Which 8 jointer

Similarly, a handwheel on top makes the fence easy to adjust laterally. I was surprised that, unlike other jointers here, only one narrow V-belt delivers all that power to the cutterhead: most have two belts.

But, Baileigh makes tightening it simple with a threaded adjuster. Other jointers here could benefit from that good feature, too — they involve loosening motor mount bolts and moving the motor. Baileigh has only been offering woodworking machinery for four years, but it has a long tradition in the metalworking field, and that commitment to high quality is evident here.

Even the edges of the tables are ground flat and smooth. Fit and finish all around is excellent. Priced just under three grand, this is a spendy jointer, but what a dandy it is! The fence is hand wheel controlled, too, for moving it back and forth. But, the table length and fence proportions are more modestly sized.

Some will argue that a wedgebed requires more regular adjustment to level the tables end to end. The L HC has precision ground tables that were within my.

They were also coplanar when leveled up, from end to end. But, I tend to leave my jointer at the same cutting depth most of the time anyway. Not a big deal. It will help you shut the machine down with your knee — convenient when your hands are full.

But, I found the control box a bit low for my long legs. Turn it on, and the L HC is very quiet. Their design makes them quieter than straight-knife styles. You should always wear hearing protection, of course, but at least these machines will be more tolerable in households with basement shops. The face surface showed one slightly raised track, but it was otherwise smooth and ready for use.

All in all, the L HC is an accurate, well-made machine. A careful check of its tables showed them to be extremely flat, straight and coplanar. Same goes for the fence: I found no evidence of a deflection in the casting from end to end, and it held an accurate square corner. The Wood Whisperer abides by word of mouth marketing standards and holds integrity in the highest regard.

Should I ever be compensated to write, I will make full disclosure. I always give honest opinions, findings, and experiences on products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely our own.

Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. All content on The Wood Whisperer is copyrighted, and may not be reprinted in full form without my written consent. This article was inspired by a question we received from Jeff.

He writes: I am setting up a woodworking hobby shop. Would you recommend a 6 or 8 inch jointer. This is placeholder text. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Manage consent. Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website.

We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Necessary Necessary. All but one worked reliably. The pedestal-mounted switches on the Grizzly and Shop Fox machines proved easiest to reach. Laguna's switch sits at the end of the fence just above table level, a good-enough spot.

But we wish Jet and General International could better locate their switches shown below. If you plan to have one of these jointers delivered to your home, be aware that some freight companies will only deliver to your driveway rather than to your shop door. Discuss options with the seller and shipper before committing if you're not equipped to move a plus-pound crate. Both Grizzlys and the Shop Fox have a built-in "tricycle" base.

They work great on smooth floors, but even slight irregularities made the kick-style pivoting caster on all three drop and bring the jointer to an abrubt halt. Laguna's four non-swiveling casters move the machine well enough, but you have to slide it sideways to steer; you secure it in place by hand-tightening locks against two of the casters.

All six of these machines performed well enough that you'd be happy with any of them. Save Pin FB More. Straight-knife cutterheads tend to leave ripples or scallops across a board's width. You can reduce this effect on a straight-knife machine simply by slowing your feed rate. Helical cutterheads leave shallow, linear grooves along the length of boards.

These sand out easily enough with a power sander. A slower rate on a helical machine makes little difference on its cut pattern.

Which jointer is right for you, 6 inch or 8 inch? Jet's switch sits behind the fence, making the off paddle awkward to reach in an emergency. You can also mount the switch to the cabinet below, but it's equally awkward.