Author Topic: The Complete "Jointmaker Pro" Review..... A Paradigm Shift in Woodworking (Read 172265 times)

Roger Savatteri · « **on:** June 09, 2008, 04:53 PM »

"The Jointmaker Pro"
A Paradigm Shift in Woodworking

An In-Depth Review by Roger Savatteri

Dear FOG members & guests,

In the beginning of June I visited Portland, Oregon with the purpose of immersing myself with Bridge City Tool Works new hybrid saw, the Jointmaker Pro. My intention was to report back to the FOG Forum with an independent, outsiders review of this much talked about device, the discussion of which began several weeks ago after the release of a compelling YouTube video. For those just catching this topic for the first time, I am a professional furniture maker, designer and sculptor. Threads in the FOG forum (Festool Owner's Group) prompted my visit, you can learn how this transpired here; http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=3556.0

I met with John Economaki (Jointmaker Pro inventor, former furniture designer/maker/teacher, and current president of Bridge City) and Michael Berg (lead designer and production coordinator) of BCT. Both together and on my own, I / we spent two intense days with this new tool, from assembly through the many facets and nuances of using the Jointmaker Pro. I took notes, photos & video clips, all of which I am sharing within the In-Depth review below. I left Portland feeling inspired and having gone thru a paradigm shift in my thinking.

Thanks, and all the best,

Roger Savatteri

Also for easy reference, the high rez YouTube video from Bridge City Tools is at......
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3ruwZdaPjbs&fmt=18#

Bridge City Tools new dovetail video.....
http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/

Bridge City Tools new decorative cuts video....

New Squiggle Wood Video...

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #1 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:12 PM »

An Overview of the Jointmaker Pro

An Overview of the Jointmaker Pro

A hybrid device is defined as the "combination" of two or more different things, aimed at achieving a particular objective or goal.
The Jointmaker Pro is a true hybrid, a hand tool with the accuracy and repeatability of a machine.

The Jointmaker Pro, in the short time I used it, caused a paradigm shift in the way I think about woodworking because it competes with the accuracy of production machines without the associated risks. It is not a production machine in terms of time as a factory would assess, but can come close for many tasks in our shops and is surprisingly enjoyable.

My first introduction to this new hybrid saw was viewing a menagerie of parts laid out on a large table in the warehouse/workshop at Bridge City Tool Works. I assembled the Jointmaker Pro with Michael Berg as my instructor. I scanned and held the parts with the same scrutiny I usually do when perusing exotic hardwoods. Each aluminum part was machined and anodized without a blemish at any point. (I'll discuss the engineering later.)

One pervasive thought as I write about my experience with the Jointmaker Pro is that this idea is so new it was important for me to embrace an incubation period to realize the full capabilities of the tool. Familiarization with with all its nuances and quirks takes patience.
(I cannot stress this more and I will continue to refer to this point throughout my review.) Both John and Michael readily agree that they don't fully comprehend the many ways this tool can be used.

Keep in mind that I was the first person not associated with Bridge City Tools to assemble the Jointmaker Pro, and this was a prototype model. (As of this writing Bridge City has not yet started production.) Due to the intricacies and precision of the Jointmaker Pro, there were some debugging issues through the assembly process. John and Michael informed me of the those areas that will be changed and noted a couple more improvements to be made in the production model after watching me work.

Cuts... When I first started, I found myself moving the wood over the blade, either a single pass for small cross-sectional cuts (about 3/4" square in most species) to many passes for larger stock. In the beginning I did not realize that I had already cut through my stock, the cut is that fine. The kerf (the gap the saw makes) is only .021". The accuracy and cleanliness of the cuts, as my attached photographs will show, were flawless and crisp. The large format photos will let you be the judge, up close & personal as to the results. Remember, these are cuts made by hand that need no further work.

Sound... this is part of the paradigm shift in woodworking I am referring to. Sound, or more succinctly the virtual lack of it pervades this tool. While one can make repetitive cuts in rapid succession, the decibel count is close to the sound of a block of sixty grit sandpaper going back & forth on a piece of wood stock. During the whole time I was with both John and Michael we were going about our business with the Jointmaker Pro simultaneously carrying on an animated conversation. Whether you are in a workshop, office, condo or back-porch, you can go about your craft while listening to a sonata by Brahms or watching over a sleeping infant. Once your stock is positioned and clamped, all you have to do is push, pull and crank and the motion is mindless once you get the hang of it.

Dust... The first thing I did after assembling the Jointmaker Pro was place a black cloth under the frame to test for debris fallout. Since the blade points upward, and the debris falls directly down, this greatly reduces airborne dust. After two days of work, most of the dust remained towards the center of the cloth. There is clearly no need for dust collection in my opinion.

I only had a crosscut blade to test and it clogs in rip cuts as you might expect. The teeth also clog crosscutting in wood with stringy grain, so after every few cuts you must either swipe the blade with a toothbrush or slide two fingers from back to front along the teeth to remove the debris, it is completely safe and quick. Harder woods like oak and walnut do not clog, if they are dry. It is important to know this can occur because it can effect accuracy and blade life.

Together with the moving tables and proper adherence to the work holding techniques the Jointmaker Pro can become a palette to create a wide array of cuts. But this is not a tool to be knocked about in the back of a pickup on the way to a job site; this device is a precision instrument and needs to be treated with the same respect. To quote John, "Why would anybody consider throwing this tool in the back of a truck" That's not to say you can't move the The Jointmaker Pro from one location to another, John hauls an assembled one around himself for demonstrations.

I have a full workshop studio fifteen minutes from our home. I clearly see myself carefully bringing it to the house on occasion to work on models or complete "fine" work in the evenings or the weekends, especially at crunch time when otherwise I'd be doing all-nighters away from home. The Jointmaker Pro does have its limitations and I will point these out latter on in this review.

One word of advice for any of you contemplating on letting go of your Festool MFT/1080, DON'T. (The MFT/3 would be too high) I would consider that worktable to be gold as a support system for the The Jointmaker Pro. One thing that came out of those two days at Bridge City Tools was the necessity of keeping the top of the sliding tables at hip level and anchored. There is a certain Zen to positioning oneself in relation to the surface of the sliding tables, while pushing, pulling and cranking the handle in one smooth harmonious motion.

When using the Jointmaker Pro there is a mantra of habit that's needed to be adhered to:

>     Lowering the blade after the completion of a cut.
>     Adjusting the pitch for each type of cut.
>     Not raising the blade too much for the first stroke.
>      Ensuring that the hold down arrangement is good and firm.
>     Cleaning the debris off the blade every few cuts to avoid clogged teeth.
> Being mindful of positioning your arms over the rails when you cut.
>     Being mindful of your stance & the height of the sliding table in comparison your height.
>     Being mindful of blade selection for the task at hand.
>     The Jointmaker Pro needs to be firmly anchored.

As an example, once I figured out the rhythm of the machine, I pulled the tables back, cranked the blade and because I did not pull the tables back completely, I actually raised the blade into my stock, stabbing the teeth into the board. The saw blade survived but I was lucky, and I did not repeat this mistake again. There are a couple of little things like this that need to be understood before you become really adept at using this tool.

There is a "getting acquainted period" with every tool and new owners of this saw will need to understand this time is very important to master the tool. You will make mistakes at first and I made several, even after I was warned, I just found it easy to get ahead of myself.

There is a rhythm to working with wood no matter what endeavor we undertake, what level of skill we find ourselves, or what length of time we dedicate to our work. It is through the use of tools that we execute our craft and understanding our tools is part of being a craftsperson. The Jointmaker Pro is new and it will take you time to understand how to make it work perfectly.

Checking the blade height.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #2 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:12 PM »

The Assembly Process & Calibration of the Jointmaker Pro

The Jointmaker Pro Assembly Process

The first relationship one would have with the Jointmaker Pro is with the collection of its parts. This section is meant to be more of a primer on the "sense" on how the Jointmaker Pro is put together, not a blow-by-blow diary. The actual instruction manual was not available during my visit but I was assured it would be thorough and illustrated by the assembly videos Bridge City plans to post on their website. My assembly experience was verbally guided by Michael during my visit.

The Parts

When the box arrives at your doorstep (about 28" x 12" x 4" inside dimensions) it will weigh approximately 32 pounds. Upon opening the box you will need to methodically sort out approximately 50 parts and 100 or so fasteners. The majority of the metal parts are anodized aluminum and are either CNC milled or turned. The blade pivots on acetal bearings and the linear motion bearings are Nylatron. Most of the fasteners are socket head cap screws with a nylon thread-lock patch. Please keep in mind this was a prototype and the final version is subject to minor changes. I was informed it was about 98% "there."

The Jointmaker Pro comes supplied with a starter set of various sacrificial poplar fences pre-slotted for attachment to the aluminum fence(s), as well as two work hold-downs I will discuss later. For anyone enlarging the included photos you will notice several different sizes of screws, though the production model will use only two sizes.

Sorting Out

For ease of assembly these parts should be divided into the following groups; the base frame parts, the guide rails, blade mechanism, the 2 tabletops,
2 fence assemblies and an assortment of sacrificial fences and stops. There are a few elements within this assembly that will need to be super glued or "locktighted" prior to assembly.

The Necessary Assembly tools (not supplied)

The tools needed for assembly are a standard set of imperial hex key wrenches (Allen wrenches), a slotted screwdriver, a 1/2" open end box wrench and a small, accurate square.

The Base Frame

The saw frame consists of front & rear panels approx. 17" wide x 9-1/2" tall and feature precision milled curved cut outs for the blade tilt mechanism. There are four dovetailed top guide rails (two for each table) that support and guide the independent sliding tables. All of the rails "seat" in slots milled into the front and rear panels and are secured with screws. After the dovetailed top rails are assembled, their precise spacing is controlled by 4 tubular cross struts. In the quest for tighter tolerances for the sliding dovetails, the production model will feature 3 tubular struts on each side, for a total of 6.

Comments.... the assembly of the base frame went very smoothly. I assembled the front and rear panels with the bottom rails first in the upright position with the hex driver tightened only to finger tightness. Having done that I then slipped in the top rails and then screwed in one socket head cap screw for each rail and then completed the process for all 24 screws. (You do not want to use a power drill for this process.) I took out my square, did a few checks, it was perfectly square!

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #3 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:13 PM »

The Assembly Process & Calibration of the Jointmaker Pro (continued)

The Blade Mechanism

The entire blade mechanism is seated on a "keel" which travels between the front and rear panels of the base frame and allows the blade to be tilted 45 degrees to either side. Fastened to the keel are two, tuning fork-like height guides. Seated between these two height guides is the (orange) saw spine, onto which the bottom edge of the blade sits. It is precisely positioned by two blade clamps that run the full length of the spine. One clamp is anodized grey; the other is anodized black, think of the greyed-out buttons in computer programs that cannot be activated. The black blade clamp is the one you loosen for blade changes. The grey blade clamp is never touched after the initial install. This arrangement is vital as the Jointmaker Pro is designed to take blades of various thicknesses.

The blade carriage assembly sits between the two height guides which are fastened to the keel. This whole assembly needs to frequently and smoothly travel up and down while making deep cuts. Beneath the keel I attached the blade height adjustment assembly, which raises and lowers the blade by means of a hand crank seated outside of the front panel. This crank handle is attached to a two-part shaft/gear mechanism that converts the rotary motion of the crank into the vertical motion needed to raise and lower the blade. The blade pitch adjuster is operated by placing your hand under the carriage in the rear and is adjusted by twisting the shaft, much like adjusting the slats of Venetian blinds. In the production model there will be a knob, the knurled version on the prototype is awkward and too small.

Comments: The gear train (like all gear trains I suppose) needs to be carefully positioned to align the gears properly and to eliminate slop. This is the heart of the Jointmaker Pro and needs to work smoothly. It is not hard, but it is also not intuitive for those with limited mechanical knowledge. I had to fiddle with this a bit to get everything right.

The keel is locked to the frame via two knurled locking knobs. The plates are buffered from metal to metal contact by acetal washers. The keel sits atop two acetal "travelers" which ride in the curved cutouts in the front and back plates. The rear pitch screw block rides up and down with blade height adjustments and the pitch is independent of this motion. All of these are fastened together with socket head cap screws. Attaching the blade height crank is the last stage of the blade assembly.

Because the pitch is adjustable, there has to be proper blade "timing" so the blade can accurately be lowered below table height for its entire length. This is not hard to do, it is a simple measurement but it is critical.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #4 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:13 PM »

The Assembly Process & Calibration of the Jointmaker Pro (continued)

The Sliding Tables & the Aluminum Fences & Stops

There are two 8-1/2" by 10" sliding tables and they are 1/4" thick orange anodized aluminum (so you can easily see scribed pencil lines). Fastened to the bottom of each table are two Nylatron dovetailed guides which ride the "rails." (Refer to the photos below; in these two photos you're looking at the left and right table as the frame is sitting on its rear panel) Looking at the bottom & top section of both you will see 4 rubber stops. These bumpers constrain travel and soften the occasional "crash" into either the front or rear plates. I had several at first and I was glad they were there! Each table has an independent fence secured by locking knobs or levers. They lock via square head bolts, the bolt heads ride in grooves milled into the bottom of each table. Each fence is capable of rotating 45 degrees and pivots along the axis closest to the blade. (Refer to the left photo above.)

In the photos referenced below you only see one of the two slots per table.
Note: in the prototype I worked on, the tables were 10" by 10".

Sacrificial wooden fences can be attached to the aluminum fences by means of steel dovetail nuts. (In production there will be only one dovetail nut, 3" long, on each side. Not the double 1"ers they have now.) There is a wooden fence that attaches to both aluminum fences, which enables the two sliding tables to act in unison. There are also individual wooden fences that get attached independently to each of the aluminum fences. To broaden the possibilities of the holding capacity of the Jointmaker Pro there is a duplicate selection of all three fences mentioned above but with a slanted forward face. Included with the Jointmaker Pro will be a starter selection of stops that work in conjunction with the fences for holding down the work. The applications and the "how to" for the use of these fences & stops will be discussed in detail in the upcoming section; Fixturing and Work Holding Requirements.

The last parts I attached prior to calibration of the saw blade were the finger stops. Each finger stop is a hinged affair held together with very small spring pins, this may be hard for those with dexterity or eyesight issues. Once these assemblies were complete, they were fastened to the front plate with screws and a square nut which rides in a slot in the back of the plate. These stops are user-adjusted for the purpose of repeatability and tighten with a hex key wrench. Please scroll up to the upper right hand photo in this section for a better look..

