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If you’re a professional carpenter or an enthusiastic DIYer, a benchtop jointer is the perfect tool for you.
It will not only make the products that you create gain excellence but also help you finish things smoothly and easily.
When it comes to carpentry, cutting and smoothing down the wood pieces to a phenomenal finish is the hardest part.
And that’s where a benchtop jointer makes its way! You can achieve the best results with minimum effort through a benchtop jointer.
Getting a good benchtop jointer involves a lot of important steps. The basic step is to figure out how useful and effective a benchtop jointer would be for your work model.
The latter steps include the features you should be looking for, which model to go for, safety tips, etc.
To make your job easier we’ve come up with a detailed analysis on benchtop jointers, so that you can find out if they’re purposeful for you.
What Is A Benchtop Jointer?
A benchtop jointer is an electrical tool used by professional woodworkers. Its main job is to flatten out twisted and bent out of shape wood boards. It comes with a flat top and a wide base accommodated with a metallic ball behind.
A cutter head is included on the top which may be spiral or helical in shape. A benchtop jointer performs best when you need to properly square the edges out of a wooden board.
Besides, running the wooden board a few times over the cutter head gives a blemish-free result as well.
Why Do You Need A Benchtop Jointer?
Although most people prefer going for planers over benchtop jointers, the actual order is the reverse one.
Benchtop jointers not only help you get a detailed straightened and excellent finish in the end, but they are effective in providing surfaces devoid of blemishes.
You can work from your workshop with the benchtop jointer easily since it requires minimum space.
The basic step of perfecting any wooden board is to flatten the lumber pieces and make a suitable base to work with. A benchtop jointer performs all these functions easily in no time.
Important features to look for in a benchtop jointer
There are a lot of factors which play a role in buying a good jointer. Certain features and attributes determine whether your jointer purchase will be a win or not. Some of these features are-
Type
Jointers can be both floor and benchtop in type. While floor jointers are bigger and consume larger space, benchtop jointers are usually lightweight in comparison.
A benchtop jointer can be mounted on the work surface and will be the best option for people on a budget or a small space to work with.
Cutting Depth
The cutting depth of a jointer plays an important role to determine if your jointer is worth it or not. Cutting depth regulates the number of passes required to completely straighten the wood pieces.
A depth of around ½- ¾ inches is the most appropriate depth for a benchtop jointer. Even with the appropriate depth, multiple passes are necessary to make the wood pieces as straight as possible. Nevertheless, cutting depth is very important for a benchtop jointer.
Power
The motor and its respective power are also important when it comes to a benchtop jointer. Motor power determines the efficiency of the jointer as well as the respective speed.
A power of around 1 horsepower is appropriate for small scale and indoor workspaces. But for industrial purposes, the power increases depending on the type of motor used.
Dust Collection Port
Another important feature to look for in a benchtop jointer is the dust collection port. Most woodworkers face the trouble of going through dust accumulation with a jointer while working from workshops and garages.
So, to make things easier, it is better to purchase a benchtop jointer that comes with dust collection ability.
It can come in the form of a collector bag, a fitting pipe, or any other additional port. Any of these ports can clear the dirt and debris while you’re working on your project.
Fence
The fence also plays an important role in influencing the working ability of a jointer. Many wood pieces need the assistance of the fence at tilted angles.
If your benchtop jointer comes with adjustable positive stops, then you can easily tilt the fence. Through this feature, the wood piece can be stabilized while driving the jointer across it.
Besides, a final check on the straightening of the wood board can be done.
Model and Warranty
Last but not the least, the model you’re going for as well as the warranty are key points to consider when you’re purchasing a benchtop jointer.
Models like Jet, Powermatic, Grizzly, Shop Fox and Delta are noteworthy names if you’re a beginner or even a professional.
These models usually come with a 3-5 year warranty and hence are the perfect options to go for.
Pros and Cons of a Benchtop Jointer
There is no doubt that benchtop jointers can be very useful when it comes to highly qualified wood projects, but every tool has its pros and cons.
So, before purchasing, you should come to the conclusion whether these points are in favor of your requirement or not.
PROS
CONS
Conclusion
Summing it up, it is quite evident that benchtop jointers are worth every penny if you’re looking to straighten and flatten wood boards.
They work efficiently in delivering the ideal wood projects you’re working on. So, you can have the best outcomes with minimum effort and in a short time.