Battle of the Big Box Jointers

**BigDaddy** · 11-11-2004, 03:02 PM

i like my craftsman ... you'll enjoy it too :)

**bullethead64** · 11-11-2004, 05:59 PM

Rain Shadow...

I have read similar reviews that mention they don't like the fence. I'm not sure why except it is not a rack and pinion system. It does set to 90 or 45 in a jiffy, and it locks down nice and tight.

Now granted, I have never used a PM or other higher end model, but this jointer just works very nicely.

One other note. When I put mine together I noted a paint defect on the front panel. I called the Sears 800 CS number----no kidding I had a new panel at my door in THREE DAYS!!! I could not believe it.

I have a feeling that Sears may be attempting to "pick up their game" a bit.

(No I do not work for Sears)

**DougB** · 11-12-2004, 01:35 AM

Another vote for Ridgid over Delta. I looked real hard at the Delta at Lowes, waiting for it to clearance price, but it never did. The Ridgid seemed to be the better buy without the Delta clearance pricing that they put on almost everything else but the jointer.

Haven't used the Ridgid much yet, but it seemed to produce very good results even though I never could get the fence to be consisitantly square to the bed along the whole length of the fence - I squared it up at the closest point to the blades and I could not see any problems with the boards I ran through it.

It is heavy, but I did not have any problems unloading it from my pickup into the shop with the help of the wife.

**BigDaddy** · 11-12-2004, 07:47 AM

on little trick I've found when jointing the edges of boards for glue ups .. this was said on David Mark's woodworking show ..

since the fence usually may not be truely at 90 degrees, and could be off a degree or two, when you go to edge glue two boards together, pass one board through with the top side facing towards the fence ...

pass the 2nd board through with the top of the board facing the opposite side of the fence ..

that way they will offset eachother - basically, it will make one board 92 degrees (example), the other board 88 degrees, so when you go to glue them up, they'll be nice and tight, and not cup on you.

**Tom D** · 11-12-2004, 05:46 PM

I'm puzzeled, I went through the same decision Delta or Rigid when I passed a local woodworking machinery shop who sold me the same size Jet for $299. But no one here mentioned Jet?

**ecklesweb** · 11-12-2004, 06:03 PM

Yeah, but the father-in-law knows exactly how to go about getting a Home Depot or Lowes gift card. He'd be a little fuzzier on treking to the crappy part of downtown Memphis to the machinery shop and trying to find where the damn door is to the place much less trying to talk them into some kind of gift certificate.

Not to mention I also need some other stuff from HD to finish out the shop (drywall and such), so it's a two-birds-with-one-stone kind of thing.

That's why I specifically asked about big box jointers.

Jay

www.jayeckles.com/personal/handcrafted.html

**scottspencer** · 11-13-2004, 04:23 AM

Tom D said: "I'm puzzeled, I went through the same decision Delta or Rigid when I passed a local woodworking machinery shop who sold me the same size Jet for $299. But no one here mentioned Jet?"

...Sounds like you got a good deal on that Jet that's not normally available to most of us.

Regards,
Scott

**coolerat** · 11-14-2004, 04:58 PM

On Ridgid jointers.

I think you have the port hookeed up wrong. If you loosen the screws on the flange you will note that it slides. I can't remember which way is which but one way is if you use a Dc and the other is if you don't. I think you have your set for no DC. Mine was 100% perfect with DC.