The Calibration Process

The tables have to be calibrated to work without slop. One of the Nylatron glides on each table is fixed so that part is easy. The adjustable glide is attached but the screws are not tightened. The table is aligned by reaching under the guide rail with the fingers on one hand and pulling the guide towards the palm of my hand, which is resting against the edge of the table. This does two things; it pushes the fixed guide into place and pulls the adjustable guide into place. If you grip too tight, the table will not budge. Don't grip enough and the table has slop. It confused me at first but once I figured out what I was supposed to be doing, it was easy. The screws are on top of the tables and are easily tightened. When done correctly, the table moves back and forth without an iota of side play, is smooth and almost completely quiet. A few drops of Teflon lube really made it slick. John mentioned that Nylatron is hygroscopic and he is looking at alternatives to avoid humidity issues so the production version may be different, remember this was a prototype.

After the Jointmaker Pro is assembled I inserted a saw blade. The gray blade guide is set flush with the side of the upright and tightened. I then "pinched" the black guide on one end and tightened the cap screw and repeated the process at the other end. This process insures the blade has support along its entire length and does not "rattle" during cuts. At this point the blade may or may not be parallel to the fixed dovetailed ways.

To align the blade precisely parallel to the table travel, the keel is adjusted - the screw holes are slotted for this purpose. I raised the blade and positioned a small piece of wood so that it was just touching the front of the blade, clamped it to the fence and pushed the table to the back and observed the alignment of this piece of wood at the back of the blade. You make a small tap (it is never out much, but it needs to be perfect for clean cuts) on one end or the other of the keel until the small stock kisses both the front and back of the blade equally. At this point all four keel screws are tightened. One more check and the tool is ready to cut wood. (The alignment process only needs to be done once and only on one table; the guide rails are parallel regardless of which side you pick to align the blade.)

Comments; although this process was not overly difficult, I think you should plan on four hours for assembly and calibration. I asked about providing an "assembly service" and apparently the girth of the machine (packaged) combined with the weight makes for an expensive delivery. The idea was not ruled out but it will obviously add to the cost and may be appreciated by some.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #5 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:14 PM »

Saw Blade Changes, Operation and Longevity

Saw Blade Changes, Operation and Longevity

The custom blades are manufactured for Bridge City Tools in Japan according to their specifications (they are the only part of the Jointmaker Pro
not manufactured in the United States).

Blades are made from high quality tempered steel. Crosscut blades will be available in 32TPI x .3mm (.012") thick and 28 TPI x .4mm (.0156").
The fine tooth blade is recommended for small cross-sections (up to 2" in width) and all soft woods used for modeling purposes (balsa, pine, bass,
chestnut, etc). The 28 TPI blade is for general purpose crosscutting and will be included with the saw, it also works for small rip cuts in certain joints (dovetails come to mind).

As of this writing there will be one rip blade included with the saw; 16TPI x .4mm. As mentioned earlier, the blades are designed to be replaced when dull. (John mentioned that the teeth can be ground off and they make superb scrapers.) Blades will be sold in 5 packs and each blade will cost less
than $20 as of this writing.

The design of the blades (tooth count and length) is what makes this tool remarkable. For example, using the fine blade on a piece of hardwood that is 1/2" thick by two inches in width would likely take four passes (imagine doing that by hand with perfect results). In this scenario, with the wide side down and the saw set for optimal pitch, each tooth (448 total) would have a chip load of approximately 3 ten-thousandths of an inch, that is 1/10th the thickness of piece of paper. This is the heart of the Jointmaker Pro, controlling the chip load by pitch changes to obtain optimal results. Combined with the constrained travel of the linear tables the resulting cuts are glass smooth and dead straight.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #6 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:14 PM »

Saw Blade Changes, Operation and Longevity (continued)

The blade is secured in the blade spine - the notches straddle locking screws. To adapt the blade carriage to a different blade thickness, you adjust the black guide by means of two cap screws, the grey blade guide is never adjusted. A blade change takes less than two minutes. Add a minute or two if the black guide needs to be adjusted. (left & right photos below)

As mentioned in the assembly section, the keel sits atop two acetal "travelers" which ride within the curved cutouts in the front and back plates. Once the angle of the cut is determined, the angle is locked by two knurled locking knobs, this locks the keel to the frame. The plates are buffered from metal to metal contact by acetal washers. The rear pitch screw block rides up and down with blade height adjustments and pitch adjustments are independent of the locked keel - an important detail. If a blade angle is of particular importance (45 degrees for example), a finger stop can be set to repeat it at a later date. (second photo down - right side) Stops can be mounted on either the front and rear plates. Settings for angled blade cuts are similar to a table saw, get close with layout tools, make a practice cut, check the cut, adjust if necessary until perfect (accuracy hygiene always requires checking the cut, not the set-up - never assume).

The blade height adjustment raises and lowers the blade by means of a hand crank outside of the front panel. (right photo below) One full clockwise rotation raises the blade by 0.055" - a counterclockwise rotation lowers it. The density of the material, wood width and the blade pitch determines the rotation count per stroke. Crosscutting rosewood might require 1/2 crank per push, maple one crank and pine two cranks per table travel - you get the feel of this rather quickly. The blade pitch adjuster is operated by placing your hand under the the rear of the keel and is adjusted by twisting a knob (in the production model), much like adjusting the slats of Venetian blinds. (left photo below) Blade pitch determines total depth of cut, for example, it may be possible to cut both 1-5/8" square balsa wood, or 1/2 square rosewood in one pass. Generally speaking, the harder the wood, the lower the pitch. The lower the pitch, the more passes required for a through cut.

John & Michael believe that blade life is a user variable dependent on species of wood, frequency of use and the operator. This is all part of the discovery process of this tool. That being said, I believe you will accidentally trash a blade or two getting used to the cadence of the machine. John, who spent seven years as a professional furniture maker ruined three in the first month - two were from being reckless/careless and one was from pushing the limits of the tool cutting 1" diameter acrylic rod. One important note, not once did I break a tooth.

I also discussed with John that not having a hacksaw type blade limits the type of materials that can be cut with the Jointmaker Pro. The ability to cut acrylics, laminate backed ply and epoxy coated trim are but a few market expanding capabilities that architects & interior designers would appreciate. Bridge City believes that further capabilities are certain but for the time being, the Jointmaker Pro is being made available as a woodworking tool. John did share that a carbide particle blade would likely be the next test as it may work on glass and ceramics.

Ways to trash a blade.

>    Not securing your work properly - it will shift in mid-cut and once you try to retract the tables, you will kink the blade. Properly secured work is essential and this scenario is completely avoidable, after you do it once like I did.

>   Getting in a hurry and forcing the cut can cause unforeseen issues - mainly the blade teeth get clogged, the blade bends and will not reenter the crooked thin kerf after it springs back straight for the beginning of the next pass - the now straight blade will miss the crooked kerf. You know immediately - it is a crash (this can also occur when the blade guides are not properly set). Again, this is completely avoidable...after the first time.

>   Cutting materials that are not wood. The tool will cut small cross-sections of acrylic but will dull the blade. Items like styrene board and foam board clog the teeth real fast. It will not cut steel, concrete, titanium, antlers, stone, bike tubing, hand cuffs, pad locks, whisky bottles or bricks in case you were wondering......

>   Cutting plastic laminate is not an option unless you have money to burn.

> When raising the blade your stock needs to be clear or you risk bending the teeth - I actually got in a rhythm that was a bit fast and failed to fully retract the tables before a blade raise and I immediately felt resistance and stopped, saving the blade. I did not make this mistake again.

>   If you go completely brain dead and rely on the genes we share with gorillas and crash your blade, the nylon gears are designed to fail (they are the least expensive part to replace in the gear train) which is a reassuring design aspect of the Jointmaker Pro. Sacrificing a gear or two (a ten dollar mistake) avoids bending the height shafts, or trashing the bushings pressed into the keel, or stripping the threads on the aluminum shafts. (On my Swiss made Inca Jointer/Planer the moving gears are made up of black nylon for the same reason.)

>   Not lowering your blade at the end of a work session is a mistake because horizontal surfaces attract unwanted risks. A raised blade not in use invites accidents - there is no blade guard because the blade does not move. This is common sense which is often absent when one gets in a hurry or is careless.

These are the lessons I learned in two days of using the Jointmaker Pro. Hopefully you will not make these same mistakes, saving you a few bucks.
There are likely other ways to trash a blade, fortunately the tool is designed in such a way so these lessons are not bank breakers.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #7 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:14 PM »

Fixturing, Work Holding Requirements &
The Cutting Experience with Appropriate Applications

In "Woodworking Magazine" (Spring 2008), Christopher Schwarz wrote an excellent article titled "How to Saw", about perfect hand saw use. In that article he quoted Robert Wearing's book "The Essential Woodworker" where he talks about using woodworking tricks in a methodical and coherent way.

Wearing divides all saw cuts into three classes. (I'm quoting Chris talking about Wearing):

"Third-class saw cuts, where speed is more important than either accuracy or the final appearance of the work. This is a rough cut designed for sizing stock before processing it further."

"Second-class saw cuts, where accuracy is more important than speed or the final appearance of the work. This is for joinery cuts where the joint will not be visible in the end."

"First-class saw cuts, where both accuracy and appearance are critical."

Chris further expands on each of these applications and I would encourage those interested, to seek out that issue. What struck me after my experience with the Jointmaker Pro is that by default, the only cuts possible are First-class cuts, and they are done with ease.

Remember, there is an incubation period for the Jointmaker Pro and accurate work requires accurate set ups. That said, there we go....

Please follow the text and the numbered photos/videos regarding the different types of cuts. This should give you a general idea of the capabilities of the Jointmaker Pro. (note.....the video segments are not presently up)

Cutting and work holding

As John remarked "When you make a cut and it's a new species of wood, or a new width or a new thickness or whatever, it's a good idea to find out where you're at." This is done with a light cut to gauge the resistance of the cut. In some woods you can't sense a thing...others you know intuitively that you need to make a pitch adjustment.

In powering/operating the Jointmaker Pro You're pushing with one hand and cranking with the other. Within this rhythm there are three basic ways to approach your cut; one is to make one turn with the crank per stroke cycle with the sliding table. With this technique it is likely you're not engaging all of the teeth and the cut occurs on the back half of the blade - and this works fine. By rotating the crank more than one rev (depending on the pitch/width/species variables) you will engage more teeth and lighten the chip load per tooth. In order to do that you need to determine, through cutting resistance, the optimal pitch for your board - this takes about 15 seconds once you know what you are doing. The third way of sawing is by pushing forward a few inches, back up an inch, push forward twice as far as the first time, back up an inch and work your way down the blade while climbing the blade - all without a full table retraction. This works too but relies on touch to determine when to stop each forward motion and is not as uniform as a full pass stroke.

When holding small stock by hand, the closer your fingers are to the blade (sounds crazy, but in practice it's not) the less vibration and more control over the negative feed of the blade. When cutting extremely small length pieces it is advisable to double-stick tape a false table of aircraft plywood (1/16" thick) to the sliding table (the two tables are most often bridged by the fence and act as a single table), make a through cut and your fall-off will stay on top of the table. This technique is also valuable for knowing exactly where the kerf of the saw is and this kerf can be used as a dead-accurate reference - like cutting marked dovetails on the proper side of the line, this is incredibly accurate and easy. And yes, you can cut your finger if you put it in the way of the blade. Keep in mind; this saw is no more dangerous than any sharp handsaw, in my opinion.

Although the tables can, and do work independently, I found the cuts to be easier when they were bridged with the fence. And in most of the cuts I wanted to test, the tables were bridged. Miter cuts require a rear bridge for the cuts to be perfect.

I found that that you monitor the cutting action by the sounds you hear. When you hear a "rumble" in the blade, the pitch is too aggressive, or there are too many teeth engaged with the stock - wide boards are cut differently than narrow stock. If the falloff portion of the stock is not clamped, you'll hear it. I found that perfect cuts were predictable when the stock was clamped on both sides of the blade. Remember, when sawing by hand your stock is either clamped or held in a vise, with the Jointmaker Pro your vise/clamp is the table and you need to know that accurate work can only be achieved if your stock is rigidly held. It's like any hand saw operation, let the saw do the work - if possible I recommend always clamping your stock with the exception of really small cross-sections. Determining how to pitch the blade and table technique is part of the "getting acquainted period" I continue to mention.

If not clamped tight enough, the work will slip and you could damage your blade. If you don't want a small burr on the falloff piece, it's wise to clamp both sides. Having 180 grit sandpaper on the face of the fence (with double faced tape) really helps the holding power and combats slippage; just make sure not to place it where you would trash your saw sharpness.

In summary, when the pitch is correct, the stock firmly clamped, this tool sings. And it is easy to tell, it simply sounds efficient.

Setting up the sacrificial fence.

1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

Adjusting the Fences and Tables (refer to the stepped photos above)

Adjusting the table to the slides below.....if the table gets sticky or is wobbly, the adjustments to the slides are made from the top of the tables by way of the three setscrews.

In setting up a sacrificial fence for the first time, it's necessary to cut the fence first. (The screw placements of the aluminum fence will change in the production model) The angled sacrificial fences are used (as you see in the photos as clamping "grips") for straight cuts.

Saw parallelism to the table travel is checked by cutting small stock (1/8" dowel works, or a coffee stirrer) and noting the position of the stock at the end of the blade. The screws that hold the keel to the acetyl travelers are in slotted openings for the necessary parallelism adjustment.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #8 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:15 PM »

Fixturing, Work Holding Requirements &
The Cutting Experience with Appropriate Applications (continued)

Stops & Clamps

Included in the package are two complete universal wood stops. They work with both straight or mitered cuts. It is preferable to use these clamps which trap your stock between the fence and the clamp jaws as opposed to top-down clamps where the force needed to fix the wood can deflect the table (they are slotted and cantilevered over the dovetail ways). A thicker table wasn't an option, for both cost and cutting height capacity. The metal clamps you see in the photos do not come with the Jointmaker Pro & might be available as an accessory later on - they were part of the prototype process and I wanted to try them.

Setting up a basic straight cut using a straight sacrificial fence and one stop.

1. 2. 3.

4.

Prefinished Stock (refer to the stepped photos above & below)
Trimming prefinished, delicate trim works well because there is zero tear-out. I cut a primed, five-inch, fluted curved
column detail coming up from the bottom without any tear-out.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #9 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:15 PM »

Fixturing, Work Holding Requirements &
The Cutting Experience with Appropriate Applications (continued)

Setting up a cut using a one stop and a clamped hold down.

1. 2. 3.

