# Nice small jointer for lightweight work



## Dusty56

I just can't believe that they are still making these virtually useless pieces of **** . I bought mine nearly ten years ago and had nothing but problems with it…Actually I got three total units (two replacements) back then . I f i had the space back then i would have trashed this one and purchased a real jointer for not much more money…...I picked up a well used Rockwell Delta 6" jointer and haven't even looked at the little guy since…...God bless anyone that buys one !


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## ferstler

Well, as I indicated in the review, this is not a tool that is designed for serious jointer work with large pieces of wood. For hobby grade stuff that involves small scale operations I think it is OK. I have a nice Ridgid six incher for stiffer operations, and in no way would I even compare the small Delta to that item, let alone to really large eight, ten, and twelve inchers.

I have had zero problems with mine, now that I diddled with it a bit, and my only beef is the short tables. With small workpieces that deficiency is no big deal.

Howard Ferstler


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## Woodchuck1957

I'd have to agree with Dusty, if someones looking for a good, small jointer because of lack of space in a shop, I would steer them towards looking for an old Delta / Rockwell 4" jointer.


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## ferstler

This assumes that Woodchuck 1957 has compared the JT160 to the 4-inch Rockwell, and found the former wanting. It also assumes that a used Rockwell would not have had the daylights beaten out of it.

Actually, if one were serious about a small jointer, one still better alternative would be a unt that Sears sells that is about the same size as the JT160 and has a cast-iron table.

Howard Ferstler


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## Dustin

listen, for the price there's nothing I've seen compare with what you're going to get with a grizzly jointer.
I spent nearly a month pricing them used and new on ebay and all over the internet and I just finally got this one:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/6-Jointer/G0452

I love it, and it's perfect for my tiny shop.

I usually stay away from the bottom line products. Delta sells good products except for this bench top jointer and their 12.5" thickness planer.

cheers


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## ferstler

Well, that Grizzly unit is WAY bigger than the small Delta I reviewed. Howeverr, I also reviewed (elsewhere on this site) the Ridgid cast-iron-table, 6×45 iincher available at Home Depot, and I paid only $350 for the thing, plus sales tax of course.

My take on the small Delta was that it would be a nice hobby uinit for small projects, or for use as a secondary jointer for a worker who already had a big jointer. Nobody in his right mind would attempt to compare it to typical six-inch (or larger) jointers that were floor-standing types with cast-iron 45-inch (or longer) tables.

Howard Ferstler


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## wiswood2

I got one of them small picess of junk ,It has spent more time in the back of a UPS truck than it has been cutting wood. any thing would be better than that delta.
chuck


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## ferstler

Some of the problems with this small Delta planer might have involved the lock-down feature for the infeed table. With only one lock-down screw the table can actually tilt slightly when in use. Note that in my review I mentioned how I installed a second lock-down screw on the other side of the infeed table, and that modification stabilized the table and forced it to stay parallel with the outfeed table. Without the mod the table was unacceptable.

Howard Ferstler


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## Kolchak

Howard - thanks for your review. I too own the small delta and have found it useful for small projects,
but definitely lacking for larger ones. I am not in the market for a new jointer, but was looking to make 
similar mods as you stated in your review…....okay now I know am going to get the usually "go out and buy a better tool" speech from some. However, the delta fits in my shop and I don't want to spent the $$ right now. Perhaps in the future I will. Given that - I would be interested in pics of your modification installed on the jointer if you have some. Also - did you do anyhting with the vertical fence. In my opinion this is one of
the biggest problem with this tool, as it flexes when you feed larger boards through it.

K


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## ferstler

Hi, Kolchak,

OK, I added two photos. The new one in the middle shows the undercarriage with the infeed table removed. Note that there is the blue knob on the left that is the normal lock-down item, but that there is also a black knob on the right that is the one I added that helps to fully stabilize the infeed table on both sides. The photo on the right shows where I drilled through the side panel and installed a nut, lock washer, and blue-colored plastic spacer to the knob/screw connector. The spacer fits between the outer sheet metal and the inner carriage for the table. When you tighten the black knob the carriage is clamped to the outer sheet metal, with the spacer in between. This stabilizes the back side and tightening the blue knob stabilizes the carriage against the front panel sheet metal. This locks things down.

