6' jointer advice needed
Jeff Stong
HELP!
I'm looking at 6" jointers and would like to spend UNDER $600. I've read
the FWW #115 (December) Article so many times I've practically memorized
it.
I've narrowed it down to:
Jet JJ6J $469 around here
-45 5/8 table
-Even though the fence is dovetail and is difficult to adjust. It's the
smoothest, quietest one that I could find on a showroom floor. I
also just like JET. They've treated me really well.
Sunhill CT60L $359 + $59 shipping
-52" table
-I don't like not being able to listen to one and the mail order thing
scares me a little... Even though most of my hand tools are from
Tools On Sale or Trendlines. Anybody know ANYTHING about Sunhill?
Like service response or tool quality? I like the up close
pictures of their CT150E jointer. Looks like they actually use
knobs out of a CARR-LANE catalog. (As opposed to the Land Of Mickey
knobs and levers you usually see on low end equipment)
Woodtek 801-589 $395 including delivery
-Shorter table, 42 1/4
-35" end mounted fence. This seems like a cool thing- a rip off of the
General jointer. But, is it made well enough to actually be
worthwile?
The Bridgewood looked interesting. However, I don't like the fact that
the 1 sample of a lesser machine that FWW looked at had over .020" sag in
the tables. Makes me nervous about their factory secondary operations,
like grinding.
ANY advice would be appreciated, especially from people who've dealt with
the mail-order folks listed here. For all the Grizzly fans out there, I'm
sure that they make great stuff. I've made an arbitrary decision that I
don't want a machine that has a bolt-up cabinet. The welded enclosure
seems a lot nicer to me. Less noise, etc. Also, easier to hook up my
dust-collector to.
Thanks!
Jeff
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KKTice
Last year I bought the Delta 37-190 (I think that is the model no.), - 6",
46" bed
for about $475. I have been generally pleased. I chose it over the Jet
cuz the fence seemed easier to adjust, and the mounting point was far more
beefy. The only complaint I have is the open stand, but other than that, I
think it is a pretty good value.
Kevin Tice
KKT...@aol.com
Fall City WA USA
Papercut
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Jeff,
Of the ones you mention, I'd recommend the Jet. It's a very nice jointer
and I've heard a lot of folks quite happy with the Jet product line.
Personally, I didn't buy the Jet because I didn't like the relatively
small footprint of the enclosed stand. I had no intention to bolt it the
floor and I was interested in a wider stand that would be a bit more
stable. I won't bother to tell you what I bought, since it's not on your
list.
I will say that I bought both the jointer and a table saw through mail
order (from Woodworker's Supply) and was very pleased with the price and
service. Everything was delivered in perfect shape with all the parts and
reasonably simple assembly. If you buy name tools from a reputable mail
order source, you shouldn't have problems (though the flames here might
make you think otherwise).
Papercut
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- WPC, Inc. -
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)
Steve Turadek
you might also want to have a look at the PM-45 (think that's right
number.) that's powerMatic's import. it's in this ballpark (mine was
$400, as I recall.) I think it's comprable to most of the imports, plus
you can actually look at it at a local dealer. I think the fence is nicer
than the Jet, which is what swayed me.
what I *don't* like about it is PM's crappy service policy, which is
basically, "if you and your dealer can't work it out, tough!" while I've
had good luck with their tools, this one aspect of their business will
keep me from every buying one of their tools again. and yah, I've got one
of their high-end 'merican-made tables saws, too...
--
tur...@cisco.com- personal opinions not my employer's -408-526-7058
Steve Knight
jst...@mail.pacifier.com (Jeff Stong) wrote:
>-I don't like not being able to listen to one and the mail order thing
> scares me a little... Even though most of my hand tools are from
> Tools On Sale or Trendlines. Anybody know ANYTHING about Sunhill?
> Like service response or tool quality? I like the up close
You forgot the delta It is a great machine use it all the time have
had good service form delta.
Jeff Stong
Thanks for the tip on Delta. I've also heard some good things about the
low-end Powermatic 6" jointer.
Reading the Sunhill catalog, they imply that the delta model is identical
to their $309 jointer. Same factory, specs, etc.. I called their
technical line and asked them directly. They vigorously told me that the
jointer IS the same. Parts are interchangeable.
Any thoughts on this one?
I had never even heard of Sunhill until the December FWW article. One
thing I do like about them is that they leave the original mfg'er lable on
the tool instead of relabeling it to make you THINK that they built it
themselves. For instance, the MaoShan table saw looks suspiciously like
the JET contractors TS that I own.