4.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #10 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:15 PM »

Fixturing, Work Holding Requirements &
The Cutting Experience with Appropriate Applications (continued)

Miter cuts (refer to the stepped photos below)
Remember a six-inch cross cut capacity; does not give you a six-inch miter capacity. Nobody is claiming the Jointmaker Pro is the tool for the guy that needs to make every minute of his day count - it is up to you to ascertain the value of this tool for your needs. Four inch long miters are easily doable.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #11 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:16 PM »

Fixturing, Work Holding Requirements &
The Cutting Experience with Appropriate Applications (continued)

Cutting Dovetails

Dovetails (refer to the stepped photos below)
It is recommended to use a clamp when cutting dovetails. For those with strong hands, hand-holding works, but for most, and for perfect results with no surprises, use the table clamps and fence with sandpaper.

To cut pins, you scribe pencil lines on the top of the tables - this is the reason for the light orange color of the sliding tables. Your pins are chopped out using traditional techniques; however, you can make a couple of extra cuts in the waste area to speed up the process.
...Just a flashing thought, it's 2 am in the morning as I'm writing this and there are two people sleeping upstairs, I could be down here cutting dovetails.

To cut the tails, the blade is then appropriately tilted (using test cuts). A false table of aircraft plywood is attached and cut. (not done below) Now it is easy to cut on the correct side of the line using the kerf in the table as a reference. There really is no way to screw this up.

Setting up the the cut to my mark. One pass, then return.

Before starting the cut, I set the forward height of the I also set the rear "Pitch Adjuster" to the height of the
blade flush with the top of the sliding tables. dovetail.

I make three push, return cuts (one on each set), with my fence set at one angle. Then I set the fence from the other side to the same angle and repeat the process to the second cut of each set. Using my hands as a clamp firmly holding the stock to the fence. Being mindful of keeping the blade free of debris.

For more information on making dovetail joints with the Jointmaker Pro, please refer to.........

Bridge City Tools new dovetail video.....
http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #12 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:16 PM »

Fixturing, Work Holding Requirements &
The Cutting Experience with Appropriate Applications (continued)

Chamfers

Cutting chamfers... using a stop on the opposing table. Breakout will occur if the stock is not held down properly.The first piece I chamfered was about
3 feet long (the size of a potential table leg) and likely the maximum length without additional support (dead-man bearings would work great).

Little caveats

> Set your hands over the two rails as you make your cut.

> In cutting a miter you first set one table at 45 degrees, and you then adjust the second table with a 90 degrees to the already set 45 degrees.

> Always use clamps to hold your work on each side of the miter.

Limitations

> The maximum height of the blade above the sliding tables is 1 5/8 inch, so the maximum crosscut would be a bit over 3 inches, cutting from both sides.

> I cut a walnut and maple 1 1/2 inch solid stock that was about 36 inches long, using a clamp.....coming close to the maximum length without further support.

> Crosscuts are limited to a maximum of 6 inches, less for miter cuts.

As I said earlier you are limited to wood stock only at the present time. The blade selection doesn't allow for any plastic based materials.

Prototype vs. Production Model mentions...

The clamp across the back end of the rails in some of the images is there because the prototype rails were out of spec by four thousands of an inch.

The production tables will be a bit narrower, the overhang is not needed.

The tubular struts between the rails will increase from 2 to 3 for each side.

The hex key adjustments on the fence to hold the dovetailed brace for the sacrificial fence will be relocated.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #13 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:18 PM »

Safety, Health, Ergonomics & the Set Up Requirements for the Jointmaker Pro

On Safety....

Small shop woodworking accidents occur primarily through ignorance (one table saw kick back is enough ...), dull tools (this too falls under ignorance in my opinion) or when taking work holding risks with power equipment. The later belongs in the stupid category - fingers versus powered cutters should never occur. These are moments where a simple misstep could result in a painful recovery or a lifelong injury. Who would ever guess that it would take a hot dog to make us aware of the risks of a table saw?

Safety means something different to everyone. I once got a good deal on a small Swiss made modelers table saw because the woman I bought it from was fearful of the spinning blade, and all she wanted to make was small boxes. Will the mechanism on the Jointmaker Pro lock up if you cut a hotdog? No. Will it cut your finger if you put it in harms way? You bet. Is it inherently safer than a table saw/chop saw/radial arm saw? No contest. In a worst case scenario, remember YOU are pushing YOUR finger over the top of the blade - how far do YOU have to go before YOU stop? Is this a tool that you could teach a son, daughter or grandchild how to use safely? Absolutely. And once you do, their cuts will be just as safe and accurate as yours.

As mentioned earlier, the Jointmaker Pro is no more dangerous than any sharp hand saw in my opinion. When used with small stock and moldings it allows the operator to get up close & personal for accurate and repetitive cuts like never before. I know of no other non-powered device than can match the accuracy or speed of the Jointmaker Pro or with less risk. In the two days I worked on the Jointmaker Pro I didn't have to duck my head once to avoid flying projectiles... And for those who are completely risk adverse, the clamping system (John calls them trap clamps) can be used for 99.9% of every crosscut need. Other joinery cuts can be clamped to the fence freeing both hands to work the sliding table.

On Health...

Concerning your ears, nose & mouth. Forget about using your hearing protection and your dust mask - you don't need them. After two days of working on the Jointmaker Pro all the dust settled onto a black cloth that I placed under it for the occasion. (If you are a guy and there is a woman in your life, all you have to do is mention this and guess what you are getting for the holidays?) There are no high speed shrills, whining motors, and no need to fear of waking family or neighbors when working at night. To hear for yourself, visit the Bridge City Tools Dovetail Video and listen after the music ends. http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/ I think it is always good practice to wear safety glasses and I can't imagine what could go wrong with the Jointmaker Pro for an eye injury to occur, but I do know there is a reason these unforeseen events are called "accidents".

On Ergonomics...

If you know how to drive a stick shift vehicle, you know about learning curves. The same learning curve is required with the Jointmaker Pro. It is completely new to us woodworkers and works different than any other saw - although there is an innate familiarity with how it works if you know how to use a table saw. Length of cut and density of material are the two primary variables that will need to be considered when setting blade pitch and depth of cut. I only used the Jointmaker Pro for two short days, and I was getting to the point where it was a "no thinker". I believe most people will have no difficulty with understanding this new way of cutting wood.

The "power" needed to push the wood across the blade is a non-issue regardless of sex or age once you understand how the tool works. To highlight this point, I had Marissa (one of the BCTW marketing staff) push the blade through a piece of 4/4 walnut stock. (see photos)

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #14 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:18 PM »

Safety, Health, Ergonomics & the Set Up Requirements for the Jointmaker Pro (con't)

Regarding portability, as you can see in the photos above, Michael is not having much of an issue walking with it - it weighs approximately 32 lbs.
(Just make sure you crank down the blade beforehand and tie your shoelaces!)

Set Up Requirements...

This tool needs to be firmly attached to a rigid base and your body height determines the working height. Regardless of your stature, it's very important to position the table, or you, so the sliding tables are at hip level. This is the optimal height for the strokes you make with your arm(s) when cutting. If mounted too low you will kill your lower back. Mounted too high you will find the last two or three inches of travel to be awkward. I stood on a pallet in Portland because the prototype was mounted to a workbench that was too high for my height. Do not be lazy about this, it is a crucial point! Lastly, the Jointmaker Pro can either be clamped to a surface or screwed down (it is pre-drilled) using the bottom rails.

In addition to working height, your mounting surface should not be wobbly or out of sorts in any way. Be mindful of a secure stance - the correct positioning of your body as you work minimizes fatigue. I do believe that I could cut on this tool for hours without fatigue. The rhythm you find yourself in is much like a leisurely walk.

Your other option is to say hello to your knees and set it up on a carpet. No clamping required.

Make sure you have enough light (.021" kerf is really small) and then fire it up!

Hmm, probably best not to start on an empty stomach...

In Summary...

Safety, accuracy, no utility power, and shop space requirements are the major selling points of this tool in my opinion. When you consider that you do not need dust collection (or the associated costs and noise), nor hearing protection, and the cuts are cleaner than anything you have ever seen (there are several blog comments about the quality of cut by Chris Schwarz at Popular Woodworking that I cannot argue with after my experience, they are unbelievable), this tool will be a welcome addition to any shop where those traits are a major part of the value proposition. I never thought of this as consideration before, but being able to work without missing a note of my favorite music is a big deal to me.

Chris's blog...... http://www.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/First+Look+The+Bridge+City+Jointmaker+Pro.aspx

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #15 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:19 PM »

Value Thoughts on Engineering, Materials & Craftsmanship

Last August John Economaki conceived of a way to safely make repetitive cuts using a hand saw. The first prototype involved a Japanese handsaw held upside-down in a wood vise. The second permutation was a simple butcher-block with miter gage slots. This evolved to ball bearing linear tables (see photos below) and a tilting blade. The noise from the ball bearings, in addition to cost factors led to yet another version. All in all, there were over 40 digital (computer) versions and four different working prototypes built. Eleven months later, the Jointmaker Pro is being released for manufacture. Barring surprises, the production time for the first edition will be 3 months and units will be delivered in November. (I just received a comprehensive list of changes from the prototype I worked on when I was in Portland and I will note this in a later update.)

If you glance back at the assembly section you have to notice the engineering aspects of a device representing twenty-five years of tool design experience. The Jointmaker Pro features the same sensibility & engineering that has gone into every plane, square or measuring device BCT produced. The Jointmaker Pro works for a reason; it is the singular passion of an out-of-the box thinker and it works unlike anything I have ever seen - or used.

It is my desire to provide FOG members with an accurate assessment of this new tool based upon my unbiased experience in Portland working with one of the prototypes. As part of my research, I have read many of the discussions on Internet forums regarding the Jointmaker Pro. Outside of positive comments, most of the negativity involved the selling price and/or, the tool is "cheating". Here's a sampling;

"the concept is innovative and you can't deny the results. But it takes away the portability factor of the handsaw, and the price, hmm! Besides it doesn't have the tactile quality of a hand tool that draws most of us to them."

"At this price, I would like to see the blade be set to rise automatically each stroke, vs. having to push, then hand crank up the blade, over n over. I think it would add tremendously to the "usability" factor."

"Just curious.... If anyone uses this to cut dovetails, would we still call them "hand-cut" dovetails? And if so, how do we distinguish those from ones cut using just saws and chisels"

"Over the next few weeks, I will be building more of these tables and I could really use a saw like that."

"Where's the cord"

"I had the chance to see and use the BC saw in person. The inventor gave a demo to a group of us. All I can say is you have to use it to understand. He came up with the idea to cut the very small and detail moldings made by the small multi hand plane they sell.
All i can say is I don't care how good or expensive a hand saw is or how skilled a woodworker is. You will NEVER make as clean and straight a cut as this saw will. This is from Hands on experience. The cut on end grain is smoother than glass. That said I think I will hold off for the $19.99 Harbor Freight unit LOL!!! "

"I just can't cut small pieces on a powered miter saw like that!"

"A Challenge? Be interesting to watch a you-tube video of Rob Cosman hand cutting a dovetail vs. someone using the Bridge City "hand-cutting" machine. Bet Cosman would win (time-wise)! Maybe his cuts wouldn't be quite as precise--but you wouldn't be able to detect that once the joints were assembled."

"I also do model railroading and radio control airplanes. A saw like this could cut down the time required to build a plane (like my 1/4 piper cub) by 90%!!! I think something like that would be worth about $600, but I could imagine paying that much for it. I'd also write some letters to the company trying to see if I could get a discount somehow."

"At first hand appearances, I would have thought $99 or so, which makes me now wonder where they used the gold plating, since I can't see any in the photos"

...taken on a philosophical level, a Poet Sage once stated;

"Price is relative.
As long as a tool fits a need it can be priceless.
I would have gladly paid a thousand dollars for an adjustable wrench
the day I was stuck in the Painted Desert."

After my two-day experience with the Jointmaker Pro, I sat down with John and Michael over dinner and a beer and among other topics, cost bubbled to the top. They were both frank about managing costs and I can share the following for those who think this tool is obscenely overpriced;

1. The tool weights approximately 32 pounds - most of this is in aluminum plate which is almost $4.00/lb.

2. For those of you that are not familiar with anodizing, it is not inexpensive and adds over $100 in cost to the unit.

3. The screws, nuts, knobs, gears, and washers, IN BULK cost the company almost $50.

4. John and Michael are very proud of the fact that with the exception of the Japanese made blade, the Jointmaker Pro is an American product where all involved make a living wage.

These are the only costs I agreed to share. But you can see, without turning on a lathe, or milling machine, building fixtures, or adding a profit margin, or any attempt to recoup R&D costs, or adding the fees for patents, there is simply over $250 in raw material/finishing expenses. So for those who are anxiously awaiting the Harbor Freight version for $45, I for one just don't see this happening - EVER. A good dozuki saw runs $30-$90.

We talked about CNC machining verses water jet cutting and John explained to me that the surface from a water jet cut still needs to....."be cleaned up with a milling machine for the tool to work smoothly. With the high speed milling machines used today, it makes no economic sense to do both."

An engineer I know, who works for a well known research laboratory, read my review and asked me why John hasn't used off the shelf ceramic glides in place of the custom made nylatron glides or to use ceramic components in place of other machined aluminum components. John replied "ceramic glides are not inexpensive and don't address the negative feed issues this tool creates during use. However, if he has knowledge of such a solution, please have him contact me."

As to the "cheating" aspect that has come up on forums, one needs to understand that a chisel is still required for waste removal. We discussed this at length and John does not feel bound by traditional techniques, he is focused on creating a positive user experience in a society where practice time is either in short supply or impossible to justify.

One aspect of the Jointmaker Pro that would be familiar to long time Bridge City Tool customers is the 100% satisfaction guarantee that Bridge City Tools maintains. It states that... If you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase, simply return the item WITHIN 90 DAYS after receipt for a merchandise exchange or full refund. I don't mean for that to sound like an advertisement, but a fact is a fact.

_____________________________________________________________

One late breaking news item...

Bridge City is going to offer the Jointmaker Pro pre-assembled for an additional $249. This cost includes the labor and added packaging expenses and is in direct response to my comments that there are potential customers who would greatly appreciate this service. (this would not include the actual shipping costs)

______________________________________________________________

And this just in.......

This review would NOT be complete without a list of the changes I just received from John Economaki at Bridge City Tools outlining the changes from the Jointmaker Pro prototype to the production model coming out within 90 days.
So here it is......

After three months of using and demonstrating the Jointmaker Pro prototypes, the following changes have been made -- the production version is being released for manufacture next week.

