Popular Woodworking 2000-11 № 118, страница 40

If you want to ensure your wood is flat and square,

you absolutely must buy a jointer to go with your planer.

o be a self-sufficient woodworker you need three tools: a table saw for ripping and crosscutting, a planer to get the wood the right thickness, and a jointer to get a single face and edge straight and square before you can do anything else. It's possible to work without a jointer, but you won't get the best results. Beyond basic surfacing, a jointer is a useful tool for rabbeting, tapering, beveling and chamfering lumber.

Jointers are available in benchtop models with 4" and 6" widths, and floor models are available in 6", 8", 12" and 16" capacities. Almost across the board, the length of the bed (the combined length of the infeed and outfeed tables) increases with the width capacity. The longer the

bed, the easier it is to straighten and flatten a board.

Benchtop Jointers

In general, we're not crazy about bench-top jointers. They tend to be underpowered (utilizing universal motors for what is usually an induction motor job), the fences are not as accurate, and the limitations on width and length don't allow you to joint long or wide boards efficiently. If you absolutely have no space for anything but a benchtop machine, then purchase a 6" model with the longest bed possible. If your woodworking has you primarily working with smaller pieces of wood (if you spend much of your time building decorative boxes) then a benchtop