Can I cut metal or other non-wood materials with your jointers? Although our jointers can physically cut many different types of materials, they are designed only to cut natural wood or wood-based materials (plywood, MDF, OSB, etc.). Cutting materials not intended for a woodworking jointer can lead to serious injury for the operator or bystanders, shorten the machine's lifespan, and void the warranty.

Can I still use my jointer without connecting it to a dust collector? Yes, but we don't recommend it. Without using a dust collector, dust will quickly accumulate inside and around your machine, requiring more cleaning later. Besides being messy, fine dust can be harmful to your respiratory system. A better option is to connect your table saw to a properly designed dust collection system that at least provides the recommended minimum CFM for your machine's dust port.  

How do I know what size of motor I'll need for my jointer? The answer primarily depends on three factors: (1) your average stock width, (2) your typical wood type or variety, and (3) your anticipated cutting frequency or overall demands placed on the jointer. It's important to note that with a slow enough feed rate, any of our jointers can cut a piece of hardwood up to its maximum cutting width. However, using too slow a feed rate can result in ripples and chipping in your workpiece, and using a feed rate so aggressive that it causes the motor to bog down will quickly raise the motor's internal temperature to a point of thermal breakdown. Once a motor reaches this state, continued operation without sufficient cool-down time between cuts will cause the motor to overheat, leading to winding insulation failure and motor failure. A larger motor, however, could easily perform the same work without reaching thermal breakdown. Therefore, your goal should be to select a motor size that can handle the majority of your regular cutting tasks without bogging down. In practical terms, a 1.5 HP motor used with an aggressive feed rate can repeatedly cut 6" wide hardwoods without bogging down. A 3 HP motor, on the other hand, can repeatedly cut the same stock at the same feed rate at approximately twice that width without bogging down.

I see some machines advertised for 220V, some for 230V, and some for 240V. Aren't these all the same? And if so, why don't you just pick one and use it consistently on all machines throughout your catalog and website? The answer to the first part of your question is both yes and no. Yes, generally speaking, all machines advertised with any of these voltages will operate on the same nominal power supply, and as a consumer, you usually don't need to be concerned. No, because the official nominal voltage recognized in different countries actually does vary slightly. For example, in the USA, the nominal voltage is officially 240V; however, in Taiwan, it might be 220V, and in China, it might be 230V. These differences primarily concern the power companies in these countries, which are typically required to guarantee that the power supply service to consumers is within plus or minus 5% of the nominal voltage. Similarly, motor manufacturers typically must guarantee that their motors will operate within plus or minus 10% of the voltage indicated on the nameplate. Therefore, our policy is to show the actual voltage indicated on the motor's nameplate. This provides our customers with the most accurate information, preventing discrepancies between our catalog and the machine's labeling upon arrival.

What is the difference between the G0490X 8" x 76" Jointer and the G0490XW 8" x 76" Jointer with Spiral Cutterhead? The G0490X has a 3 HP motor and is wired for a single-phase, 220V, 15A power supply circuit. The G0490XW has a 3 HP motor and is wired for a single-phase, 220V, 12A power supply circuit. The G0490X cutterhead speed is 4800 RPM, while the G0490XW cutterhead speed is 5350 RPM. Aside from these differences and appearance, the two models are identical.

What are the benefits of a spiral cutterhead? Spiral cutterheads offer several advantages over straight-knife cutterheads, including longer edge life, easier cutter changes, superior finish on workpieces, and reduced machine noise. The biggest benefit of using a spiral cutterhead with carbide inserts is that carbide steel holds an edge approximately ten times longer than the traditional HSS (high-speed steel) found in most straight-knife cutterheads. Every spiral cutterhead has many individual carbide inserts, each with four separate cutting edges. The inserts are indexable, meaning each insert can be rotated three times to reveal a new cutting edge (a reference mark on the inserts indicates the number of times the insert has been rotated). Sharpening and setting knives in traditional cutterheads is a time-consuming and potentially expensive process, whereas cutter changes are quick and easy with spiral cutterheads. Another advantage of spiral cutterheads is that a cutting edge is always in contact with your workpiece. This significantly helps to reduce ripples and chipping, especially when using an aggressive feed rate. The finish produced by a spiral cutterhead is also superior to that of a straight-knife cutterhead, reducing the time needed for sanding. Lastly, spiral cutterheads are quieter than straight-knife cutterheads, which reduces machine noise in your shop.