Front and Rear Plates

> Width changed from 16.25" to 13.7"
> 10 Non-threaded holes added, three on each side and four along the top (each plate)
for shop-made accessories (i.e., auxiliary supports for long stock, stop rails, etc).
> Grooves for square nuts and finger stops tightened to eliminate play.
> Rear plate now accepts finger stops
> Crescent cutout at the top of each plate removed for new linear rail locations.

Top Plates & Linear Motion Carriage Changes

> Top plates: width changed from 9.875" to 8.01", Length changed from 10.25" to 10.5"
> Nine threaded holes added to facilitate user-made jigs and fixtures
> Rubber bumpers increased in size from .5" Dia to .750" Dia.
> Linear guides changed from Nylatron to acetyl. Eliminates swelling to do humidity changes and increases lubricity.
> Linear guides lengthened to improve function with one hand use.
> Linear guides shifted closer to blade to improve function with one hand use.
> Dovetailed ways and bottom rails shortened by 1-1/2"
> Top plates will be laser etched to indicate danger zone when blade is tilted.
> Fence locking slots redesigned to for ease of use and quicker changes.

Engineering Changes

> Crank handle is now locked with a jam nut as opposed to a set screw
> Thrust bearing added to front shaft to improve gear train operation
> Acetyl travelers used for blade tilt redesigned to improve user calibration process
> Acetyl travelers are now identical allowing for finger stops to be used on the rear plate.
> Blade guide uprights are more robust for increased support
> Blade guide uprights are now dovetailed at the top to receive the blade guides
> Blade guides are dovetailed to slide in blade guide uprights?this makes it impossible to miss-align the guides in relation to the saw blade.
> Blade pitch center changed to improve rigidity
> Pitch block redesigned to eliminate play.
> Pitch screw now has a knob for finer and easier adjustments
> Acetyl travelers in front and back plate redesigned to ease assembly.
> Cup washers eliminated from saw spine to ease blade changes.
> Dovetailed ways are now separated by three spacer rods as opposed to two. This will ease table alignment and accuracy.
> Linear motion geometry completely redesigned for one hand use with both tables bridged.

Fence and Clamp Block Changes

> Fence locking levers replaced with knobs to remove risk of levers hitting blade accidentally. This also improves ergonomics in use.
> Universal clamp blocks redesigned for both flat and trap clamping as well as square
and miter cuts.
> Sacrificial fence locks to supports with one dovetail nut per side as opposed to two?speeds set-ups dramatically.
> Dovetail nut changed from 60 degrees (inclusive) to 28 degrees. Sacrificial fences can be user made with readily available 14 degree router bits.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #16 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:19 PM »

Potential Users & Specific Applications

As mentioned earlier, the Jointmaker Pro is one of those tools where creative applications and ideas occur that were previously unimaginable by hand. From my perspective the tool is appealing because of the quality and accuracy of the cut. The lack of noise and dust is almost difficult to describe. Each of those traits alone will appeal to various potential customers. And the Jointmaker Pro has a very appealing safety factor. No moving blade is very reassuring to those with ten remaining fingers.

I would say it is a false assumption that the Jointmaker Pro is for miniatures or small stock only. With a cutting capacity of 6'' and a depth of cut of 1-3/4'', the tool will make many of the cuts needed for numerous projects. It requires very little space and could be part of a hand-tool only shop in a spare bedroom. It clearly is not a rip saw, is not advertised as a rip saw and competes very well in the accuracy department with most chop saws - which are also not rip saws. As mentioned earlier, if you need to make every single second of your day pay, this may not be the tool for you.

I believe the list of potential users is strong...

Artisans; Luthiers, Lute makers, Artists, Woodturners, etc...

Hobbyists & Craftspeople; Dollhouse Makers, Boxmakers, Birdhouse makers, Parquetry, Model Railroaders, etc...

Professionals; Architects, Architectural Model Makers, Interior designers, Inlay floor design makers, Furniture Makers, Woodworkers, Set Design Studios, Pattern Makers, Tool Makers, Picture Framers etc...

Schools...
Architectural, Multi Media Art Programs, etc...

And so on and so on....

Applications encompassing ...

Miters, Joinery, Dovetails, Tenons, Veneer Cutting, Miniature Cuts, Guitar Frets, Pre-finished Moldings

Chamfers, Short rip strokes up to about 6 inches, Sequential Cuttings for turners, dowel cuttings, decorative design cuttings,

Repetitive Exact cuts and so forth...

In summary, as a member of FOG, you must be acutely aware that there are many woodworkers, perhaps most,
who think we are crazy for buying quality. I need say no more regarding the value proposition of the Jointmaker Pro.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #17 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:19 PM »

Summary of my experience

I confess, prior to my Portland visit I had a broad agenda of ideas and projects I wanted to complete. My expectations of the first day included assembling the Jointmaker Pro and splitting the rest of my time between training and cutting exercises. I seriously considered convincing John that at the end of the day one, I should retire with the Jointmaker Pro to my hotel room for another 3 hours to cut a sample design for a shoji screen (I had pre-milled the lengths of maple I needed). Day two would be devoted to a sculptural project in which I had pre-cut, laminated panels to take advantage of the repetitive angles possible. Well... no plan survives the collision with reality and the large 6" x 6" x 48" box of wood samples has been shipped back to my shop... the obvious capabilities of this tool required no such effort.

Just for fun, I designed and executed a woodworking project without ear shattering noise. (a rare occasion) It was a simple, sculptural, light switch plate made possible with the Jointmaker Pro and one of Bridge City Tools beading planes (another review for another time). I still ponder the experience of making a meaningful, useful item without power and I can't wait for this creation to continue to inspire me towards a complete offering of switch plates for my clients - good tools push designers into directions they never imagined. But I digress...

After reading this review you should have a sense of how the Jointmaker Pro is both assembled and calibrated. You should understand how it holds work and the motions required to cut, and its peculiarities and limitations. I will never say this is a tool you should own or not own - I can only speak for myself. I do believe that had you been able to stand by my side during my two days in Portland you would have a difficult time getting this tool out of your mind. Using the title "Paradigm Shift" should be telling itself.

In summary, the Jointmaker Pro is a new device that invites new ways of thinking. Allow yourself the time & patience to get acquainted with what will probably be a lifelong relationship. There is a learning curve to fully realize the capabilities of this instrument. It is not a panacea and it is not a replacement for a table saw, nor is it a tool (in my opinion) for those steeped in tradition or those bound by speed. Simply stated, the Jointmaker Pro allows you to cut wood, by hand, as accurate, maybe more so (as unbelievable as that may sound), as any traditional method. It uses human power, makes almost no noise and even less mess. I encourage you, if possible, to test one yourself... it is that different.

Thank you for taking the time to read my comments, I did the best I could in the two days (not enough time when one is having fun) and would be happy, to the best of my ability, to answer any questions this review left unanswered.

regards,

Roger Savatteri

P.S. It is my understanding that Bridge City's introductory price for the Jointmaker Pro will be $995. For more information contact the company.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #18 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:20 PM »

Parting Shots....

"The Bridge City Toolworks" Core Team...

John, Natasha, Marissa & Michael

John, Myself & Michael

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #19 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:20 PM »

"This space is being reserved for possible future additions"

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #20 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:20 PM »

"This space is being reserved for possible future additions"

Frank Pellow · « **Reply #21 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:48 PM »

Interesting! I look forward to receiving more information. You must anticipate that there will be a great deal of information based on all the spacve that you have reserved.

Dave Rudy · « **Reply #22 on:** June 09, 2008, 07:04 PM »

Quote from: Frank Pellow on June 09, 2008, 06:48 PM

Interesting! I lookl forward to receiving more information.

Likewise.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #23 on:** June 09, 2008, 07:18 PM »

Quote from: Frank Pellow on June 09, 2008, 06:48 PM

Interesting! I look forward to receiving more information. You must anticipate that there will be a great deal of information based on all the spaces that you have reserved.

Frank,

I have a wealth of photos of the assembly process, different fixturing and stages of work during those two intense days.

Once all the chapters are written I think it would be nice to see it in one flow with ease, especially regarding new
members who first need to navigate thru the tread.

So first there would be all the information with a discussion to follow both during and
after the process of putting out the chapters I referred to above.

So I did what they do in LA when they have events, they tape off parking spaces!

Except here I'll need to park photo files (and print).

Roger

Matthew Schenker · « **Reply #24 on:** June 10, 2008, 01:04 PM »

Roger,
It looks like you're building an exciting presentation here! This is going to be good. And you found an interesting way to reserve "parking space" for your discussion! Just let me know if you eventually want all those different posts merged into one.

In honor of your effort, I have just added a new "Message icon" to the drop-down list that members can use to signify when their discussion is under construction!

It is called, appropriately enough, "Under Construction" and looks like this ...

The Complete "Jointmaker Pro" Review..... A Paradigm Shift in Woodworking

So, Roger, if you want you can go back and edit your posts to use this message icon to make it clear this is a work in progress!

Keep up the good work, and let us know how it's going.

Thanks,
Matthew

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #25 on:** June 10, 2008, 02:51 PM »

Matthew,

Thank you for the symbol, that was a nice touch.

Roger

tallgrass · « **Reply #26 on:** June 10, 2008, 09:46 PM »

ok roger................ i am watching with my critical eye

......lets see it.

Ron Dunn · « **Reply #27 on:** June 11, 2008, 05:41 AM »

You're writing a review, not a book. Forget the fancy layout, just get on with it.

Michael Kellough · « **Reply #28 on:** June 11, 2008, 09:34 AM »

Quote from: Ron Dunn on June 11, 2008, 05:41 AM

You're writing a review, not a book. Forget the fancy layout, just get on with it.

But don't leave anything out

Frank Pellow · « **Reply #29 on:** June 11, 2008, 10:15 AM »

Quote from: Ron Dunn on June 11, 2008, 05:41 AM

You're writing a review, not a book. Forget the fancy layout, just get on with it.

Don't be so impatient Ron.

By the way, I see that this is your forst post, so let be the first to welcome you to the Festool Owner's Group forum.

Roger, I appreciate your doing this and I encourage you to take all the time that you think is necessary.

SteveD · « **Reply #30 on:** June 11, 2008, 01:08 PM »

I would like to say that I REALLY like the way this is being shown. There is nothing like putting the thing together from a kit of pieces to learn how it works and to be able to align/realign it later. You can also see the quality of each piece.
Looks like this probably doesn't need a UL label- just another wallet health warning!
SteveD

tallgrass · « **Reply #31 on:** June 11, 2008, 04:45 PM »

i am waiting

i have not seen you for coffee in a while roger.....

Michael Kellough · « **Reply #32 on:** June 11, 2008, 10:46 PM »

You're off to a nice start Roger

Frank Pellow · « **Reply #33 on:** June 11, 2008, 11:30 PM »

Quote from: Roger Savatteri on June 09, 2008, 06:13 PM

...
Comments; although this process was not overly difficult, I think you should plan on four hours for assembly and calibration. I asked about providing an "assembly service" and apparently the girth of the machine (packaged) combined with the weight makes for an expensive delivery. The idea was not ruled out but it will obviously add to the cost and may be appreciated by some.[/size]

Having seen what you went through, I would strongly advise them to consider this option. At over $1,000 this thing is quite pricey and many folks who willing and able to shell out that much on a tool that is so unorthodox will not want to undertake so much assembly.

I myself would probably enjoy assembling the tool but I have fond memories of my Heathkit stereo building days.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #34 on:** June 12, 2008, 11:04 AM »

Quote from: Frank Pellow on June 11, 2008, 11:30 PM

Quote from: Roger Savatteri on June 09, 2008, 06:13 PM
...
Comments; although this process was not overly difficult, I think you should plan on four hours for assembly and calibration. I asked about providing an "assembly service" and apparently the girth of the machine (packaged) combined with the weight makes for an expensive delivery. The idea was not ruled out but it will obviously add to the cost and may be appreciated by some.[/size]
Having seen what you went through, I would strongly advise them to consider this option. At over $1,000 this thing is quite pricey and many folks who willing and able to shell out that much on a tool that is so unorthodox will not want to undertake so much assembly.

I myself would probably enjoy assembling the tool but I have fond memories of my Heathkit stereo building days.

Frank,

For the person that doesn't have the mindset to sit down with the instruction sheet to prevent the flashing time display on the VCR, I could well see an alternative for setting up the Jointmaster Pro. The assembly process is also a couple of steps forward from putting together something from Ikea, but not out of reach. I'm sure if there was an on-line tutorial when you were building your Heathkit stereo it would have been a lot easier; and I look forward to viewing the detailed video file of the assembly process from Bridge City. This would probably help in the decision making process of someone unsure if they have the dexterity or patience of putting this together, beyond this review.

By the way, I know for a fact that John has made a lot of effort to keep the costs down. Latter on in my review, when I will discuss the Value Thoughts on Engineering and Craftsmanship I will give some space as to what I was told goes into fabricating such a tool. I will also go down memory lane and talk about the earlier prototype of the Jointmaker Pro that would have cost a quite a bit more had he pursued it.

......and thank you for your earlier encouragement..

Michael,

Thanx, and for the record as I have been putting together this review it has taken a life of it's own from what I had imagined I would have put together a couple of weeks ago. My hope is to have it complete by the end of next week.

Roger

john stevens · « **Reply #35 on:** June 12, 2008, 10:31 PM »

Quote from: Roger Savatteri on June 12, 2008, 11:04 AM

and for the record as I have been putting together this review it has taken a life of it's own from what I had imagined I would have put together a couple of weeks ago. My hope is to have it complete by the end of next week.

Roger, I realize that the hours spent on this are hours you could be working on projects for paying clients. John E is getting a good deal...I hope it will have been worth it for you, too. Many thanks for your time and effort.

Regards,

John

jonny round boy · « **Reply #36 on:** June 13, 2008, 05:50 AM »

Roger,

Nice work so far, but I do have one ~~complaint~~ comment - why the huge text size? I'm finding it VERY hard to read....

I look forward to reading more (hopefully smaller!) soon.

JRB

Jim Kirkpatrick · « **Reply #37 on:** June 13, 2008, 09:09 AM »

I second John Stevens AND Jonny Round Boy's comments. Great work but probably under appreciated work and a lot of scrolliing required due to the large text size.

Frank Pellow · « **Reply #38 on:** June 13, 2008, 11:35 AM »

That's better Roger -but you could make it even one size smaller and then your material would be the same size as most posts here (such as this one).

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #39 on:** June 13, 2008, 01:12 PM »

Frank

I took your suggestion and took it down one more notch from this to this one, and I also reduced some of the lateral negative white space. Any more than that and the aesthetics of the print to photo ratio will be too crunched up.