Jeff
In article <4ni4gk$e...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, kkt...@aol.com says...
--
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In article <4ngrel$m...@news.pacifier.com>, jst...@mail.pacifier.com says...
>
>HELP!
>
>I'm looking at 6" jointers and would like to spend UNDER $600. I've read
>the FWW #115 (December) Article so many times I've practically memorized
>it.
>
>I've narrowed it down to:
>
>Jet JJ6J $469 around here
>-45 5/8 table
>-Even though the fence is dovetail and is difficult to adjust. It's the
> smoothest, quietest one that I could find on a showroom floor. I
> also just like JET. They've treated me really well.
>Sunhill CT60L $359 + $59 shipping
>-52" table
> scares me a little... Even though most of my hand tools are from
> Tools On Sale or Trendlines. Anybody know ANYTHING about Sunhill?
> Like service response or tool quality? I like the up close
>knobs out of a CARR-LANE catalog. (As opposed to the Land Of Mickey
>knobs and levers you usually see on low end equipment)
>Woodtek 801-589 $395 including delivery
>-Shorter table, 42 1/4
>-35" end mounted fence. This seems like a cool thing- a rip off of the
> General jointer. But, is it made well enough to actually be
> worthwile?
>
>The Bridgewood looked interesting. However, I don't like the fact that
>the 1 sample of a lesser machine that FWW looked at had over .020" sag in
>the tables. Makes me nervous about their factory secondary operations,
>like grinding.
>
>ANY advice would be appreciated, especially from people who've dealt with
>the mail-order folks listed here. For all the Grizzly fans out there, I'm
>sure that they make great stuff. I've made an arbitrary decision that I
>don't want a machine that has a bolt-up cabinet. The welded enclosure
>seems a lot nicer to me. Less noise, etc. Also, easier to hook up my
>dust-collector to.
>
>Thanks!
>>
>Jeff
>--
>-------------------------------------------------------
>Pacifier Online Data Service Dialup SLIP/PPP User
>To register: (360) 693-0325 or telnet pods.pacifier.com
>-------------------------------------------------------
I just purchased a Jet JJ-6CS jointer and welded enclosure and am very
pleased. The price from Tool Crib of the North was $489.00 and shipping was
free. They didn't have both the jointer and thickness planer I ordered at
the same time so they arranged for a direct shipment from Jet. Tool Crib"s
phone number is 800-358-3096. Good luck--Pete Law
Jeff Stong
Thanks for all the input.
After driving myself and my wife totally crazy (I was banned from talking
about Jointers this weekend). I purchased a Powermatic Model 54 Artisan
6" jointer for $595. A little more than I wanted to pay, but under the
"honey, I won't spend more than $600 limit" that I gave the wife.
To review the $309 Sunhill jointer, I looked at a Delta at a local store.
Not the greatest fit and finish (recall that Sunhill claims it's the same
thing). Also, several knobs were cracked or broken off. I asked the
salesman how long it had been on the floor, he said "about a week." The
fence supports were really sloppy. No matter how hard I tightened the
damn thing moved around. The holes in the fence were too large for the
mount pins.
I liked how the Jet ran, but the fence is squirely. They use the
identical fence mechanism on their super cheap jointer. I sure do miss
that Jet Blue though...
The Woodtek for $400 has springs to set the knives. In fact, except for
the low end Delta, only the Powermatic 54 has jack screws to set the
knives. Also, you can't skew the woodtek fence for harder woods since
it's end mounted.
I biffed the more expensive Sunhill 6" jointer because it had springs for
the knives AND because I didn't like the fact that they misrepresented
their specifications. It doesn't have a mag starter as advertised. Just
an industrial ON/OFF switch like most stuff in this price range. Also, I
wanted a STORE I could go back to if I wasn't happy.
Lastly, Sunhill gave me a couple local guys to call who had this tool.
They all moaned about the fence being wobbley.
So, that left me with the Artisan. After looking at it a little more,
here are some BIG benefits:
-Same cutterhead design as their Professional model, jackscrews! They
use some funk-O-matic propriety name like "patented, chip
something-er-other"
-Better fit and finish than ALL the other jointers in this class. I guess
the extra $100 bucks buys you something afterall.
-KILLER fence. Very nicely engineered.
So, I'm learning how to deal with that wierd gold color....
Jeff Stong
g...@adnc.com
jst...@mail.pacifier.com (Jeff Stong) wrote:
>Jeff Stong
Enjoyed your perspective on 6" jointers. I am looking for one myself;
currently have a Rockwell 4" jointer that's OK , but, sadly, not large
enough.
Gil Jennings