It’s hard to get along without a jointer if you want to surface stock flat, smooth and square, but a stationary machine will require dedicated floor space. For small-shop convenience, Shop Fox now offers a 76-lb. alternative that fits on a bench and will flatten stock up to 6-in. wide. The W1829 Benchtop Jointer features a precision-ground, 28-1/2-in.-long cast-iron table and a cast-iron fence with tilt stops at 45 and 90 degrees. The machine is powered by a 1-1/2 hp universal motor operating on household current. Its two-knife cutterhead produces 20,000 cuts per minute. A built-in impeller blows dust and chips through a 2-1/2-in.-diameter dust port and into an included filter chute, sized to fit over the rim of a galvanized trash can. Or, you could connect most standard shop vacuum hose nozzles to the dust port instead. The jointer’s overall size is 29-1/2 in. long x 19-3/4 in. wide x 12-1/2 in. tall, so it could even be stored on a deep shelf. Two safety push blocks are included with the machine, which is available now through Shop Fox dealers and sells for around $310.
