How to Use a Benchtop Jointer

On this page (10 sections)

1. What should you set up before your first cut?
2. How deep should each pass be?
3. Which comes first, the edge or the face?
4. How do you joint an edge square to the face?
5. How do you flatten a face after the edge?
6. How do you keep the fence and tables accurate?
7. How do you handle wide boards and grain changes?
8. How do you finish a board for planing?
9. How do you stay safe while jointing?
10. Which benchtop jointer fits your work?

To use a benchtop jointer, set a light depth of cut, joint one edge flat against the fence, then flatten a face and square it to that edge. Take several shallow passes instead of one deep cut, and keep the grain direction in mind.

Learning how to use a benchtop jointer well comes down to order and patience. Joint the edge first so you have a square reference to press against when you flatten the face.

Do the two in that order and your boards come out straight and true.

What should you set up before your first cut?

Set the jointer on a stable bench and check the tables, fence and guard. A small jointer moves on a light bench, so bolt it down or clamp it before you start.

Check that the infeed and outfeed tables are level with each other and with the cutterhead. The WEN JT630H's 30-by-6-inch table gives you enough support for short stock; keep long boards steady with a roller stand or a helper.

Set the fence square to the table with a combination square and lock it down. A fence off by a degree or two sends every edge cut out of square.

Set the depth-of-cut scale to about 1/32 inch for your first pass. Confirm the cutterhead spins freely with the power off, then check the guard springs back over the blades.

How deep should each pass be?

Start at 1/32 inch and work up to 1/8 inch only when the stock allows it. These jointers remove 0 to 1/8 inch of material with each pass, so you have a range to choose from.

A light cut gives a cleaner finish and less strain on the motor. Take 1/32 inch for most boards and 1/16 inch for rough stock you'll plane afterward.

Save 1/8 inch for taking off heavy cupping.

Let the board's width guide you too. A 6-inch jointer cuts up to 6 inches wide; an 8-inch model covers wider stock.

Push a board wider than the cutterhead in two overlapping runs.

Keep passes consistent. Measuring the edge after each run tells you when the warp or high spot is gone.

Which comes first, the edge or the face?

Joint the edge first, with the face flat against the fence. The straight, square edge you make is the reference you'll press against when you flatten the face.

Here's the sequence that works for most boards:

1. Set a light depth of cut and check the fence square.
2. Run one edge through, face against the fence, with steady pressure.
3. Check the edge with a square and repeat until it's straight and square.
4. Set the board edge-down and flatten the face, pressing the new edge against the fence.
5. Check the face for flatness and repeat until it's flat.

By the end you have one flat face and one square edge. That's the L-shaped reference a planer needs for thicknessing.

How do you joint an edge square to the face?

Press the face flat against the fence and feed the board so the grain runs with the cut. A square fence and light depth do the rest.

Keep even pressure against the fence and down on the infeed table. Don't push down hard over the cutterhead; support the board's leading end and follow through onto the outfeed table.

Listen to the cut. A clean, steady sound means the grain runs the right way.

A choppy or tearing sound means you're feeding against the grain, so turn the board around.

The WEN's adjustable 19-3/4 by 4-1/4-inch fence bevels up to 45 degrees. That's useful when you want a chamfered edge, but leave it at 90 degrees for normal jointing.

How do you flatten a face after the edge?

Set the jointed edge against the fence and run the face over the cutterhead in shallow passes. The fence keeps the board upright so the face comes out square to the edge.

Hold the board so the high side goes down first. Take 1/32 inch at a time and check the face with a straightedge after each run.

Stop when the straightedge sits flat across the whole face.

Mark the flattened face with a pencil so you know which side is the reference. That mark matters when you move to a planer for thicknessing.

A long, twisted board takes more passes than a short one. Don't force the board down onto the table; let the cutterhead take off the high spots and work your way down.

How do you keep the fence and tables accurate?

Square the fence with a square before each session and clean the tables after every run. Small errors compound fast across a stack of boards.

Wipe pitch and dust off the tables with a rag. A slick table helps the board glide; the WEN JT630H's cast-iron table takes a light coat of paste wax well.

The CUTECH 40160HB uses teflon-coated aluminum tables that resist scratches and keep the surface slick.

Check the fence against the table and against a square. If the fence slipped, loosen the lock and set it again.

Recheck the depth-of-cut scale after you change the setting.

