I know prices are rising with every industry, but my gosh are jointers expensive now versus just a few years ago. For reference, a popular planer like the DW735 planer is up a few hundred but routinely dips down to near original MSRP with sales on Black Friday.

I'm looking at a 6" jointer and if I want a brand like Grizzly I'm minimum a grand or more with freight. Jet/Powermatic are in the 1500 and up range. I could get a Ridgid and I'm sure it would be more than fine but it sits at $799 without a mobile base and I'd like to have a cabinet model.

Craigslist/FB Marketplace are not turning up anything.

Is this somewhat a result of increased demand of new woodworkers the past two years? Or is it more isolated to the bigger brands like Jet/Powermatic/Laguna? Was also researching bandsaws and the Lagunas are up several hundred in the last 2 years alone.

Hi, my neighbor has one of these on a dewalt stand.

@ChuckS That was my original plan. However it just seems like a pain unless you're forced to do it. Then you have to account for snipe as well.

My neighbor has an older Jet when they used to be blue. It's really well kept. He's in his 80's and doesn't do woodworking anymore. I carefully asked if he'd consider selling it so we'll see. I understand the sentimental value of a well used tool. That would be the easiest option as I could just use a big dolly to wheel it from his basement to mine.

@ChuckS That was my original plan. However it just seems like a pain unless you're forced to do it. Then you have to account for snipe as well.

My neighbor has an older Jet when they used to be blue. It's really well kept. He's in his 80's and doesn't do woodworking anymore. I carefully asked if he'd consider selling it so we'll see. I understand the sentimental value of a well used tool. That would be the easiest option as I could just use a big dolly to wheel it from his basement to mine.

Yes, the tradeoff is additional processing time (and that's why I do it for as many boards as I can foresee each time).

You can't avoid the snipe thing because after you flatten one side on the jointer, you still need to pass it through the planer to dimension it to thickness. I minimize the waste due to snipe by not cutting the ends of the rough lumber until after its flattening.

@DynaGlide prices are crazy. I bought a new 20 inch Powermatic helical head planer in June last year for 4200, the current price is 6000

Seems that as a result people aren’t upgrading their equipment which means fewer machines available used. Plus the used prices are higher

Prices for new steel has gone up significantly almost double. Buying from the scrap yard has doubled as  well.

There are machines out there though.

You may need to expand your search on the used market and just assume you’ll need to drive to pick it up. Facebook Marketplace will let you search a 500 mile radius.

I think I drove around 800 miles round trip to pick up my 16 inch Oliver. But absolutely worth it. 

Use a Craigslist search engine like searchtempest.com to manage your searches.

Also don’t shy away from commercial equipment or 3 phase. Smaller jointers usually have a smaller motor that can easily be run off a VFD.

irsauctions.com is an online auction house dealing with surplus equipment and business liquidations. (Industrial recovery service not the FEDS)

govdeals.com is another source for equipment.

Jointers are fairly simple machines with usually only a couple of bearings on the head.

Ron

Just to add to the hand wringing... ...was at Menards yesterday and noticed that 100 feet of 12/3 NM-B copper is now over $200 with the taxes added. And I don't need to add that 100 feet of wire doesn't go very far.

@rvieceli

Thanks Ron. That IRS Auctions site could get a guy in trouble if he had a large shop and cash to burn. Some real big boy machinery on there.

I'll keep looking. I get the feeling not owning a truck/cargo van is going to really hinder my ability to pick something up if I find it.

That’s what UHaul, Penske and Budget are for. 

Ron

Yep, I live in the city and had a All aluminum off road trailer I built but it came in handy for lots of stuff since I dont have a pick up anymore but the storage was killing me.  I have a uhaul less than a mile from me so I finally sold the trailer and just spend 20 bucks if I need to move something. 

Powermatic double drum sander is cool and were I able to get it through my basement door I'd be driving to DE.

Great. If it was a bit closer than 120 miles from me I might be tempted to
make a trip. That's 12 gallons of diesel @ $6.19/gal and a $5 bridge toll.

But that's a fair chunk of change in fuel and tolls for a joy ride as I am not in
need of anything.

But no doubt if I was there I could find something I just had to have. :-)

It's worth it if they have what you need. Good luck.

I have no problem buying older American iron, so I grabbed a Powermatic PM50 from Ebay out of a school equipment replacement program for $164. The bearings could use replacement in the future, and I upgraded the switch to a larger STOP paddle type. Hooked it up to dust collection and put it to work. Is there a benefit to new equipment? Not much if you don't mind a couple hours of work and less than $80 in bearings, and maybe brushes. Shelix heads can be installed in most any piece of equipment, but jointer blades are easy enough to sharpen.

I didn't take down my searches for a jointer since an 8" jointer is preferable, and I can resell the Powermatic PM50. If buying new I would go for an 8" at time of purchase.

This doesn't apply 100% of the time but..."Inflation" coincides with "Record Corporate Profits".

Great. If it was a bit closer than 120 miles from me I might be tempted to
make a trip. That's 12 gallons of diesel @ $6.19/gal and a $5 bridge toll.

But that's a fair chunk of change in fuel and tolls for a joy ride as I am not in
need of anything.

But no doubt if I was there I could find something I just had to have. :-)

Much closer if you take the ferry to Lewes...

RMW 

I am considering the Jet combo that ToolNut has on sale.  Yes it is NOT for a commercial shop, but to get a short bed jointer (10") and a 10" planer combo for less than $800 for my needs -it sure is tempting.

Peter

Careful Peter. The reviews on that are not great.

Quote from: Bob D. on May 26, 2022, 01:07 PM

Great. If it was a bit closer than 120 miles from me I might be tempted to
make a trip. That's 12 gallons of diesel @ $6.19/gal and a $5 bridge toll.

But that's a fair chunk of change in fuel and tolls for a joy ride as I am not in
need of anything.

But no doubt if I was there I could find something I just had to have. :-)

Much closer if you take the ferry to Lewes...

RMW 

Maybe for you living on the east coast, but I am 26 miles from the DMB. It's 58 miles to the Ferry for me plus you get to wait an hour or more, both ways.

Right now there is a $5 fuel surcharge for the Ferry, because the $45 fare is not enough. And that's the low side, the rate varies with time of day and how far in advance you book. Waste of time AND money. they should discontinue service and build a bridge/tunnel like was proposed decades ago. It could have paid for itself a dozen times over by now.