Differnece Between Wood Jointer And Wood Planer

A wood jointer and a planer are two different woodworking tools, each serving distinct purposes.

What are wood jointer and wood planer?

A wood jointer, also known as a jointer or surface planer, is a machine used to create a flat and even surface on the face and edges of a piece of wood. The main function of a jointer is to remove any twists, bows, or warping in the wood and produce a straight and smooth surface. It achieves this by using rotating knives or cutters mounted on an infeed table and an outfeed table. As the wood is passed over the jointer's tables, the knives shave off small amounts of material, resulting in a flat and consistent surface.

A wood planer, also known as a thickness planer, is a machine used to reduce the thickness of a piece of wood while maintaining a consistent and parallel surface. It is primarily used to achieve a uniform thickness across boards or to remove imperfections and roughness from stock. The planer consists of a flat surface called the bed and a rotating cutterhead that houses multiple blades or knives. The wood is fed into the planer, and the rotating blades remove material from the top surface, effectively reducing the thickness. The wood exits the planer with a smooth and even thickness throughout its length.

What are the differences between them?

We analyze their differences below in six aspects, including function, cutting action, surface orientation, application, free direction, and surface finish.

• Function: The primary function of a jointer is to create flat surfaces on the face and edges of a piece of wood, ensuring they are straight and free from twists, bows, or warping. A planer, on the other hand, is used to reduce the thickness of the wood while maintaining a consistent and parallel surface.
• Cutting Action: A jointer uses rotating knives or cutters mounted on an infeed table and an outfeed table. As the wood is passed over the jointer, the knives shave off small amounts of material, resulting in a flat and consistent surface. A planer has a rotating cutterhead with blades that remove material from the top surface of the wood, effectively reducing the thickness.
• Surface Orientation: A jointer focuses on preparing the face and edges of the wood, ensuring they are flat and perpendicular to each other. It is commonly used to create reference surfaces for subsequent woodworking operations. A planer, on the other hand, works on the top surface of the wood and is primarily used to achieve a uniform thickness across boards or to remove imperfections and roughness.
• Application: A jointer is often used at the early stages of a woodworking project, where it is used to flatten and square the wood, ensuring it is ready for further processing. A planer is typically used later in the process, after the wood has been jointed, to achieve the desired thickness and surface finish.
• Feed Direction: When using a jointer, the wood is typically fed face-down on the infeed table and guided across the rotating knives. In a planer, the wood is fed with the top surface facing down onto the planer bed, and it moves through the machine to have material removed from the top surface.
• Surface Finish: Jointers are known for producing smooth and flat surfaces, while planers can leave behind visible cutter marks on the wood surface. Additional sanding or other surface preparation techniques may be required after planing to achieve a finer finish.