Check the blades now and then. The WEN JT630H uses 12 staggered HSS blades in its spiral cutterhead; the CUTECH 40160HB uses 12 two-sided tungsten carbide inserts.

Dull edges burnish the wood instead of cutting it.

How do you handle wide boards and grain changes?

Keep the board's width within the jointer's cutting width and watch the grain as you feed. A 6-inch jointer covers boards up to 6 inches wide; an 8-inch covers up to 8 inches.

For a board wider than the cutterhead, run it through in two overlapping passes. Joint one strip against the fence, then turn the board and joint the other strip with the first one riding on the outfeed side.

Grain direction matters more than width. On a board with reversing grain, feed from the end that cuts cleanly.

If one end tears out, flip the board and try the other end.

Watch for knots and wild grain. A knot can catch the blade and stop the board, so slow down when you reach one.

How do you finish a board for planing?

Mark the jointed face and edge, then move the board to a planer to make the opposite sides parallel. A jointer gives you two square surfaces; the planer brings the rest to size.

Write a small pencil mark on the flat face and a mark on the square edge. That's your reference for feeding the board into the planer flat-side down.

A benchtop planer brings the opposite face parallel to the jointed one. Then you run the remaining edge through the jointer or the planer to bring it square to the other edge.

If you're weighing a jointer against a planer, our answer to do I need a jointer if I have a planer covers the split.

A planer sled for flattening boards is the workaround when you don't own a jointer. With a jointer, you don't need the sled for the face.

How do you stay safe while jointing?

Keep your hands behind the cutterhead guard and use push blocks for short boards. A jointer's guard only exposes the cutterhead as the board passes over it, so respect that gap.

Feed with steady pressure and keep your hands away from the blade path. Two push blocks come with the WEN models and the CUTECH; use them on thin or short boards.

If a board kicks back or stalls, turn off the machine before you reach for it.

Never joint a board shorter than about 12 inches without extra care. A short board gives your hands little room before the cutterhead.

Read how to use a jointer safely for the full set of habits, including blade checks and dust collection.

Which benchtop jointer fits your work?

Pick a 6-inch jointer for edge work on short boards and an 8-inch for wider stock. The 6-inch models take less bench space; the 8-inch covers more boards in one pass.

The WEN JT630H's 12-blade spiral cutterhead gives a fine finish and its 30-by-6-inch table suits small projects. Step up to the WEN JT833H when your boards run wider or longer than 6 inches, since its 33-by-8-inch table with support arms extends to 51 inches.

The CUTECH 40160HB trades the WEN's HSS blades for 12 two-sided carbide inserts and adds teflon-coated tables.

For thicknessing after jointing, compare benchtop planers before you buy. Once your edges and faces come off the jointer flat and square, the planer and jointer pair up to give you boards you can glue and build with.

That's how to use a benchtop jointer well: light passes, edge first, then face, and square checks at every step.

Frequently asked questions

What depth of cut should I take on a benchtop jointer?

Start at 1/32 inch or less for most boards. These jointers remove 0 to 1/8 inch per pass, but shallow passes give a cleaner finish and put less strain on a small motor.

Save the full 1/8 inch for rough stock you'll plane afterward.

Should I joint the edge or the face first?

Joint the edge first, running the face flat against the fence. That gives you a straight, square edge to press against when you flatten the face.

Then you have two square, flat surfaces to work from for planing to final thickness.

Can a benchtop jointer flatten a warped board?

It flattens a face or an edge, not the whole board in one go. A cupped or twisted board needs the face jointed in several shallow passes until the warp is gone.

A benchtop planer then makes the opposite face parallel to the jointed one.

Do I need a planer after jointing on a benchtop jointer?

Yes, if you want a board with a set thickness. A jointer makes one edge and one face flat and square, but it doesn't make the opposite sides parallel.

A benchtop planer brings the second face and edge to size against the jointed surfaces.

How do I keep the fence square on a benchtop jointer?

Check the fence against a square before each session. Loosen the fence lock, set it against a machinist or combination square, and tighten it.

A fence off by a degree or two sends every edge cut out of square.

How do I feed a board safely across a benchtop jointer?

Keep your hands behind the cutterhead guard and use push blocks for short or thin boards. Take light passes and keep steady, even pressure against the fence.

Read our jointer safety guide before your first cut.