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Laguna Tools JX8#

The JX 8 is a Jointer with a cutting width of 8 inches. This piece of equipment is meant to create a square face on a board, to allow for jointery.

By adjusting the table height on the infeed, you feed the material over a cutting head and along a fence to create a square face.

Prerequisites for Use#

Safety Notices#

Note

PLEASE READ ALL SAFETY NOTICES BEFORE CONTINUING

Safety glasses mandatory.

Do not make any cuts smaller than 10".

Do not cut thin, splintering material. THIS INCLUDES PLYWOOD

Do not cut PVC or other frangible plastic.

Sharp blade moving quickly, stay clear!

Keep hands at least 4" from blade at all times

Wear short sleeves or roll up long sleeves

Secure loose clothing

Tie up and tuck in long hair

Remove lanyards, jewelry, gloves, etc.

Controls#

The Jointer is equipped with an on/off switch, along with 2 emergency stops. The bottom emergency stop can be actuated with your legs.

Thickness Adjustment#

On the underside of the infeed table, there is a scale to adjust the thickness of the cut. This adjusts the difference in height between the infeed and outfeed table. It is recommended to take a 1/32" pass for a finishing cut. Larger cuts will require more control and force to push through.

  1. Make sure the machine is off.
  2. Loosen the knob
    • Our knob has been replaced with a different knob from the image, but works the same
  3. Push down on the knob to move the red arrow to the desired thickness
  4. Tighten the knob

Fence Adjustment#

The fence position and angle can be adjusted with a knob on the backside. The machine must be OFF while adjusting the fence. Adjusting the fence allows the user to move away from worn inserts, allowing for cleaner cuts. The fence can also be tilted to allow for beveling of edges, adding chamfers or miters along long edges.

  1. Make sure the machine is off
  2. Move the toggle from lock to unlock
  3. Spin the knob for moving across the table or tilt the fence to desired angle
  4. Move handle to lock position

Techniques#

Edge Jointing#

Edge Jointing is when a narrow face is being made square. The material should be held against the fence primarily, and held against the table secondarily. This is because the fence will be supporting the broadest face, ensuring a perpendicular cut is made.

  1. Set cut thickness
  2. Hook thumbs over top edge of material, with fingers pushing the material in to the fence
  3. Slowly and firmly drive the material over the cutterhead to the outfeed table.

Face Jointing#

Face Jointing is when a broad face is being made square. The material should be held against the table primarilty, and held against the fence secondarily. This is because the table will be supporting the broadest face, ensuring a perpendicular cut is made.

  1. Set cut thickness
    • Since there will be more engagement on the material, it is advised to take light passes of 1/32 or less.
  2. While standing in front of the jointer, push the material in to the table using push blocks, while pushing towards the outfeed table.
  3. When your hands get close to the cutter head, reposition your hands further away. Anything closer than 3" is dangerous.

Beveling#

Beveling is useful for creating mitered or chamfered faces.

The fence can be adjusted up to 45 degrees angled toward the infeed/outfeed tables (bed) or away from the infeed/outfeed tables (bed) for beveling. There is less chance of stock slippage when the fence is angled down, toward the tables (Fig. 44). Angling the fence toward the tables is also a safer method to bevel, when the application allows.

  1. Set cut thickness
  2. Hold largest face against the fence, seating down into the angle between the bed and fence
  3. Carefully walk the material through

Cupped / Bowed Boards#

Sometimes, due to drying conditions, a board may become warped / bowed. In this event, it is advised to cut the board with the cupped side on the table, the humped side being up. Tihs will require multiple passes over the cutter head, depending on the severity of the bowing.

If a wide board has a lot of cup in it, you could spend a bit of time — and waste a lot of wood — trying to flatten the face. To save both time and material, it’s a better idea to rip the board into narrower pieces so you can almost eliminate the curve. And you’ll end up with thicker stock, too.

In-Person Competency Check#

  1. Grab a piece of scrap hard or soft wood
  2. Adjust the cut thickness
  3. Move the fence
  4. Perform an edge jointing operation