Roger

TheTassieBFG · « **Reply #40 on:** June 16, 2008, 08:22 PM »

Hi Roger I appreciate your in depth review and look forward to future instalments even if getting one of these isn't possible for me at least i can dream and drool.
Andrew

Ron Dunn · « **Reply #41 on:** June 16, 2008, 09:08 PM »

Appreciated, but too slow.

The valuable momentum which built up around the initial thread has evaporated.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #42 on:** June 16, 2008, 09:22 PM »

Quote from: Ron Dunn on June 16, 2008, 09:08 PM

Appreciated, but too slow.
The valuable momentum which built up around the initial thread has evaporated.

Ron.....

Excuse me. Too slow? Your welcome to come over and work my job for me, then I could work on it full time and get it done lickysplit. Being 110% comprehensive with an indepth review, outlining on why I consider this to be a paradigm shift in woodworking takes a little time......... And nothing's evaporating, those who consider this a worthwhile tool will stick around.

Roger

Justin F. · « **Reply #43 on:** June 16, 2008, 09:26 PM »

Quote from: Roger Savatteri on June 16, 2008, 09:22 PM

Quote from: Ron Dunn on June 16, 2008, 09:08 PM
Appreciated, but too slow.
The valuable momentum which built up around the initial thread has evaporated.

Ron.....

Excuse me. Too slow? Your welcome to come over and work my job for me, then I could work on it full time and get it done lickysplit. Being 110% comprehensive with an indepth review, outlining on why I consider this to be a paradigm shift in woodworking takes a little time......... And nothings evaporating, those who consider this a worthwhile tool will stick around.

Roger

Yes we (I) will ----- and thank you for your time. Interesting machine. Beautiful to look at as well.

Justin

john stevens · « **Reply #44 on:** June 16, 2008, 09:54 PM »

Quote from: Roger Savatteri on June 16, 2008, 09:22 PM

And nothing's evaporating, those who consider this a worthwhile tool will stick around.

Well put. Impulse buyers may be disappointed with the speed, but complaining about it would be just the way to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs: Roger's time on this thread is time he could be completing a project for a paying customer.

Regards,

John

Eiji Fuller · « **Reply #45 on:** June 16, 2008, 09:58 PM »

Roger,

The very large font and pictures makes this article very hard, almost frustrating to try and read. I only have a 19" monitor and the text is cut off on the right side.

I appreciate the hard work you are doing but actually cannot fully appreciate it until I can read it.

Eiji Fuller

Ron Dunn · « **Reply #46 on:** June 16, 2008, 10:00 PM »

I wish I could think of a nicer way to say this ... but ... if you didn't have the time, perhaps you shouldn't have taken the job.

Alternatively, a progressive discussion rather than a "magazine feature" might have been a better way to deal with the subject.

I do like the writing and the pictures, and appreciate the effort to which you are going, but perhaps you're over-doing it.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #47 on:** June 16, 2008, 10:20 PM »

Quote from: Ron Dunn on June 16, 2008, 10:00 PM

I wish I could think of a nicer way to say this ... but ... if you didn't have the time, perhaps you shouldn't have taken the job.
Alternatively, a progressive discussion rather than a "magazine feature" might have been a better way to deal with the subject.
I do like the writing and the pictures, and appreciate the effort to which you are going, but perhaps you're over-doing it.

Ron,

a. I didn't say I didn't have the time, I'm taking the time I have, to do it in the manner I am.

b. I'm doing it, in this format because this is the way I "choose" to do it, and in the end...... will do the subject justice.
I "Choose" to get all the information out first in the "magazine style" in order to give the discussion more substance and visual clarity.

c. If you think I'm going into too much detail, you could "choose" not to read it, and I say that politely.

d. Now having said the above, I "choose" not to respond this any more and just focus on the writing at hand.

thank you,
Roger

......and in postscript, this is a forum and everybody is not going to be happy all the time. All I could do is follow my gut.

Michael Kellough · « **Reply #48 on:** June 16, 2008, 11:12 PM »

Quote from: Eiji Fuller on June 16, 2008, 09:58 PM

Roger,

The very large font and pictures makes this article very hard, almost frustrating to try and read. I only have a 19" monitor and the text is cut off on the right side.

I appreciate the hard work you are doing but actually cannot fully appreciate it until I can read it.

Eiji Fuller

My screen is only 17" (1280 pixels) and I don't have a problem. I think all up to date browsers allow you to change the size of the text and it flows (wraps around) to fill the size of the window so it's only the width of the photos that require a wide screen and I wouldn't want smaller pictures.

Michael Kellough · « **Reply #49 on:** June 16, 2008, 11:19 PM »

I want to see the most comprehensive review possible in this format.
I like what we've got so far.

Sure I'd like to have it all up now but we have to be patient.
I'm sure Roger wishes it was done too but I hope he continues
to develop the remaining chapters to the same level of depth.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #50 on:** June 16, 2008, 11:24 PM »

Michael,

thank you for responding, It's my turn to cook dinner tonight.
I wanted to respond to Eiji's post and I was thinking about the reply.
My Mac laptop is only 15", so I was a little confused.
I think you answered the question about why.

all the best,
Roger

p.s. thanx for the other thought, and I will ..........most definitely.

Scott W. · « **Reply #51 on:** June 16, 2008, 11:29 PM »

Roger,

Your doing an outstanding job!
This should be saved in pdf format for download / archive.

Thanks for all your work and your time on this.

Scott W.

neilc · « **Reply #52 on:** June 17, 2008, 12:39 AM »

Roger -

Great job - I'm even more convinced the one I have on order is going to be a great addition. I'd like the review sooner, but also realize the product is not even shipping yet. From your writeup, I wonder if you got an updated shipment date from John?

Appreciate your going to great detail in this review. it's a new way of thinking about joint making, and not something that I believe is fully grasped and understood without the details. I have watched the videos and read the write-up on Popular Woodworking blog, and played with the product in person before placing an order with John. And I'm still learning from the time you are taking to document what you learned and reflect on what it means.

There is a lot to grasp. It's a lot of money. For many, they'll compare it to a backsaw. You're doing great explaining why it is a lot more than that.

Thanks -

neil

tallgrass · « **Reply #53 on:** June 17, 2008, 02:24 AM »

good job keep it up

Eli · « **Reply #54 on:** June 17, 2008, 05:29 AM »

Roger
Excellent work so far. Two thumbs up. Thank you for having the sense of responsibility to do this right. It's worth waiting for, and I am happy waiting, it'll give me something decent to read finally. Please don't waste valuable time trying to explain yourself to everyone, just stick to your goal of completing this obviously comprehensive review. In other words, finish it, then read the comments here.

Matthew Schenker · « **Reply #55 on:** June 17, 2008, 08:44 AM »

Roger,
I encourage you to go at your own pace. What you are putting together will be a terrific resource for a long time, so it's worth spending time creating it.
Let me know if you need any help.
Matthew

Jesse Cloud · « **Reply #56 on:** June 17, 2008, 10:13 AM »

Great review so far Roger! Please take your time.

I used to have a coffee cup that said "God grant me patience - and I want it right now!!"

We can wait.

wooden · « **Reply #57 on:** June 17, 2008, 10:20 AM »

Will you add comments on what you think are some of the reasonable limitations to the Jointmaker Pro? Size of stock is one obvious aspect to consider. Smallness doesn't seem to be too much of a problem but how about larger stuff? Could you throw a 4x4x30 inch stick on their and cut a tenon off one end?

To me, a good review should go into the good things as well as the limits of a tool/jig.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #58 on:** June 17, 2008, 12:09 PM »

UPDATE

The Complete "Jointmaker Pro" Review is now up. ...........go to page one of this thread.

Also, this just in.......

This review would NOT be complete without a list of the changes I just received from John Economaki at Bridge City Tools outlining the changes from the Jointmaker Pro prototype to the production model coming out within 90 days. (Included within the section on "Value Thoughts on Engineering, Materials & Craftsmanship".)

regards,
Roger Savatteri

Ben West · « **Reply #59 on:** June 17, 2008, 09:16 PM »

Roger,

You're doing a great job, and I for one look forward to a comprehensive review, not a shallow analysis. We can get that from their website already.

The only man who makes no mistakes is the man who never does anything.

Teddy Roosevelt

Michael Kellough · « **Reply #60 on:** June 17, 2008, 10:26 PM »

Quote from: Ben West on June 17, 2008, 09:16 PM

Roger,

You're doing a great job, and I for one look forward to a comprehensive review, not a shallow analysis. We can get that from their website already.

The only man who makes no mistakes is the man who never does anything.

Teddy Roosevelt

....is making a big mistake.

Ron Dunn · « **Reply #61 on:** June 18, 2008, 05:33 AM »

Right ... [pause] ... left ... right ... left ... left ... [pause] ... left ... left ... right ... [hop] ... [stumble] ...

Nothing like being completely out of step.

Sorry, Roger, I'll curb my impatience.

Ron.

Michael Kellough · « **Reply #62 on:** June 18, 2008, 03:31 PM »

Quote from: Roger Savatteri on June 18, 2008, 02:21 PM

UPDATE ....

the Saw Blade Changes, Operation and Longevity section of the Jointmaker Pro review is now up.

Jump to.......... http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=3889.0 and scroll down to posts #5 & #6

all the best,
Roger Savatteri

Thanks for the new material on blades and how to trash them

Since there are several ways for a new owner to quickly ruin the blade
it would be smart for Bridge City to include two crosscut blades in the package.

JD2720 · « **Reply #63 on:** June 19, 2008, 10:31 PM »

I saw the Jointmaker Pro demonstration at Popular Woodworking Magazine's shop tonight. It is an impressive tool. The cuts were amazing.
John Economaki the tool's inventer put on a great demo.

Ron Dunn · « **Reply #64 on:** July 06, 2008, 04:42 AM »

Is this ever going to get finished?

Over two weeks since the last post by anyone, let alone the reviewer.

I think, by now, you see exactly what I meant earlier by my comments about lost momentum.

Eli · « **Reply #65 on:** July 06, 2008, 07:01 AM »

Not to put too fine a point on it, but you have six posts here.

What have you done lately that's so great Mr. Impatient? Why don't you post something for us to read in the meantime?

Kick off your shoes, settle back, AND WAIT. $:-\$

Ron Dunn · « **Reply #66 on:** July 06, 2008, 07:10 AM »

Wait for what? The second coming??

The only reason I'm here is this thread, because I'm interested in this tool. You'll be pleased to know that the sooner it is over, the sooner I'm on my way.

As for "waiting", the guy got offered this opportunity partly so that the tool deveoper could capitalise on the surge of interest at that time. Roger was partly responsible for that surge, with his post of the link to the Jointmaker video. When the makers of the tool made the opportunity for a forum member to review the tool, Roger was pushed to the top of the pack by Nickao. Remember him?

There were a lot of other people who could have done the job - reviewing the tool in a timely manner. Now the wave has passed in this forum. A wasted opportunity.

The fact that there was NO POST in this thread for over two weeks shows that it has died. Whose fault is that? Certainly not mine.

douglas2cats · « **Reply #67 on:** July 06, 2008, 07:35 AM »

I'm as eager to see the rest of this as the next guy, but Roger's doing a very good job of it while also trying to handle his day job. I'd rather see him take his time than rush the rest of it to completion at a lesser quality than his review so far. Also keep in mind that a few days of this 2 weeks, the FOG site was down so no way to post even if it was ready.

Doug

Ron Dunn · « **Reply #68 on:** July 06, 2008, 08:10 AM »

To my mind the "day job" thing is just an excuse. Did he take the assignment expecting it to be a holiday? If not, he should have factored the amount of work required into his schedule before deciding to accept.

This smacks of tradesmanitis. The guy who is all enthusiastic when quoting, who shows up on the first day, then has to be dragged kicking and screaming to actually complete the work ... always saying he'll get it done ... never his fault ... always the pressure of other jobs ... or the weather ... or something.

I know I'm out of step with a lot of forum opinion on this thread, but I raised a flag several weeks ago and no-one noticed. A couple of weeks ago I raised my hand and spoke, but no-one listened. Now I'm standing up and speaking loudly, and perhaps, just perhaps, the thread will get re-activated.

Eli · « **Reply #69 on:** July 06, 2008, 08:22 AM »

Quote from: Ron Dunn on July 06, 2008, 08:10 AM

To my mind the "day job" thing is just an excuse. Did he take the assignment expecting it to be a holiday? If not, he should have factored the amount of work required into his schedule before deciding to accept.

This smacks of tradesmanitis. The guy who is all enthusiastic when quoting, who shows up on the first day, then has to be dragged kicking and screaming to actually complete the work ... always saying he'll get it done ... never his fault ... always the pressure of other jobs ... or the weather ... or something.

I know I'm out of step with a lot of forum opinion on this thread, but I raised a flag several weeks ago and no-one noticed. A couple of weeks ago I raised my hand and spoke, but no-one listened. Now I'm standing up and speaking loudly, and perhaps, just perhaps, the thread will get re-activated.

Or maybe people will stop listening to you altogether. If his treatment of the review smacks of 'tradesmanitis' (sounds like you have issues), yours reminds me of nothing so much as my four year old's impatience. Are you in some sort of time crunch to get this tool on the job? Are you losing money as a result of having an incomplete review? At this point, is there anything crucial that Roger hasn't covered that's preventing you from buying the tool? If not, buy it, go away, and quit whining. Underlining the fact that you're only here for one thing and will be gone as soon as you get what you want makes me even less inclined to continue being marginally polite to you, single serving friend.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #70 on:** July 06, 2008, 09:05 AM »

First off, I'd like to sincerely thank Matthew for putting our ~~"Cheers Bar"~~ Festool Corner of the World back up.

It is a place I look forward to coming by as I awake each morning, and before I go to sleep each night.

I really appreciate the efforts that go behind such an endeavor.

To Everyone interested in this thread,

I will have the last remaining sections up by Wednesday.

It's actually all done, except for one part of one section, and I choose to put the rest up ....in it's entirety.

all the best,

Roger

....and by the way,

.....as to Mr Dunn's comments above, I'll repeat what I said earlier,

" I choose not to respond to this kind of attitude ", it is both rude & uncalled for.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #71 on:** July 07, 2008, 09:15 PM »

HELLO FOLKS,

There's a new "Jointmaker Pro" Video on making Dovetail Joints from Bridge City Tools.........

at John's blog...... http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/

or straight to you tube at.....

See everybody back here on Wednesday with the completed review.

all the best,
Roger

tallgrass · « **Reply #72 on:** July 09, 2008, 07:18 PM »

i was hoping for more in depth review.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #73 on:** July 09, 2008, 10:05 PM »

UPDATE

The Complete "Jointmaker Pro" Review is now up. ...........go to page one of this thread.