In the left photo the end panel is pulled outward a bit to make for a better picture, but in this case it cannot be removed, because the planer is bolted to a flat-wood base underneath. To do the conversion the panel must be completely removed to allow the worker to get his fingers into the area to install the items on the inside. I unbolted the thing from the base before doing the work.

The blue spacer is a piece of thick plastic sleeve material from my miscellaneous parts bin. I have no idea where I got it, but it would be easy to cut a stubby piece from a broom handle (nice, hard hickory), drill it to size, and use it as a spacer. The nut and lock washer would fall off if the knob were loosened too much, but I just loosen it enough for the carriage to be adjusted.

As for the flexible fence, well I have no answer to that. As I have noted before, this planer is for small-scale work and for big jobs where heavy lumber and high pressure would deform the small fence on the Delta unit, I use my larger Ridgid 6×45 planer, with its cast-iron fence. I did lightly sand the sliders on the fence carriage to let it slide more easily both horizontally and vetically when doing adjustments.

Note the stove bolts in the sides of both tables. Those once helld wrap-around extensions to the tables (made of thick oak that brought the full table length out to 52 inches) that actually worked OK. However, doing that still did not allow for planing heavy wood. You need a bigger planer for that. Note that I did review my Ridgid unit on this site a while back, and I have it mounted on a roll-around base that makes it quite portable. The wheels underneath are soft-rubber jobs that are 4 inches in diameter. The thing is easy to move with those wheels, and I lock things in place with shop-built wedges.

Howard Ferstler


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## Kolchak

Hello all -

thanks for all the welcome messages. They are very much appreciated. I look forward to 
your collective woodworking wisdom and hope to return some back.

Howard - thank you for the detail on the additional lock down knob. This weekend I had taken apart
the the infeed and outfeed tables and I was wondering how you added this additional lock down. 
The pictures show a lot of detail.

I have searched on the web for mods to this jointer, and there is not that much out there. 
So with that in mind and the nice primer you have provided I am going to attempt a mod of my own and 
post it here. Perhaps someone else will also find it useful. The jointer does have one nice feature; it is easy to disassemble and looks to me that mods to it would also be do-able.

So - here is what I was thinking:
1. replace the infeed and outfeed tables with an laminated MDF torsion box. Sound weird - but I think this would provide the flatness and strength need to support larger pieces. The new infeed and outfeed tables will be further supported with metal cross braces attached to the stand the jointer is mounted on.
2. Implement the additional lock down knob as Howard has described.
3. Improve the dust collection similar to Howard's design. I am thinking of making this part of the outfeed table and it would serve a dual purpose of additional support.
4. Adding a sturdy fixed 90-degree fence that spans the new infeed and outfeed tables. I find that one of the biggest weaknesses of this jointer is the flexing of the vertical fence. In the future I may add an option to tilt the fence, but for now I want it fixed to better judge how well (flat) the infeed and out feed design work.
I will post pictures as I progress.

Finally - who wants to take bets that before this is done (or after) I get frustrated enough to go out and
buy a Grizzly or Rigid jointer


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## ferstler

Hi, Kolchak,

While I still like what my modified small Delta jointer can do with small items, there is no way that it is going to be able to simulate or equal what one can get from a good, cast-iron jointer with a powerful motor. I modified my small unit at first, but after I obtained that hugely larger and more powerful Ridgid unit I realized that the Delta was a small jointer that should be left for small work. The dual-knob mod that I did managed to stabilize the infeed table, but in no way is that chassis going to be happy dealing with heavier pieces of lumber.

Howard Ferstler


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## woodshaver

Howard
I like the upgrades you did to the Delta Jointer and want to thank you for posting your findings. Anything to help this unit is a plus! I must try that 2nd lock knob idea! I'm 62 and I'm still learning, thanks to people like you!

