replace them. The website shows a two pack of knives for the 6" model which is strange because they sell a unit that uses a three knife head. When the time comes for to replace them I will most likely order some from the internet that match the dimensions, this is a route that other owners have had success with.

I have only seen pictures of the 8" model on craigslist (a guy asking $400 for it without a fence) and it looks the same. I would have went with the 8" if they had one there and on clearance.


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## Momcanfixit

I'm enjoying this thread as I'm in the market for a jointer. Thanks for the review Erik. For us newbys it's finding that balance between buying a tool that will perform well and give good results and not breaking the bank on something we don't use daily.


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## cutworm

I look for value too. Bang for the buck. I think the point of diminishing returns is different for different folks. I have some tools from HF and most have gotten the job done for me. I like my HVLP turbine that I picked up there for a song. I have a ton of stuff made by Ridgid. I can usually buy it at very good prices. Most times even less than HF. It's not the best but neither am I. I guess the tools are capable of more than me…...
My next purchase will be a jointer so I really appreciate reviews from fellow woodworkers.


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## Purrmaster

I replaced the belt that came with it with a link belt. I think that gave it a bit less vibration.

ErikF: If you don't mind, could you please keep us apprised of how things are going with this jointer? I'm still trying to tune mine up and would love to hear the experiences of others with this machine.


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## ErikF

Purrmaster,

I have run been very happy with this jointer so far. Species I jointed so far: Santos Mahogany, Hickory, Maple, Cedar, Cherry, and Birch. All have cut nicely, even the 5 1/2" hickory I face jointed gave me no issues. I spent a fair amount of time getting the tables to be coplanar before I started cutting and it has paid off. I have straight boards with the face and edge at 90 degrees.


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## Purrmaster

Did you have the knives sharpened? The knives that came with it were quite dull.


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## ErikF

2 out of the three knives that came with mine were sharp, the third had a small nick in the knife. I went to the store and they got me a new one. If you can bring the knives to the store they should be able to get you a new set…the website shows that they sell new knives for it but I never saw them in the store. I had to pull the new knife off the floor model.


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## ErikF

Now that I have had this jointer for close to six months I figured I would do a quick follow up. I have had no problems with the machine so far and it is leaving me with straight board faces and edges….not sure if HF is still selling them but I am still happy with my purchase.


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## cutworm

Thanks for the update. Glad it's doing a good job you you.


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## jaysuzi

Erik,

I know this review was from awhile ago, but I just wanted to post and thank you for it. Your review was one of the reasons I went ahead with picking one of these up from Craigslist. I wanted a stationary jointer and was on less than a bench top budget. I spent this afternoon setting the tables, cleaning and setting the knives, and connecting it to my dust collector. After my work, it looks like a brand new machine and so far I am very pleased at what I got for the money.


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## Buckethead

When offering reviews, price point is definitely a major consideration.

I've seen a couple of these jointers come and go on Craigslist, but have not pulled the trigger because I could not identify the manufacturer, therefore I couldn't get feedback. I could have posted a photo of one here and asked.

I do appreciate the review.

I want a million dollar shop. I would be happy with a nice table saw, reliable planer and jointer, sweet router setup, and a bandsaw with an 8"+ resaw capacity.

This jointer makes boards straight. Adjusting might be a bit of a pain… The manual lacking, but in the end, it sounds like it is doing a proper job, at a far lower price than a long bed, parallelogram, helical head, high roller model.

Great review… I might just head to harbor freight next week. I've got some hard maple which needs some attention prior to assembling my sweet workbench!


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