# Router table versus Jointer



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Guys what are the drawbacks of using a router table for jointing as opposed to say a GI 8" dedicated jointer ? 
I'm assuming the maximum height of a board would be fairly limited with a router table as your at the mercy of the bit height ? 

But for making a coffee table maybe a router tables all I need. I want to keep as much room in my garage available as I can . A planer was the next toy


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## Arcola60 (Jul 4, 2009)

I have the same dilemma. Shop space, funds, family, etc. My projects do not exceed the machine capabilities on hand. I plane with a router sled, and joint with the router table. Ten inch band saw, small table saw. It is all I have right know. I can still do some quality stuff. In time I will have a full shop. It makes you think. Can I do this! Developing my skills along the way. You find what methods work for you. We are all different in how we approach woodworking. We share and learn.

Ellery Becnel


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## berry (Oct 17, 2005)

I think a primary purpose of a jointer is straighten cupped or twisted stock, which you can't do with a router and table. For jointing, I use a jointer. I've never tried it on my router table but in my mind I imagine it works very well.


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

I finally managed to buy a used Jet 6 inch jointer. Wish I had an 8 incher, but I simply don't have the room.

So, when I buy rough stock, I cut it into lengths I can work with, meaning nothing over 4-5 feet.
I use a shop made sled to rip a straight edge on each board. Most boards are bowed somewhat.
Then it is time to move to the jointer.
Flatten one side. If there is a little over hang, I knock it off with a hand plane.
Joint one edge to the flat side.
Move to the planer and thickness plane the boards.
Then it is time to rip the boards into the approximate widths.
Cut 'em into rough lengths.

From there, I go by my cutlist and cut to final length.

And that is the way I do it.
It is so nice to have that jointer sitting there ready to go. It gets a lot of use.

Hope this helps.
Mike


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

I agree with Mike (MT Stringer).

I only use flat boards on the router table to joint the edge. (I KNOW that if the boards are not flat the jointed edge will not be right angle to the flat side...)

They should be flattened on the jointer first, so that is how I vote...


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

berry said:


> I think a primary purpose of a jointer is straighten cupped or twisted stock, which you can't do with a router and table.


Using a ski setup, you can surface a board quite well. It just takes a lot of time and patience. It actually works quite well for odd shaped or irregular grained stock.

the inch and quarter or inch and a half surface planing bits from magnate.net work very well.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Thanks for input guys . I can see having to get a jointer at some point . Was going to go with a GI 8" as for some reason I read a lot about people wanting an 8" after owning a 6" ?

I really want to do small stuff though , as I love coffee tables with multiple strips of wood


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I've had an 8" long bed for 15 to 20 years now and wouldn't want anything smaller. I've done edges on stock up to 11 feet or so and I often need the extra 2" of width. When I'm ripping narrower pieces out of a board I usually have the table saw and the jointer running at the same time so that I can clean the saw cut off one edge before ripping the next off.


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## PAD3 (Oct 20, 2013)

I use a shop made sled with wedges to level the board and then run it through my planer. I also have a dedicated plywood router table about 4' long that I put on saw horses as an edge jointer. I leave a router base attached to the table and cycle my router from plunge to table. Both work fine for me.


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## woodman44 (Jun 3, 2011)

I have the same delema space $, etc. For a simple joiner jig check out "izzy swan' on you tube. With scrap lumber you can make it for $0. It allows you to cut a straight edge on a table saw on any board then you put that straight edge on the fence to cut the opposite edge to whatever width you desire. 
I am new to woodworking but I have been pleased with the results.
Good luck
Ken


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

woodman44 said:


> I have the same delema space $, etc. For a simple joiner jig check out "izzy swan' on you tube. With scrap lumber you can make it for $0. It allows you to cut a straight edge on a table saw on any board then you put that straight edge on the fence to cut the opposite edge to whatever width you desire.
> I am new to woodworking but I have been pleased with the results.
> Good luck
> Ken


Interesting , I've gotta check that out

Well watched much of the video and I think I'll just get a jointer lol .
That guy isn't the safest person I've ever seen as cutting wood with no eye protection is a red flag IMO.
A piece of carbide ever came off the blade its going straight to for his head as he stands right in front of the blade . 

If you seen me you might laugh as I wear a hard hat with the attached ultra low noise ear protection and built in eye shield that flips down plus I'm wearing a dust mask as well. Better safe than sorry I guess


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## MikeMa (Jul 27, 2006)

There are many ways around not having a jointer. For me, I buy all my wood rough. I got by several years with a little bench top jointer, which I would not recommend. I only used it for edge jointing, and even then that could be difficult to get a good edge. For face jointing, I didn't do it on that machine. I used a few techinques on the planer to get boards that were flat "enough". 

A couple years ago I bought Grizzly's least expensive floor model 6" jointer, which is light years ahead of my old bench top. With some patience I got everything dialed in on it, and it has done everything I have asked of it. I now cannot imagine not having a jointer. Yes an 8" would be better but the 6" is far better and faster than using other techniques to get around not having one.


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## Bodger96 (Mar 18, 2014)

Edge joining is all that you could really hope to do with a router and table. That said you can use any tool for jobs that it was not intended for. A screw driver as a chisel, a plane as a door stop. ball peen hammer for framing. They will all work, but a jointer is intended to make one face flat and straight and one edge straight. and 90 degrees to that good face. With the right amount or types of jigs you can do many things with a router. My brother spent many years buying dressed lumber and using his router for edge jointing, but it limited his choices for wood species and thickness. He now just gets me to joint his wood for him and then he can take it from there. The correct tool for the job.

Regards Bob


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

RainMan1 said:


> Guys what are the drawbacks of using a router table for jointing as opposed to say a GI 8" dedicated jointer ?
> I'm assuming the maximum height of a board would be fairly limited with a router table as your at the mercy of the bit height ?
> 
> But for making a coffee table maybe a router tables all I need. I want to keep as much room in my garage available as I can . A planer was the next toy


table - tacked on temporary strip to fit the miter slot and a panel bit.. not too often, rarely in fact...
w/ a sled - quite a bit for smaller pieces under 2' or so... seems to be about safest, easiest and fastest way for small piece production...
2nd edge is fed through the TS...
router w/guide - A lot of use for 100" and less... least amount of waste, fast and way accurate... 2nd edge is fed through the TS...
TS/glue line/sled - thicker 24 to 60" stock... little waste, fast and way accurate

a couple of the sleds and one of the guides... (attachment)

6 or 12" jointer - least used method of all...


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