How much Hard maple can a Jointer Joint?

Brent Dowell

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Apparently this much. Now I need to sharpen my blades.

It all started out nice and easy and then I was struggling to push the maple across the jointer. Now I know why the planer bogs down when it's blades get dull.

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clean your rollers, wax your bed, and take very light cuts, you could run 10 times that amount of maple through the blades before you notice any difference.
also make sure the grain is the right way, that makes a world of a difference with hard maple.

I just finished this small bathroom cabinet.
Its all hard and soft maple, all my crud stuff I had laying around, all the bad pieces I didn't use in other projects, it was some knarly stuff also.
sides are all solid panels over ply walls.

it all went through easily after I cleaned roller and waxed bed, and my blades are over 1.5 years old, and used quite often.

I love the way maple feels once its run through planer and sanded a bit, super duper smooth.
 

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clean your rollers, wax your bed, and take very light cuts, you could run 10 times that amount of maple through the blades before you notice any difference.
also make sure the grain is the right way, that makes a world of a difference with hard maple.

I just finished this small bathroom cabinet.
Its all hard and soft maple, all my crud stuff I had laying around, all the bad pieces I didn't use in other projects, it was some knarly stuff also.
sides are all solid panels over ply walls.

it all went through easily after I cleaned roller and waxed bed, and my blades are over 1.5 years old, and used quite often.

I love the way maple feels once its run through planer and sanded a bit, super duper smooth.

I agree - WAX the BED - makes ALL the difference in the world.

I wax everything - even a hand saw - sole of a hand plane - etc.
 
you could run 10 times that amount of maple through the blades before you notice any difference

I was thinking the same thing. I don't do enough flat work to speak expertly on the subject. But, my experience is wood alone rarely dulls blades of any kind very rapidly. It is dirt and grit that are the culprits. I refuse to plane or join wood that has been stored outdoors. Instant dull.
 
No dirt, Just very heavy hard wood. I believe it's called ROCK maple for a reason.

The jointer blades may not have been all that sharp when I started.

I will say that this stuff in my experience really has the ability to knock the sharpness of a blade in no time, even on a planer with a waxed bed, clean rollers and new blades.

This aint my first rodeo with a planer or this wood. :rolleyes:
 
Well, Pulled out the grizzly tormek clone, trued up the wheel on it and FINALLY got around to using the planer blade attachment for it. I've had it for years but never used it.

Well, Used it today and I'll be darned if it didn't do a good job on the jointer blades. All back in business!
 
Well, Pulled out the grizzly tormek clone, trued up the wheel on it and FINALLY got around to using the planer blade attachment for it. I've had it for years but never used it.

Well, Used it today and I'll be darned if it didn't do a good job on the jointer blades. All back in business!

I've wondered how well those planer blade jigs work. Sounds like they do just fine. :thumb:

BTW, great job on that little cabinet, Allen. :clap:
 
I've wondered how well those planer blade jigs work. Sounds like they do just fine. :thumb:

I wouldn't use it on the disposable planer blades, but it seems to do a ice trick on my jointer blades. I did use my other little hand held jig to do some honing with them after I ran them across the grinding wheel.
 
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