12" Jointer Selection
2/4/14
Website: http://www.mesquitevalleywoodcrafts.com
Hello. I am mid-swing in searching for a 12" replacement/upgrade for our DJ20 and wanted to see what you guys are enjoying (or otherwise) in your shops. I do not need something super-commercial grade, (e.g. scmi, etc). I have looked so far at the 12" PM, Grizzly, Delta, Oliver and Extrema machines. I am fully planing on it having a helical head, as most of the hardwoods we work with regularly make straight knives an impossible option. I have been running the Powermatic 209HH planer and the Extrema wide-belt, and I consider them both very high quality machines, so those brands to me already have an upper hand. A shop nearby that produces furniture far better than I runs a 10" Grizzly jointer; seems to be a solid machine.
This said, I would appreciate a broader opinion of what others have found to be the pros and cons of their equipment. Is there one that you feel like has given you the last-jointer-you'll-ever-buy experience? Is there one that you particularly found problematic? What is on your gotta-buy-it list on a wide format jointer?
Thanks in advance. Caleb.
2/4/14 #2: 12" Jointer Selection ...
I have a Powermatic SAC FS305. Solid Heavy Italian machine. In fact there's 3 listed in the machinery exchange right now.
2/4/14 #3: 12" Jointer Selection ...
I've heard only great things about the Extrema - seems they are amongst the better of the off-shore imports. I almost bought one when I found our DJ30 (12"), which I purchased as a showroom demo from Bridgewood in Pa before they went under. I've been extremely (no pun intended) pleased with this Delta - @6 years running now in a 5 man production shop. Two years ago I purchased the Byrd Shelix head for it and wondered why I didn't install that day one of buying the jointer! Best thing I ever did! Especially tickled with how well it performed milling 32 rustic oak doors with countless knots and twisted grain (see attached photo). Performed stellar!
That being said - this is the original batch that came out of Taiwan. I believe many new imports originate in China today, and would be very skeptical about purchasing those. We have a few Grizzly shapers and a small 15" planer from the eighties (Taiwan) that have been flawless through over 30 years of production daily use. I seriously doubt a current China model could compare to that.
If you anticipate heavy use - go European. For just maybe eight hours a week I think you'd be fine with either the Powermatic or the Extrema. A fellow woodworker who has moved into a HS Woodworking Teacher career last year equipped his entire school shop with Powermatic (they gave the best proposal for a full complement of machinery) and has told me that this new breed of machine appears to be quite strong, and would not hesitate to run it in his old shop for 1-2 days per week use.
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2/6/14 #4: 12" Jointer Selection ...
we have a 12" extrema with a spiral cutter and it is a very nice machine. almost never any tear out and the cutters last a long time. only issue is that the fence won't stay square. it seems to have a little play in it and we cannot figure out how to keep it stiff. we have to re-square it when we edge joint to ensure square joints. it generally isn't off by much (1/24" or less over 5") but very annoying.
2/6/14 #5: 12" Jointer Selection ...
Mr Google, thanks for your feedback on the Extrema 12"; I have been looking seriously at that machine. What is the age of yours? Do you think the problem with the fence is in the design or in the quality of machining? Would you buy that machine again?
2/6/14 #6: 12" Jointer Selection ...
caleb,
the cutterhead is what really makes the machine. i purchased mine from auction six years ago and it has performed admirably thus far.
i'm really not sure what the problem with the fence is. i get a wild hair every now and again to try to troubleshoot it but i think part of the problem is only having one locking handle to set the distance instead of two (or instead of a good one). also, i haven't pressed extrema's tech support other than a quick call and they didn't understand why it didn't work as advertised (and didn't seem like they really wanted to help me). i probably should take the whole thing apart but all the screws are tight and we've gotten use to it.
i'd buy it again for the cutterhead. almost never any tearout. i think my is a 2003 machine.
2/6/14 #7: 12" Jointer Selection ...
After you get used to the spiral head there's no going back. I had an 8" spiral head Grizzly for a number of years and it worked great, no real complaints. I think jointers are one machine from Grizzly that are actually a good value. That being said, years later I ended up selling the Grizz and buying an old 12" Oliver 166. Never even bothered to run it with the knife head. Ordered a spiral head from Byrd for $1600 (keep in mind, a spiral head for a direct drive jointer has a shaft that runs through the motor, has to be custom made and costs significantly more than one for a more modern belt driven jointer like a Delta) Also, removing the old head, changing bearings and installing the new head should be done by someone with the proper equipment and know-how. An Oliver or any other old cast iron jointer with a Byrd head, , are "last jointer you'll ever buy" jointers. The only upgrade from there would be a wider one!
Hope that helps.
Andy