When it comes to looking at the best jointer planer combo machines, JET seems to have the market cornered.
The good news is that JET have a range of jointer planers to choose from, to suit a range of buying preferences. These include:
- 8, 10, and 12 inch jointer planers
- Benchtop jointer planers which are smaller and more mobile
- Free standing jointer planers which are heavier, but much higher in quality of finish and precision/accuracy
- Cheaper value for money jointer planers
- High quality and high performance jointer planers
- Straight cutterhead jointer planers
- Helical cutterhead jointer planers
Let’s have a look at the best of these combination jointer planers now …
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Best Jointer Planer Combo Machines
Small 8 Inch Jointer/Planer – Jet JJP-8BT 8-Inch Bench Top Jointer/Planer (on Amazon)
Small 10 Inch Jointer/Planer with Steel Stand – Jet 10 Inch JJP-10BTOS Jointer Planer Combo (on Amazon)
Large 12 Inch Standard Knife Jointer/Planer – JET JJP-12 12 Inch Jointer Planer (on Amazon)
Large 12 Inch Helical Knife Jointer/Planer – JET JJP-12HH 12 Inch Jointer Planer with Helical Cutterhead (on Amazon)
Best Jointer Planer Combo Machines: Reviews
We have put together summaries and reviews of the following jointer planers:
- JET 8 Inch Jointer/Planer
- JET 10 Inch Jointer/Planer with Ground Stand
- JET 12 Inch Jointer/Planers – Straight Knife, and Helical Knife Models
You can read these Jointer Planer Combo Reviews here.
Best Jointer Planer Combo Machines: Buyer’s Guide
What is a Jointer/Planer Combo Machine?
Pretty straightforward…
A jointer planer machine is a 2 in 1 machine that allows you to perform jointing and planing functions.
Usually, a jointer and a planer are sold as separate machines.
What Are The Types Of Jointer/Planer Combo Machines?
Jointer planer combination machines can be categorised into the following types:
Benchtop jointer planers
Enclosed stand, or ground based jointer planers
Cheaper jointer planers (usually less precise, and made with cheaper materials like aluminium)
More expensive jointer planers (usually quite accurate and made with materials like steel or cast iron)
Jointer planers with differing table widths – 8, 10 and 12 inch
Straight knife jointer planers
Helical knife jointer planers
What Are Jointer/Planer Machines Used For?
Jointer
A jointer flattens a face, or straightens and squares an edge of a length of timber.
A jointer is particularly good for twisted, bowed, warped or twisted timber lengths.
Planer
Once the timber length has been flattened or squared, a planer is used to make it equal thickness from end-to-end.
This is usually done by thicknessing the remaining face or edge on the board.
So, you might square both edges of the board, and flatten one face. Then, the remaining face you can thickness so that you have a flat and even thickness piece of lumber remaining.
Examples Of Using A Jointer/Planer
Any instance where you have exposed wood, you need finely finished wood, or you need to be working with flat and even wood – a jointer planer machine would be helpful.
Furniture makers, and carpenters (for doors, windows and other internal wood constructions) are two examples of professional type woodworkers that might use them.
You don’t need to be a professional to use a jointer planer – even casual woodworkers would benefit from using one.
What To Look For In Jointer/Planer Combo Machines – How To Choose?
There’s probably 5 main decisions we would make when choosing a jointer/planer:
1) Table width – 8, 10 and 12 inch wide tables.
Figure out the maximum width of timber you need to flatten or thickness, and get a suitably sized table.
2) Table length – 50, 60, 70 and 80 + inch long tables.
Don’t just look at the total length of the tables, but the individual lengths of the infeed and outfeed tables to get an idea of what length timber you can feed into the machine.
3) Feed rate – look at the product brochure, or product technical specifications.
They should give you a feet per minute (FPM) number – which tells you how many feet of timber per minute you can feed through the machine.
A higher feed rate indicates the machine is better designed to be a production type jointer planer.
4) Cutterhead type – standard cutterhead, or spiral/helical cutterhead.
A standard cutterhead usually has 2 or 3 straight knives that ‘chop’ the wood surface.
A helical cutterhead might have 30, 40 and sometimes 50 helical knives (arranged different on the cutterhead), that moreso ‘shears’ the wood surface more finely.
Tools companies claim that a helical cutterhead is not only more quiet when you’re operating your machine, but produces a finer finish or cut.
It should also be noted that helical cutterheads usually need very little adjustment and generally last longer in terms of replacements than a straight cutterhead.
5) Quality of construction and materials used – mainly look at what the stand, table and fence are made of.
Less precise, less accurate machines that usually need alot of adjustment and don’t stay level or square – are usually made with aluminium type materials.
The higher quality machines are usually made with more expensive and stable steel and cast iron materials.
The higher quality materials will mean though that these higher quality machines are much heavier and less mobile.
Features To Look For In Jointer/Planer Combo Machines
Material construction – aluminium, plastic, cast iron, steel
Fence length and height
Can the fence tilt?
Does the fence have positive stops?
Table length – infeed and outfeed tables
Table width – for determining width of timber you can feed into the machine
Type of cutterhead – straight, or helical
Motor Amps
Motor Horsepower
Motor Phase
Motor voltage – do you have this voltage available in your workshop?
Feed rate of the machine
What depth capacity does the joiner have?
What depth ranges and capacities does the planer have?
Does the machine have a rabbeting ledge on the jointer?
Is the machine a benchtop mounted machine, or can it stand on the ground?
What are the control wheels and adjustment controls like?
What accessories does the machine come with – are push blocks included?
How much does the machine weigh?
Do you need a mobile base to move the machine around?
How big is the dust port?
What CFM shop vac or dust collection system do you need for the dust port?
Jointer Planer Combo Machine – Accessories
Shop vac system
Dust port reducer
Push Blocks
Mobile base for the heavier jointer planers
Potentially a dedicated power circuit if you don’t have one to match the voltage of the machine you want to get
Best Jointer Planer Combo Machines: Resources
1. http://www.jettools.com/
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