Also, this just in.......

This review would NOT be complete without a list of the changes I just received from John Economaki at Bridge City Tools outlining the changes from the Jointmaker Pro prototype to the production model coming out within 90 days. (Included within the section on "Value Thoughts on Engineering, Materials & Craftsmanship".)

regards,
Roger Savatteri

douglas2cats · « **Reply #74 on:** July 09, 2008, 10:20 PM »

This was almost as good as waiting on the 3rd installment of Lord of the Rings. Thanks for the very thorough job.

Matthew Schenker · « **Reply #75 on:** July 09, 2008, 11:08 PM »

Roger,
Thank you for putting in an incredible effort on this review! I appreciate how much work goes into creating something like this.
Thank you also to the people at Bridge City Tools for working with us to make the connection possible.
This was a great addition to the Festool Owners Group and I am proud to know it is now part of our forum!
Matthew

Eli · « **Reply #76 on:** July 10, 2008, 06:28 AM »

Thanks Roger. A good read, worth the wait, and I don't care what anybody says, that was a lot of work for you to do on your own shift.

Matthew Schenker · « **Reply #77 on:** July 10, 2008, 07:11 AM »

Everyone,
This project was the result of a great connection between the Festool Owners Group and the people at Bridge City Tools. It's an example of what can happen when you have communities of creative, energetic people. The results are mutually beneficial to fans of both companies.

Now that Roger has finished his review, I thought I'd just revisit how it all came to be...

The concept of the Jointmaker Pro arose when Roger Savatteri started a discussion he called "Very High Cool Factor". Until then, I had never heard of the Jointmaker Pro. But it made me curious.

I checked out the Bridge City Tools Web site, and that led me to the Jointmaker Pro video on YouTube:

That really got me curious. I started thinking, "wouldn't it be interesting to find a connection between the FOG and Bridge City?" So I wrote to John Economaki, the person behind the JointMaker Pro. I told him about Roger's post here in the FOG, and I shared my ideas about how the thinking behind the Joinmaker Pro is similar to the thinking behind Festool tools. I asked him to join our forum. John was understandably reluctant at first: he's been burned in the past by Internet forums. But I did not give up, and urged him to take a look at the FOG, promising that we're different here!

Mr. Economaki came in and took a look around, and was impressed with our forum. So he joined.

In several ensuing e-mail exchanges, John and I came up with the idea of having an FOG member travel to the Bridge City Tools location to take a close look at the Jointmaker Pro, then write up a full review of the experience for the FOG. When the question came up about who would be best for the job, it was clear that Mr. Savatteri was the one! We asked Roger to do this, and Roger agreed. Well, Roger did more than agree -- he jumped at the opportunity! John arranged the details, and made the visit happen.

Roger got the full experience at Bridge City. He came back home, armed with photos and notes and all kinds of ideas about what he saw. Working diligently over the course of several weeks, Roger put it all down here in this discussion, providing FOG members with an exhaustive look at the Jointmaker Pro.

Now, John Economaki has included Roger's visit in the latest entry of his Bridge City Blog. In that blog entry, John talks about the visit, as well as our forum, emphasizing the connection formed between Bridge City and the Festool Owners Group.

As a result of John's blog, a number of people joined the forum over the past couple of days. That means Bridge City fans now have a chance to become fans of Festool! And because of Roger's review, Festool fans now have a chance to become fans of the Jointmaker Pro!

In the end, this is a terrific example of a mutually beneficial connection between two unique tool companies, and the fans of those two companies. It's also a way of elevating the very idea of thinking differently!

Thanks to everyone who played a part in this model of connection.

Stay in touch,
Matthew

Frank Pellow · « **Reply #78 on:** July 10, 2008, 11:30 AM »

Thanks for the background details Matthew and, having read them, I must say: "well orchestrated".

I am sure that you are correct that many of the people who find Festool products interesting will also find the Jointmaker Pro to be of interest. I can assure you that I do.

greg mann · « **Reply #79 on:** July 10, 2008, 03:11 PM »

Great review, Roger. You are very articulate and thorough. I think most everyone here would agree that we got more from your efforts than any of us expected. There were pearls of wisdom throughout the review. Anyone who feels it wasn't worth the wait......

I love this line. You should add it to your salutations!

"(accuracy hygiene always requires checking the cut, not the set-up - never assume)."

JJEconomaki · « **Reply #80 on:** July 10, 2008, 04:06 PM »

Matthew/Roger/visitors and FOG members;

My first comment regarding Roger's review of our Jointmaker Pro is personal: You sir have completely eliminated any thoughts I may have had of running for public office. Yikes--you are thorough!

Matthew, thank you for inviting me to your forum. This is a lot of work and I would like to remind the readers of this board how lucky you are that Matthew volunteers his time to make this community possible.

I am ecstatic that there is at least one woodworking forum (maybe the only one) that has managed to attract open minded woodworkers--you are in a minority.

This process was stressful for us because so much is at stake (we are a small company). Roger's review is honest, obviously thorough and answers many questions a potential owner might have asked. I know if I was entertaining making a purchase of this stature this review would be very helpful.

Thanks to all for allowing this discussion to take place and if you have any further questions, I am sure Roger is capable of getting you an answer. If not, my email address is below.

Lastly, I will be demonstrating the Jointmaker Pro in Atlanta in August at the IWF exhibition in the booth of the manufacturer (8874). Michael and I will be demonstrating the Jointmaker Pro in November at the Woodworking in America conference in Berea, KY. If you visit, please stop by and introduce yourself, we would thoroughly enjoy meeting you.

Quality is Contagious,

John Economaki
john@bridgecitytools.com

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #81 on:** July 17, 2008, 06:59 PM »

Bridge City Tools new decorative cuts video....

by the way,
the moldings you see in the video were also done silently, with a selection of BCT's planes.

b_m_hart · « **Reply #82 on:** July 17, 2008, 07:05 PM »

The cuts that allowed the piece of wood to bend in that video were pretty amazing - there's a LOT of potential for interesting uses for such stuff.

Steven in Iowa · « **Reply #83 on:** August 14, 2008, 08:33 AM »

Quote from: Ron Dunn on July 06, 2008, 04:42 AM

Is this ever going to get finished?

Over two weeks since the last post by anyone, let alone the reviewer.

I think, by now, you see exactly what I meant earlier by my comments about lost momentum.

Take your comments elsewhere, we don't need the negativity about another's creativity.

douglas2cats · « **Reply #84 on:** August 14, 2008, 08:54 AM »

I got the email yesterday from BCTW that the offishul pre-ordering period has begun. Price goes up after Aug 28.

Dovetail65 · « **Reply #85 on:** August 30, 2008, 08:41 PM »

I have not looked at this from just before summer until the last hour or so.

What an awesome review. It was worth the wait and to the people complaining about the wait I will only say you were way off base. I am glad I did not go or do the review because there is absolutely no way I would or could devote the time required to do a review of this caliber.

I would much rather have this tool than a kapex any day of the week. Even if the kapex worked flawlessly it is only a miter box after all, but this is one unique tool that nothing else can compare to when cutting smaller pieces.

Great job and I can not wait to receive mine!

Nickao

Tinker · « **Reply #86 on:** August 31, 2008, 09:08 AM »

Nick
The Jointmaker Pro looks like the perfect fit for your work.
I hope you can give us a good rundown after you have offishuly put it thru its paces.

I thoroughly enjoyed Roger's excellent report. his work, I think, were under controlled conditions with some onsite input from the designer.
I appreciate all of his effort and time spent. He went to a lot of work and expertise. My comment in no way is meant to diminnish that fact

I am assuming your first use to be on your own. No onsite input from designer. Projects of your own (and unusual) designs Things will have to fit first time. No room for error. Less controlled situation. etc/etc/etc

keep us posted, pleez
Tinker

Dovetail65 · « **Reply #87 on:** August 31, 2008, 09:13 AM »

Yes, I will be working alone, I always do and I do not think my little garage shop and small business warrants any visitors or input by the tools designer.

I want to use it mainly to cut smaller pieces that tend to be unsafe or impossible using a miter or table saw.

Nick

Tinker · « **Reply #88 on:** September 07, 2008, 06:26 AM »

Quote from: nickao on August 30, 2008, 08:41 PM

I have not looked at this from just before summer until the last hour or so.

What an awesome review. It was worth the wait and to the people complaining about the wait I will only say you were way off base. I am glad I did not go or do the review because there is absolutely no way I would or could devote the time required to do a review of this caliber.

I would much rather have this tool than a kapex any day of the week. Even if the kapex worked flawlessly it is only a miter box after all, but this is one unique tool that nothing else can compare to when cutting smaller pieces.

Great job and I can not wait to receive mine!

Nickao

Nickao, Have you received your JMP yet?
I am (as others the same, I am sure) anxiously awaiting your report.
This is a tool i am certain will work in my very limited space/small projects shop.

I think it might not work too well for larger projects where rails and styles (example) might well be 5 or 6 feet long.
Of course, if i make large projects with both bulk and weight, they need to be made in knockdown sections so i can get them out of my basement shop. For the size projects I am gravitating to, i think this toy would be purrrfect.

Tinker

neilc · « **Reply #89 on:** September 07, 2008, 10:18 AM »

I talked to Bridge City in August, and they're taking orders now, but are not shipping till likely November.

neil

Dovetail65 · « **Reply #90 on:** September 07, 2008, 01:21 PM »

No they are taking pre-orders only. I am hoping to have it by Thanksgiving for 950.00.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #91 on:** September 07, 2008, 02:17 PM »

Hello again Nick,

Nice to see you around again, regarding the JMP.......Hmm, Just a thought, I'm not quite sure that you should count on cutting Wooden Turkey centerpieces for your Thanksgiving day table setting with your Jointmaker Pro. Wooden Ornaments for the big tree in December might be a more realistic goal.

Also, my understanding is that the pre-order price is $995 plus shipping ($59.,I believe, ...and that's unassembled) (The $995. is with the BCTW Founders Circle membership) and that is until September 15th 2008. See.....http://www.bridgecitytools.com/Products/What's+New/Jointmaker+Pro

all the best,
Roger

Dovetail65 · « **Reply #92 on:** September 07, 2008, 02:27 PM »

Oops yes 995.00, I am in the Founders club and I am in no rush, Christmas is fine for me.

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #93 on:** September 17, 2008, 06:14 PM »

Squiggle Wood >>>>

Inspiring.......Out of the box thinking,

http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/

Dovetail65 · « **Reply #94 on:** September 17, 2008, 10:05 PM »

That just gave me a bunch of ideas!

Craig Earls · « **Reply #95 on:** September 22, 2008, 12:52 AM »

I am very interested in this tool, and the price seems reasonable given the obvious quality of the materials and the likelihood that BCT will only sell a few hundred of them over the next several years which leads me to my one big reservation about this tool: The custom saw blades. If for any reason BCT ceases production of this tool how will replacement blades be found? A quick perusal of the BCT website shows they seem to be good at providing consumables for tools that are out of production, but these are pretty special items and much more difficult to produce than plane irons.

JJEconomaki · « **Reply #96 on:** September 22, 2008, 01:30 PM »

Craig:

I am writing to alleviate your concerns regarding replacement blades for the Jointmaker Pro.

As you know, these blades are specially designed for this tool. We have invested in the dies to have them produced in Japan and our Japanese supplier is one of, if not the oldest production hand saw company in Japan--they are also the best. The investment in dies means that the production quantities are manageable. If for whatever reason something happens to us (we are 25 years young) another firm or individual will pick up the replacement blade opportunity.

It is our intent to have supplies in Europe (Michael leaves this week to visit our European distributor), Japan and hopefully Australia. Of course we will have inventory in Portland.

I am more worried at the moment about the value of the dollar than I am about blade availability.

That said, we still don't know how long a blade actually lasts, but I will share our/my experiences with blade longevity.

First, it is highly recommended to have spare blades if you are going to use the tool. We have yet to wear a blade out, and we really tried making Squiggle wood. We do however manage to trash blades through accidents. For example;

I was doing a demo recently in Tokyo and forgot to retract the blade. I started a new cut and crashed the wood into the front of the blade--good bye blade. Of course I did this with a crowd watching (isn't that always the case?). Unfortunately my choice of words needed no translation...

If the blade is tilted and your stock is not firmly clamped in the sliding table, the negative feed can force the stock upward against a tilted blade and that is not good for blade longevity.

I have, through carelessness, set wood across the rails and bent teeth--good-bye blade.

And while I am on the subject of blades, here is our experience with the three blades we are producing for the Jointmaker Pro;

The 32TPI .3mm crosscut blade is incredible for small cross-section stock (.5" x .5") however it does not track well in deep cheek cuts. But the cuts it makes are just awesome.

The 28 TPI .4mm crosscut blade is by far the most versatile and we rarely take it off our saws. It works for just about everything we have tried. This is the blade that creates endgrain cuts smoother than any other saw.

We use the rip blade for larger tenons and lots of dovetails. However these are square cut teeth and they clog easily so we only use this blade when there is volume.

Lastly, we hope to find a company with deeper pockets who can produce this saw for a broader market and part of any deal will be a continuation of the original blade profile.

Lastly, I haven't built anything in 25 years because I am hyper-allergic to wood dust. But I am going to start when the production model is released--I have too many ideas for this tool to let the opportunities rot in my head. So I too need blades--and you can bet that Squiggle wood is on my mind....

I hope this helps.

John Economaki
President
Bridge City Tool Works

PS: It is not going to take us several years to sell "a couple of hundred" Jointmaker Pros.

Eli · « **Reply #97 on:** September 22, 2008, 05:21 PM »

Thanks John for that. Do you think the involvement of a 'company with deeper pockets' would ultimately be a move that would see a more widely produced model, ie, one with fewer features or material substitution that would allow a JMP model to be more economical? Or would scaling production up naturally reduce price through volume?

JJEconomaki · « **Reply #98 on:** September 22, 2008, 06:07 PM »

I suggest there are many parts that can be produced from composites or plastic. Production molds would run well into the hundreds of thousands dollars--money we simply don't have.

Regarding features, I don't think anything should be left out. We have made some improvements after Roger's visit to Portland that I am excited about; the table tops now feature a threaded hole array for user jigs and the front and rear plates feature a hole array for a user-built dead-man for longer stock or for a user built tool caddy.

The current manifestation could benefit a little by economies of scale (mainly the CNC set-up expenses amortized over a larger run) but the price of metal and anodizing per unit would likely not be impacted significantly--these two expenses alone are well over $200 and unfortunately, getting higher EVERY DAY. Anybody who is making products from metal knows that this is the craziest time anybody has seen--and we've been doing this for 25 years.

