I find that the jointer is one of the most complex tools to calibrate. But if you ever used one that was out of shape, you know exactly why calibration is critical to your success. I hear from so many woodworkers who think their jointing problems are due to technique, when in reality, its the jointer itself that’s presenting the issues.
Its a two-part process that starts with leveling the infeed and outfeed tables and making them coplanar. Next, you need to adjust the knives in the cutterhead so that they are in line with the outfeed table. Neither process is fast, but I’ll take you through it step by step.
Hidden inside this video is actually a bit of a product review. There are many jigs on the market that will help you set up your jointer knives. I wanted to try a few of them so that I could give you a recommendation one way or the other. Here are my biased and opinionated findings:
Jointer Pal – ($27-$84) This is the jig I’ve been using for years. Its perfect for folks who don’t want to fuss around with dial indicators since the magnet does all the work. And it is fast and easy to use (about 3 minutes per blade). But since jointer blades tend to raise up when you tighten them in place, you have no way of knowing if your blades truly are level with the outfeed table. Mine showed a variance of .001-.005 across the length of the blade. All in all, that’s not to bad considering the quick setup time. But its far from perfect. And in order to use this jig properly, you have to find the top dead center of the blade’s path, which is usually easier said than done.
MLCS 9397 Jointer Planer Knife Setting Jig ($79) – By far, my biggest disappointment in the test. Like the Jointer Pal, this system works using magnets, only this one bridges the infeed and outfeed tables. It also has a nice dial that you turn to raise and lower the center magnet, which allows you to micro-adjust the blade. But I found that the blades still move when they are tightened down and the magnets didn’t provide enough force to prevent this from happening. This pretty much defeats the purpose of the micro adjustments. Furthermore, I don’t see how this would be useful as a standalone jig. You still need a dial indicator to tell you what the height of the blade is relative to the outfeed table. Otherwise, you are pretty much flying blind. And unlike the Jointer Pal, there is no built-in reference point. So I am going to recommend skipping this product.
OneWay Multi-Gauge ($94) – Essentially this is just a variation of the classic dial indicator jig. But holy moly is this thing awesome! The jig is incredibly heavy and has a nice wide foot-print. The dial indicator features a wide flat foot that is critical for setting the knives. The standard tapered tip that comes with most dial indicators just won’t do. The dial indicator itself is mounted in such a way that it faces you, which is incredibly convenient when setting knives. This unit is absolutely rock solid. But in my shop, its use will most likely be limited to setting up the jointer, the planer, and the drum sander.
Deluxe A-Line-It ($145) – This is another variation of the dial indicator system, only this unit does a bunch of other things too. It truly is a jack of all trades setup jig and will help you calibrate everything from the tablesaw, to the drill press, to the bandsaw! The dial indicator comes with numerous tips, including a flat one. So how does it compare to the ONEWAY? Its lighter and less stable due to the 3/4″ wide aluminum base. The foot on the dial indicator is not as wide as the ONEWAY, which is not a huge problem but that extra width is truly appreciated. And the dial on this unit faces the infeed table, instead of the user. Seems like a minor thing until you have to stand up to view the gauge head-on about 40-50 times.
So my final verdict? If you want cheap and simple with somewhat unpredictable results, go for the Jointer Pal. If you want a jack of all trades setup jig, go for the A-Line-It. And if you want the best jig for the job, get the ONEWAY. And if you don’t want to deal with any of this crap, get a helical head!
I was seriously considering selling my Jet 6″ planer after a couple years of not being to set it up properly. It accumulated several years of dust! Then I found your setup video. I purchased the One-way Multi-Gauge, an aluminum straight-edge and took the several hours over two days to set the blades. Following your hints & tips and taking my time to be precise paid off in a flat & square piece of milled stock.
Your video saved me several hundred dollars that would have been lost by selling the Jet.
Thanks.
Marc,
Great video and clear explanations–much appreciated! I have the Delta DJ-20 which looks very similar to your Powermatic. My knives are in need of sharpening and I’m wondering about upgrading to the Byrd Helical Head…wondering what your thoughts are about the helical head for a jointer?? How would you set the height of the head?
Thanks!
I have a helical head just waiting to be installed. They aren’t truly “necessary” on a jointer, but I like the idea of never having to adjust a knife again.
As for setting, I think it’s probably best to alight the table to the head itself. I haven’t installed mine yet so I can’t say for sure. Because of the angle, it seems like it might be tricky to use the cutterheads themselves for the initial setup and alignment. Although doing the height adjustment would require referencing from the cutters. Just have to find the top of the arc of travel and lock it in for the calibration.
Thanks. I hope you do a video of the installation of the helical head on your jointer…it might embolden a few of us out there to try it ourselves!
ditto on a helical head setup video, focusing on the differences only.
have you ever tried the Phenolic Straight Edge? their cost is much lower and i was wondering if they are worth it?
ever tried it so I can’t really comment.
Marc,
Have you tried using the Deluxe A-Line-It as a replacement for the straight edge method? It looks like if the base reaches far enough you could simply position the Deluxe A-Line-It across the outfeed table(clamping where nessassary) and use the dial to measure the corners of the infeed instead of feeler gauges.
Yeah if you could get the thing to reach out to the extremities of the infeed table, that could be an interesting option.
Thank you ever so much for this video! You have helped me resolve 2+ years of ongoing frustration in trying to get furniture quality results from my mid-level grade jointer. I have tried time and again to correctly align my blades using the Jointer Pal tool but I could get only passable results at best. Last month, out of desperation, I finally bought a set of “pre-set” blades for my jointer. They were pricey but if they could solve my jointing issues they would be worth it. Sadly, I got WORSE results with those!
At that point, I pretty much gave up on building anything more than contractor grade shelving and utility tables. But today, I reinstalled my old blades and aligned them using a dial gauge tool similar to the Oneway tool you demonstrated. I couldn’t dial them in as accurately as you but I got everything within .003 inch tolerance all around. The results are fabulous! For the first time since I taking up the hobby, I get true face and edge joints with glass smooth surfaces!
(BTW, I live in Gilbert, Az. If I see you around any of the local shows or woodworking stores, I’ll buy you a free beverage of your choice for posting this video!)