jointing boards wider than jointer

3 min read 22-11-2024

Many woodworkers face the challenge of jointing boards wider than their jointer's capacity. This comprehensive guide explores effective methods to overcome this limitation, ensuring perfectly flat and straight surfaces for your woodworking projects. We'll cover various techniques, from using a shooting board to employing a hand plane, along with essential safety precautions.

Understanding the Challenge: Why Jointing Wide Boards is Tricky

Jointing wide boards exceeding your jointer's capacity presents a unique set of difficulties. The primary issue is that you cannot joint the entire width of the board in a single pass. This can lead to uneven surfaces, bowed boards, and ultimately, project failures. The goal is to achieve a perfectly flat and straight edge across the entire length of the board.

Methods for Jointing Wide Boards

Several methods allow you to successfully joint boards wider than your jointer:

1. The "Multiple Passes" Technique (with a Jointer)

This common technique involves making multiple passes across the board.

Preparation: Start by jointing one edge as far as your jointer allows. This provides a reference edge.
Successive Passes: Carefully align the board, using the jointed edge as a guide, and take multiple passes across the width, gradually jointing the entire board.
Important Note: This requires precise alignment to avoid creating a cumulative error. It's best used for boards not excessively wider than the jointer.

2. Using a Shooting Board

A shooting board allows for precise planing of an edge, even on wide boards.

Setup: Ensure the shooting board is perfectly square and has a stable base.
Planing: Secure the board to the shooting board and use a hand plane to create a perfectly flat edge.
Advantages: This is a highly accurate method that eliminates the need for multiple jointer passes.

3. Employing a Hand Plane

A sharp hand plane, especially a jointer plane, is ideal for this task.

Skill Required: This requires skill and practice. It's more demanding than using power tools, but provides precise control.
Technique: Use a combination of long, smooth strokes to remove material evenly and create a flat edge.
Caution: Always ensure the plane is sharp to avoid tearing the wood.

4. Utilizing a Table Saw (with caution)

While not a dedicated jointing tool, a table saw can create a relatively straight edge, but requires precision and care.

Jig: Use a perfectly aligned fence to guide the board.
Technique: Make multiple passes, removing small amounts of wood with each pass, ensuring the blade is properly aligned to avoid kickback. This is advanced technique best left for experienced woodworkers.

5. Combination Approach

A combined approach, such as using the jointer for a portion of the edge, followed by a hand plane or shooting board for the remaining section, is often the most efficient strategy. This blends the accuracy of hand tools with the speed of a jointer.

Choosing the Right Method

The best method for jointing boards wider than your jointer depends on factors such as:

Board Size: For slightly wider boards, multiple jointer passes might suffice. For significantly wider boards, a hand plane or shooting board is often preferred.
Skill Level: Using a hand plane or shooting board requires more skill and practice than using a jointer.
Available Tools: Choose the method that best utilizes your available equipment.

Essential Safety Precautions

Sharp Tools: Always use sharp tools to avoid tear-out and ensure smooth cuts. A dull blade is more dangerous than a sharp one.
Secure Workholding: Properly secure the board to prevent it from moving during the jointing process. Use clamps, hold-downs, or other appropriate methods.
Eye Protection: Always wear safety glasses or a face shield to protect your eyes from flying debris.
Hearing Protection: If using power tools, wear hearing protection to protect your hearing.
Dust Collection: Use appropriate dust collection methods to reduce airborne dust and maintain a clean workspace.

Conclusion

Jointing boards wider than your jointer is achievable with careful planning and the right techniques. Mastering these methods empowers you to tackle larger projects and achieve professional-quality results. Remember, safety is paramount. Always prioritize safety precautions and practice proper woodworking techniques before attempting to joint wide boards. By carefully selecting the appropriate method and following safety protocols, you can successfully joint boards of any size and achieve the flat, straight edges required for your woodworking projects.