We are chasing a bigger picture with this tool and the timing certainly could be better. In our opinion, and most of those who have seen and actually used the tool, there is a value proposition. Accuracy without noise is a message that really resonates with some woodworkers. That said, it is not for everybody and we know that.

I really don't find much value in price comparisons because there are too many variables involved. However they can be thought provoking...

Automobiles are a great deal when you consider for $15-30K you are the beneficiary of billions of dollars of R & D and mass-production efficiencies. On the other hand, I saw an infomercial the other night for the Kreg pocket hole jig @$100. I thought to myself, geez 10 Kreg jigs equals a JMP-and 30 JMP's equals a new Acura TSX. None of this makes sense to me.

The real question is which of these examples is likely to still be around in 100 years? Certainly not the TSX...

John Economaki
Bridge City Tool Works

Craig Earls · « **Reply #99 on:** September 22, 2008, 06:17 PM »

Quote from: JJEconomaki on September 22, 2008, 01:30 PM

PS: It is not going to take us several years to sell "a couple of hundred" Jointmaker Pros.

I sincerely hope you sell a million! Thank you for the reassurance on consumable availability. I am budgeting one in for mid next year!

Eli · « **Reply #100 on:** September 22, 2008, 09:42 PM »

Quote from: JJEconomaki on September 22, 2008, 06:07 PM

I suggest there are many parts that can be produced from composites or plastic. Production molds would run well into the hundreds of thousands dollars--money we simply don't have.

The real question is which of these examples is likely to still be around in 100 years? Certainly not the TSX...

John Economaki
Bridge City Tool Works

The plastics was more where I was coming from. I couldn't see any features that might have been easily left out, but assumed you'd know better than me. I agree it's a tool that appears more 'sustainable' than any I've seen in a while. Thanks for having a personal prescence here, it's appreciated.

Baldock · « **Reply #101 on:** December 11, 2008, 12:10 PM »

This subject has certainly tapered off...

Has anyone heard of a ship date? Are we going to make it for Christmas?
+
$:-\$

neilc · « **Reply #102 on:** December 11, 2008, 08:12 PM »

Not for the holidays - Likely shipping in January - I talked to BCTW yesterday.

neil

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #103 on:** January 28, 2009, 03:45 PM »

For those waiting for the big brown truck to come over the horizon....

Here's a reprint on a Jointmaker Pro update from John's blog over at Bridge City Tools..... http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/

cheers,
Roger Savatteri

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jointmaker Pro Update
January 27th, 2009
Two weeks ago we received all of the components for the Jointmaker Pro-holy cow, I have never seen a BCTW project with so many parts! Prior to anodizing the aluminum parts, we assembled one unit and the results are....

Spectacular-in every sense! For those that have seen the prototype in action, the production version features over 80 changes and all I can say is I thought the prototypes were cool, but now, like everyone else waiting for delivery, I CAN'T WAIT to get mine!

Parts come back from the anodizer this week and they are off to the laser house next week. Packaging for both versions (unassembled and assembled) are finalized, and we have decided to forgo a written assembly manual for a DVD or web-based assembly tutorial which we will finish next week. Lastly, the saw blades should arrive from Japan any day now (it took 4 months to make all of these blades).

We also decided to do a little bit of sub-assembly work for the unassembled versions for those who have limited assembly experience. Now, all one needs is to be able to do is insert and tighten screws.

While the components were being manufactured I took the JMP on the road to a couple of the Lie-Nielson Hand Tool Events (if you can go to one of these, they are intimate, fun and educational). One thing became apparent to me after demonstrating this tool for eight hours straight - my back ached.

As a result, we redesigned the stand so the back of the Jointmaker Pro is now 3" higher than the front. This accomplishes two important things, it shortens the sawing stroke and it makes it easier to see your cuts. It is one of those counter-intuitive decisions that really makes using the tool fun. I demonstrated this change to show attendees and everyone agrees this is an awesome improvement. Whether you use our stand, or make your own, we recommend inclining the Jointmaker Pro without hesitation.

As those patiently waiting know, we have taken our time to make sure the user experience is going to be as flawless as possible. We can't wait to learn how our owners use this transformative tool - it truly changes your perspective on project ideas.

Lastly, I am on the second week of my annual two-week work retreat. I would have posted this update last week but I am in Utah and forgot the password into my blog...

This whole password thing is really getting to be an issue for my aging brain.

- John

Frank Pellow · « **Reply #104 on:** January 28, 2009, 05:02 PM »

Quote from: Roger Savatteri on January 28, 2009, 03:45 PM

...

While the components were being manufactured I took the JMP on the road to a couple of the Lie-Nielson Hand Tool Events

...
(if you can go to one of these, they are intimate, fun and educational). One thing became apparent to me after demonstrating this tool for eight hours straight - my back ached.

...

I think that the best way to sell these at this stage is to demo them at such events.

Lie Neilson will be present at the Toronto Woodworking Show from Feb 27 to Mar 1. It would be great to see this demoed there.

daveg · « **Reply #105 on:** January 29, 2009, 11:24 AM »

I've been patiently waiting for mine. It's been frustrating since it was ordered at the end of Oct 2008. There were several slips in the ship date that was given. Hopefully, it will be worth the wait.

Jesse Cloud · « **Reply #106 on:** January 29, 2009, 04:04 PM »

I'm patiently waiting, too. I hope they take as much time as they need to do it right!
Thanks for the update John.

Deke · « **Reply #107 on:** February 01, 2009, 12:41 AM »

Have to say the video says it all and the first few pages of this thread were just overwhelming with text. As someone who writes too much, I now how people feel! :-)

You really had me, but when I went to the site and saw this going for 1200 AND I have to put it together, I'm sorry. It just seems out of whack. I am not arguing that mfging all this is not expensive, but I'm talking about consumer cost/pricing side of things. This would be way down on my list even though it could do lots of things I do and want to do. That's a lot of planes, saws, Festool stuff... to compete with in the old "wish list."

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #108 on:** February 04, 2009, 02:03 AM »

Update on the update..........

just received this note from John........

................................................................

I just returned from a two week work retreat to find all the components
for the JMP in our warehouse--what a sight indeed!

The laser work is just fantastic. The new depth stop works better than I
had hoped, actually it is perfect. Today we see the new stand.

Packaging is designed and we are working on the final assembly video.

I can't remember being more excited about a job here in 25 years. We
should begin shipping as soon as the blades arrive (any day now).

John

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #109 on:** February 08, 2009, 04:52 AM »

Link to John's latest blog entry.........

http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/

Dovetail65 · « **Reply #110 on:** February 08, 2009, 08:05 AM »

To bad I had to bail on this the wait did not coincide with my income cash flow during this housing crunch. January has been the busiest month I have ever had in 5 years though, so something is up.

With the new price I just can not get on board. To bad the housing crunch coincided with the initial ordering price on this, even being in the founders club it is just to much for me now.

Let me know how it works out for you guys.

Tinker · « **Reply #111 on:** February 08, 2009, 10:31 AM »

Quote from: nickao on February 08, 2009, 08:05 AM

To bad I had to bail on this the wait did not coincide with my income cash flow during this housing crunch. January has been the busiest month I have ever had in 5 years though, so something is up.

Nick, As I think you are now, I have always been a one or two man operation, whether in construction or landscaping. I have, over the past 60+/- years managed to keep busy thru every economy setback that has come along. I have always kept my jobs bids within a scope and size at which I could perform within my own capabilities. When business was booming statewide or nationally, i was often very slow. People were willing to spend money on very large projects, even new homes of extravagent size. I still stuck to smaller work. If a job was going to take more than a couple of weeks, I tended to stay away. I avoided taking on extra help (I once had seven employees and got severely burned as a result, probably from my own inadequacies business wise.) BUT, when work slowed down for the big boys, I was almost always so busy i could not keep up. I continued to stay within my own scope and knew how to bid within my own limitations. The profits were there for me while others of larger scale were suffering.

I am now just as busy as ever with my landscaping, mainly because I am staying within the boundaries of my own physical capabilities. I am sure you are experiencing the same sort of phenomenon by staying within the bounds of your own small shop with no employees. With the quality of your work, i am sure you will weather this storm very well. If you think a tool would be of long term value to your operation, I think now is a time for the small biz guy to take serious look. Just MHO.
Tinker

Justin F. · « **Reply #112 on:** February 08, 2009, 05:21 PM »

Quote from: nickao on February 08, 2009, 08:05 AM

To bad I had to bail on this the wait did not coincide with my income cash flow during this housing crunch. January has been the busiest month I have ever had in 5 years though, so something is up.

Alright Nick ! --- that is good to hear.

Justin

wnagle · « **Reply #113 on:** February 08, 2009, 08:02 PM »

Nick,

I'm glad to hear your orders are up! I also decided to wait on ordering the JMP till things pick up. My work has slowed a bit the last 3-4 months so I gotta slow down the spending for a while. The JMP is just one of many items on my "tools to buy" list. I still need to upgrade my dust collection piping and automate it with a green box, finish my miter station, build a shed, and a handful of cabinets and rolling carts for my shop. I did finally get the new furnace and heat pump working correctly so I have no excuses to get going on things.

Dovetail65 · « **Reply #114 on:** February 08, 2009, 10:46 PM »

If they ran another first offering price of the 950.00 for the founders members or something I bet they could sell enough new units to cover the difference of less sales with the higher price. I know I would get one at the lower price.

Oh well, sometimes waiting is best as they come up with improvements over the years.

Tinker · « **Reply #115 on:** February 09, 2009, 06:23 AM »

I think I'm with you, Nick, on the pricing part.
The main holdback for me on the JMP is when I look at their website and see so many really great great tools that have been archived and no longer available. The tools that they do have available all seem to be very expensive.
i am wondering if their sales philosophy is to develope the best tools they can, set a price for immediate profit, produce a medium run and get out while sales are still hot and so not end up with high inventory. The JMP has just enough moving parts, and the special production blades that I am aprehentious about making the plunge at even the $950 price you mention. What will happen by the time the moving parts begin failing, or I will need new sets of blades. Will I have to search E-bay? I would just like to see more evidence that they are sincere in keeping a good supply of the tools and consumables they produce. (Are you listening John E?Comment would be appreciated)
Tinker

Dovetail65 · « **Reply #116 on:** February 09, 2009, 06:57 AM »

If business did not slow I would have had the 950.00 deal so for me it was the timing only. I am willing to purchase and take a chance on the future. I had to do what I had to do and the 950.00 actually came in handy during the months of the wait. It is not a whole lot of money, but it actually helped a great deal while business was so slow. I had other things happen to hit our family income in addition to the business slowing. If there was no wait I would have the tool though.

I was planning on posting on my web site showing how to make an entire floor inlay using only the JMP, but at 1250.00 and shipping, plus blades I just can not do it. 300.00 makes the difference at this point, last summer the additional cost would not have mattered.

If you do get it Tinker let me how it works out for you.

Tinker · « **Reply #117 on:** February 09, 2009, 08:43 AM »

For me at the moment, the extra $300 is the killer. In my biz, i can never keep up with cash flow from April thru June. last season, the problems lasted thru July. Along about late august will be the earliest I even begin to rethink about the JMP. right now, I am interrested in the FlatMaster from Stockroom Supply. I can put it tto use immediately. That is a somewhat of a copycat of the SandFlee. SF is way overpriced as far as I can see right now, but Stockroom Supply does have options that are interesting. My problem with SRS is that I sent them an E-mail question and have received no reply. If I do not hear from them soon, I will start rethinking about the SandFlee. My problem with SF is weight. Much too heavy for my tired old back discs to be rastlin' on and off of temp support bench. If anybody has used either of these, I would be interested to hear from. Probably best as another subject line.
Tinker

Dovetail65 · « **Reply #118 on:** February 09, 2009, 04:15 PM »

That flat master cost almost a thousand bucks. Why not get a used Performax(Jet) or even the Delta drum sander at about 1000.00 it is the same price and looks a whole lot better to me.

I will be selling my 22-44 Performax to get the newer Jet Oscillating 22-44 drum sander.

I agree I would need time to develop a procedure to use the Jointmaster pro, but I really want one. Sometimes you can not have everything you want, this is one of those times. It is my kids school trip to Washington for 1350.00 or the Jointmaster pro. Well this is a once in a lifetime thing for her so there really is no choice for me right now.

Nick

Steve-CO · « **Reply #119 on:** February 09, 2009, 04:29 PM »

My kid went to Washington last year, had a great time, good choice there. I don't ever remember trips like this growing up, we maybe got a day bus trip to the zoo. Now my youngest has applied for a trip to Hawaii, which just doesn't seem right considering I've never been there.

Dovetail65 · « **Reply #120 on:** February 09, 2009, 04:34 PM »

In 1978 I went with my class to Washington for 6 days. It was only 350.00! This trip is only 3 days I think. I had so much fun I can't let my kids miss the chance.

My son was going to Spain in his junior year with his Spanish class, but then got a D in the class and could not go, thankfully I did not have to pay for that!

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #121 on:** February 28, 2009, 01:46 AM »

I guess it's time to shake the dust off of this tread.............

(Jointmaker Pros Begin Shipping on Monday............... see John's blog over at http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/)

Matthew Schenker · « **Reply #122 on:** February 28, 2009, 08:40 AM »

Roger,
Thanks for the update. It would be great if John could jump in here with an update, although we have his blog for information as well.

I'd be very interested to hear from people who buy the Jointmaker Pro -- reviews, comments, project photos.

Thanks again,
Matthew

jweatherton · « **Reply #123 on:** March 08, 2009, 10:54 PM »

FYI for everyone following this thread. I just received my "kit" Friday. It looked as if there were a thousand parts. Really only a 100 or so. Went together without problem. What Precision!!! Everything fit just right - no slop. After a few adjustments it seems to be ready to start playing.

Baldock · « **Reply #124 on:** March 10, 2009, 08:26 AM »

Mine came Monday - ditto on fit, finish & assembly. I was expecting black not blue. I think I will love it just the same....

Jim

Matthew Schenker · « **Reply #125 on:** March 10, 2009, 08:41 AM »

Good Morning,
It's exciting that this discussion continues to be one of the most popular destinations in the forum. It represents one of my proudest achievements in the entire history of the FOG.

I'm always talking about how this forum is meant to inspire connections and creativity. Well, the Jointmaker Pro effort embodies all those principles.

I've always wanted to tell the whole story behind this effort. Seems like now might be a good time. Here's how it all this came about...