It didn't take me long after I bought my cute little light Delta 6" jointer to know I made a mistake. I needed a Flat bed and bought an S-10. I learned over the years that there are many levels of quality and uses in the products I buy. If you need a boat you better get the one that will float everything you want to carry on it, or else. It's like buying a car and showing up at the brick yard for a skid of bricks. When I bought my Delta 6"Jointer I assumed it would be ok to do an occasional heavier work load and it should be ok. Boy was I wrong! I found my self wishing I had bought a better tool. I agree that this planer is not up to speed with other 6" jointers out there and I have had my difficulties with this unit but only when I asked it to perform past it's intended uses. I Just wish Delta told me it's limits. This jointer is for smaller projects, Heavy duty is out of the question and If I had only been doing only small woodworking projects this jointer would be ok for that purpose. Those short beds just can't carry the load. Most woodworkers get better and do more as time goes on so think ahead when buying a tools. I still use my Delta, and try not to go Overboard!


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## bell

I bought the JT160 today. It is very simple to adjust. I will use it mainly for full size violins making. My boards are about 5 inches wide by 17 inches long. It is just perfect with these sizes. The woods I use is spruce and maple.

I was hesitating between this Delta JT160 and bigger floor models like Grizzly or others. But I noticed at another luthier that even with the bigger model, I had to fine tune the joints by hand at the end. I think that for the very fine tuning, there is more option on the JT160. I use it in combination with a 21'' Veritas Jointer for fine tuning quickly. At the very end, with Maple mainly, I use a long flat file to get perfect joints, just to take out very tiny gaps, less than a hair width.

So the JT160 works just fine for me. It has gone through very hard Big Leaf Canadian Maple like a charm.

I had to fine tune the Delta JT160, mainly adjusting perfectly the blades alignment with the table, this is easy to do.

Before buying, I was a bit too worried with the fact that there is only two blades, but when I used the JT160 on the hard Maple, I was not an issue at all. Well, I am happy with this compact and affordable unit.

For sure, it fits perfectly with small job projects.


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## ShopCat

Got mine at very deep discount via craigslist. I would not pay retail for this tool; I would not even pay half of retail for this tool. It does beat a hand plane, but probably should not be called a "jointer". I have access to a couple of serious jointers at a local community college, but find this little Delta can make life easier by handling small stuff. Used gently, max speed and slow careful feed, I've cleanly edged oak up to 4×30, but most pieces are much smaller. Not quite a toy, not quite a tool.


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## ferstler

ShopCat. I have since sold mine, but I continue to believe that if the mods I did are done right the little tool works OK for smaller-scale work. It has some features (the variable speed and the expanded-scale dial adjustment readout) that are really workable. It is a decent small-project tool, and if that table stabilizing modification I noted is used it can be precise enough for good model work. It is certainly easier to move around (especially if lifting is needed) than the 200-pound, floor-standing Ridgid version I have on hand for standard jointing and planing projects. Well, now the Ridgid is on wheels, but the little Delta still had its uses. I sold it to gain some bench-top space in my small shop.


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## AaronK

first off, thanks for all the helpful hints you guys.

I just picked this jointer up also at "very deep discount via craigslist." read the reviews first and figured that $40 was worth it. I spent about 3 hours trying to get it to work right and think it's as good as it's going to get in stock form…. it required shimming the infeed table to get it coplanar (it was angling UP towards the cutterhead) as well as adjusting the knives up a hair. I have to say, the knife adjustment mechanism makes it extremely easy to get them up high enough and level with the edge of the outfeed - so i was very impressed with that.

the issue of the fence adjustment mechanism and the slightly cupped and warped fence is troubling. It's very difficult to get the fence square to begin with. Then there is a cup in the fence (about 2" vertically off the table it bends outwards a couple hairs' width). Also, the whole fence is warped lengthwise, so it's not precisely square everywhere. I adjusted it as best I could to be square right over the cutters.

I'm curious as to how one would go about installing an MDF fence. Would you just bolt it to the stock fence and shim it in the right places to counteract warping in the MDF?


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## ferstler

My unit worked OK for the uses I came up with, but I have to admit that eventually it was just taking up needed space in my small shop and as I mentioned previously I sold it. For small projects that do not require serious precision, and for work that might require slower cutting speeds (like soft plastics that the owner's manual mentions) I think it works fine, especially if there is a space problem in one's shop. For more serious work I suggest something like the Ridgid unit I purchased a bit later on, or even something bigger.

I remain convinced that adding the second lock-down feature on the other side of the infeed table was a mandatory upgrade if decent performance was required.


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