When the Jointmaker Pro was first mentioned on the FOG, I was fascinated with the concept. It was clear that the tool struck a chord with members here. From that, I decided to reach out to John at Bridge City Tool Works, invite him to our forum, and encourage him to post. He was reluctant at first, for good reason: he had seen a lot of negative stuff in other forums against people who do things differently. But over the course of many e-mails, John finally saw that the FOG was in line with his principles and he did join some of our discussions.

From there, I worked with John to forge a stronger connection between the FOG and Bridge City Tool Works. I had a feeling something more was possible. From those conversations, we developed the idea of having an FOG member travel to the Bridge City Tool Works factory to see and use the Jointmaker Pro. We worked out all the details, then announced it here. Eventually, Roger was chosen as the one to do the trip. After continued offline coordination, John and I arranged all the details of the trip.

It was wonderful knowing that a talented woodworker like Roger was actually travelling to meet and work with a creative outfit like Bridge City Tool Works. Like everyone else here, I was excited to see what Roger would say.

After the trip, I continued to work offline with Roger and John on the next big part: put together a report on the trip, complete with photos and documentation. I helped Roger with all the technical details of reserving post space, posting photos, organizing materials, and publicizing the discussion. At the same time, I was working with John over at Bridge City Tool Works to help him gain positive publicity for his company through the discussion.

I've written to John and Roger offline on occasion to help keep up the interest in this subject, and to keep the update posts coming.

Right now, if you do a search for "Jointmaker Pro" on Google, the Festool Owners Group comes up as one of the top hits.

This stands as one of the most viewed discussions on the forum. It serves as a potential model for other kinds of connections.

Stay in touch,
Matthew

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #126 on:** March 10, 2009, 06:19 PM »

To all JMP'ers....

Here's the new video on the sliders installation for the JMP.

.....it sort of buried in the BCTW's forum.

.....here's the link to BCTW's forum.........http://www.bridgecitytools.com/discussion/

cheers,
Roger

Dovetail65 · « **Reply #127 on:** March 10, 2009, 06:22 PM »

If anyone ever gets one of these and is not happy or just decides it is not for them I would give the original purchase price for it.

I just can no way afford the current pricing. Even though I could use it for work it is to much for me right now.

John if you ever get a broken set up or return or refurb that is not perfect for a lesser price let me know. I would be glad to show it on my web site as a featured tool used to make my inlays, once I get a system down for it that is.,

Thanks for the install video Roger!

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #128 on:** March 10, 2009, 06:46 PM »

FYI to those assembling the JMP ......(from John's tech forum) http://www.bridgecitytools.com/discussion/viewtopic.php?t=21

cheers,
Roger

Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 5:15 pm Post subject: Lube port--sporatic burrs.

Hi All-

I assembled a JMP the other day and came across a situation that you should look out for (it's minor, but minor issues are unacceptable to me) when assembling your JMP.

On top of each dovetailed way are a series of holes which allow you to judiciously apply lube to the angled surfaces of the sliders. I noticed a faint "click" when I moved the one of the tables back and forth. What I discovered was a very small burr on the bottom of the lube port holes on one rail. I carefully removed them with a small slip stone and all is well (if you have a similar issue, 400 grit on a small stick works too).

If it can happen to me, it could happen to you as well. If you do nothing, the function of the tool is not impaired and the burr will eventually fatigue on its own and "go away".

It really bugged me and I am happy to share the solution.

Please let me know if you have encountered a similar issue so I can quantify whether my experience was an anomaly or whether we need to change our mfg. process in the next run;

john@bridgecitytools.com

FYI.

John Economaki

Matthew Schenker · « **Reply #129 on:** March 10, 2009, 10:12 PM »

Roger,
Thanks for the additional posts. I would love to see more people using this and reporting back on their projects.
If John Economaki ever has the time (I know he's got to be incredibly busy) it would be great to hear from him.
Thanks again,
Matthew

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #130 on:** March 13, 2009, 12:58 AM »

Yet another installation video....... (residing within http://www.bridgecitytools.com/discussion/)

JMP Square the Blade to the Tables.....

cheers,
Roger

neilc · « **Reply #131 on:** March 13, 2009, 10:49 PM »

Thanks Roger for that video. I used it last night to make sure the blade was square to the tables.

Mine arrived this week and it took about two hours to assemble it one evening. The instructions were very straight forward.

I have only done a few practice cuts but am amazed with the fit and finish, and overall accuracy. This saw will take some getting used to with the blade cutting up. I already have two cuts on my hands from forgetting that!

Will report back as I work more with it.

neil

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #132 on:** March 13, 2009, 11:17 PM »

Neil,

I'm glad you got yours going.

Don't forget to clean your blade after every several cuts of the sawdust that falls back between those two rows of teeth on the crosscut blade.

Remember with the JMP you have gravity working against you in this instance.

When I was up in Portland, as John was cutting he would take his thumb and forefinger,

and just go down the blade, hmm.... sniping upward - removing the saw dust.

You get used to it after a while.

You'll definitely go through a reprograming using this device.

cheers,

Roger

ps. did you really cut yourself?

daveg · « **Reply #133 on:** March 13, 2009, 11:42 PM »

I just got my shipping confirmation today. I hope to have it here early next week. I'm looking forward to this!

neilc · « **Reply #134 on:** March 13, 2009, 11:58 PM »

Thanks Roger for that tip. I'll definitely use it!

And yes, I did cut myself twice - fortunately one small scrape and a glancing slice about 3/4 inch across a thumb knuckle but it's healing with a bandaid. That blade will slice a layer of skin VERY easily when it is extended and you forget it's there while doing setups or adjustments. The table has the no hands symbols, but you forget how the thin blade is above the table. I've learned!

YOU have been warned

neil

Tinker · « **Reply #135 on:** March 14, 2009, 07:30 AM »

I have never cut myself with router, table saw or chainsaw. I did manage to nick myself with a bandsaw. Probably for same reason you cut yourself with the JMP. The blade becomes almost invisible. It makes no noise and even while looking at it, it is doubtful one would think of it as imposing enough to do much damage.

I have used a "mental" approach to using new tools that I have not been familiar with. Even tho confident, i go thru dry runs with the equipment turned off. I think about the dangers and go thru the operation with great thought about how to do every move without getting my hands into danger. i think about what not to do and then go thru motions avoiding mentally the "what not to do's".

When I zipped into my finger with the bandsaw, I first shut down machine, then checked and applied necessary bandaid. Nothing major, just a slight nick into the tip of finger nail and skin at end of finger. Once bandaid was applied, I manually went thru every problem i could think of for cutting >>> with BS turned off. Even now, after several years use, I still go thru the motions ocassionally just to keep me thinking. I no longer have a table saw in my shop, but if i do return one to the shop, I will go thru the motions as if i had never used one in my life.

i think something like that would be appropriate for new users of the JMP. It is so much different in technology and operation, as well as the blade being motionless and noisless, I am sure we will hear of others cutting themselves with the first few uses

I am sure many of us have watched "Nahm" brush the Tablesaw top with his hands so close to the spinning blade before he makes a cut. My heart is in my mouth every time I see him do that. (and he does it so often it is plainly a habit he will probably never break) I even yell at him. My wife thinks I am crazy. Oh well. She has known me long enough that she knows for certain>>> that's another story

I just don't think that is a great example to be showing any newcomers to WW'ing. If I had a guy working for me and caught him doing that, he would be gone the second time I caught him at it. I give him the two times as by the time he did it the second time, his ears would still be ringing from the first time. there are just so many ways to get hurt with any kind of machinery.
Tinker

Brent · « **Reply #136 on:** March 14, 2009, 09:53 AM »

Funny that the topic of cutting ones self should come up. I've been thinking about that for a bit now. I take Coumadin (an anticoagulent) so cutting myself while in the shop is always a concern. When I first saw the JMP I thought to myself that here's a tool to make those small cuts that will be safer than the BS or TS. Lately though I've been looking at it differently. The fact that the blade is 'raising' through the cut, and the fact that the blade is not on a level the length of the table, both lend themselves to accidents waiting to happen while getting the learning curve under control. Believe me, a small nick can stain a lot of wood when it won't clot on it's own

. Given that the only power train on the JMP will be my own arms, and therefore no possibility of being dragged into the blade, I'll probably wear gloves the first few times I use it.

Matthewajones · « **Reply #137 on:** March 14, 2009, 08:38 PM »

Hi Roger,
How is the Inca Radial arm saw working out? I joined here a few weeks back and have gotten a lot out of it. It was cool seeing your name pop up, so I just had to say hello.
Matthew Jones

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #138 on:** March 15, 2009, 01:04 PM »

Quote from: monstrol on March 14, 2009, 08:38 PM

Hi Roger,
How is the Inca Radial arm saw working out? I joined here a few weeks back and have gotten a lot out of it. It was cool seeing your name pop up, so I just had to say hello.
Matthew Jones

Matt,

Good to see you here! I'll try getting off an email off to you this evening. / Roger

Roger Savatteri · « **Reply #139 on:** March 20, 2009, 01:54 PM »

"Jointmaker Pro - Keel Assembly"

mckenziedrums · « **Reply #140 on:** May 12, 2009, 05:19 PM »

I just wanted to say... Thank you for this write up. And I'm sorry if anyone that's posted here got beat by me on that auction on Ebay for one of these amazing looking tools. I just nabbed one at a fraction of the price due to someone rejecting the delivery based on a scratch on the table top. (Not that I blame you... if I spent that kind of money on it I'd want the top flawless too!)

I'm hoping to make use of this doing precise angled cuts to build stave and segment drums. It looks like it would be very well suited to that kind of repetitive precision cut where you want a perfect gluing surface and need each piece to fit exactly. After reading this write up I knew I had to get this one. =)

TahoeTwoBears · « **Reply #141 on:** December 20, 2010, 03:01 PM »

Since my JMP is enroute, I went back to review this and was bummed that so many of the pictures seem to be missing. Is it just me?

Mike

RonWen · « **Reply #142 on:** December 20, 2010, 04:19 PM »

Quote from: TahoeTwoBears on December 20, 2010, 03:01 PM

Since my JMP is enroute, I went back to review this and was bummed that so many of the pictures seem to be missing. Is it just me?

Mike

No.

DRJONWARD · « **Reply #143 on:** September 19, 2012, 05:26 PM »

THE PHOTOS YOU INCLUDED ARE SPECTACULAR. THERE ARE SOME "image icons" WHICH DO NOT PRODUCE THE IMAGE IT REPRESENTS.

IS THERE A "FIX"?

Alan m · « **Reply #144 on:** September 19, 2012, 05:37 PM »

welcome to the fog.
if they show a little x then click it. if that doesnt work i would PM the poster adn see if they would repost the pics.

Peter Halle · « **Reply #145 on:** September 19, 2012, 05:44 PM »

I am checking into it.

Peter

DRJONWARD · « **Reply #146 on:** September 19, 2012, 07:42 PM »

Seems to be a long standing problem with some of the photo icons dating back to December of 2010. The photos which are opening properly are quite exemplary. Thanks for working on this issue.

PaulMarcel · « **Reply #147 on:** September 20, 2012, 03:12 AM »

If you are going to WIA '12 (Pasadena or Cincinnati), Bridge City will have a bunch of JMPv2s on demo. I'm doing demos for them in Pasadena. It's a fun tool. This was our demo project at last year's WIA'11.

fritter63 · « **Reply #148 on:** September 20, 2012, 11:34 AM »

Would be hilarious if they had an episode of that new "Revolution" show where the JMP was being treated as an incredibly valuable relic because it still worked...

But from what little I've seen of the show it won't last that long....

WillAdams · « **Reply #149 on:** August 31, 2019, 03:25 PM »

I am currently contemplating getting a Jointmaker Pro --- mostly I'd use it for cutting smaller stock to length with hopefully less wasted, but I'm also interested in the idea of using it to resaw (I guess I'd want a rip blade for that).

Has anyone tried resawing stock with it? What would be a reasonable expectation for how wide and long a piece of wood one could resaw with it?

neilc · « **Reply #150 on:** August 31, 2019, 09:58 PM »

I don’t recommend it for resawing. I’ve had one since they were released years ago and upgraded it with new rails, fence, etc. it’s a terrific joint making saw with high precision. But resawing even with a rip blade is very slow. And your length of cut is limited.

WillAdams · « **Reply #151 on:** September 01, 2019, 10:17 AM »

I'm fine with tedium and a limited length --- I guess the limit would be length of saw blade?

Height would be twice the height of the saw blade? (assuming I cut from top and bottom)

It would be for small projects, and fairly expensive stock, but this would be a bonus feature, but hopefully a cost savings which makes this make sense.

Tinker · « **Reply #152 on:** September 01, 2019, 12:05 PM »

Quote from: WillAdams on September 01, 2019, 10:17 AM

I'm fine with tedium and a limited length --- I guess the limit would be length of saw blade?

Height would be twice the height of the saw blade? (assuming I cut from top and bottom)

It would be for small projects, and fairly expensive stock, but this would be a bonus feature, but hopefully a cost savings which makes this make sense.

I think the design of the JMP limits it to only cutting in cross cut mode. I don't think it makes sense to try to feed wood into the JMP in any other way, the same as you would not feed wood into your sliding miter saw. I value my fingers more than trying to save a small piece of wood, no matter how valuable the wood. Granted, the blade is not moving. At some point, the blade does come up above the wood.
Tinker

WillAdams · « **Reply #153 on:** June 22, 2023, 12:33 PM »

Okay, I finally broke down and got one (the recent ad/sale about the 1957 Soviet Submarine aesthetic and the price caught me at a weak moment).

First cut was (of course) amazing, and I'm now looking at actual usage, and wondering what accessories I want/need.

The thing is, the current project is bookbinding, and that needs a plough and press (a traditional bookbinding tool for cutting a book block to size) --- making one seemed like the likely option, but then I considered how much overlap there is between the mechanism of that tool and the Jointmaker....

Has anyone tried using it to cut paper?

I figure if I put a sacrificial piece of wood across the top to hold the folded sheets in place it should work well.

One obvious concern is how much this would dull a blade --- anything else I'm missing?

neilc · « **Reply #154 on:** June 23, 2023, 10:47 AM »

I don't think you'll get a clean cut, even with paper sandwiched between pieces of wood. The JMP is not great for wide cuts. I've had one since they were first introduced and used it a lot of joinery and smaller pieces, but I don't think you'll be pleased with cutting something that's over maybe 2" wide.

WillAdams · « **Reply #155 on:** August 08, 2023, 07:55 PM »

Thanks!

I finally broke down and purchased a guillotine, but I've been doing well w/ the JointMaker Pro cutting box parts and so forth, and in this case, cutting a box apart: