While milling long lumber for a tabletop, I had trouble controlling the planks on my jointer, especially balancing a board to remove twist. I tried using work stands for extra support, but they weren’t effective. So I created these extensions for the infeed and outfeed tables. They should work on any jointer with square sides.

The trick to attaching and supporting the tables is getting them perfectly level with the jointer and keeping them that way. To do so, I made a cam system that bolts to the sides of the jointer.

After ripping and rabbeting the tables and sides to fit my jointer, and cutting the rest of the parts, I joined everything with glue and fasteners. To locate the tapped holes for the cam system, I started by drilling 1/16-in. holes in the sides of the extension tables. After clamping the tables level with the top of the jointer tables, I used the holes as a reference to drill into the cast-iron jointer tables with the same bit. When drilling, be sure to lubricate the bit.

Next I removed the wood extensions and used a #7 drill bit (a 13/64-in. bit also works) to drill for the 1⁄4-20 tap. You’ll drive the tap with a small T-handle. Lubricate the tap and start twisting it into the hole. As it forms chips, the tap will bind. Reverse it for a full turn or so and then continue forward progress.

To create the height adjusting cams, I use sections of two dowels. Drill a 1/4-in.-dia. hole for the bolt in the larger dowel off-center by 1⁄8 in. Drill a second hole in the larger dowel to accept the smaller dowel, and glue it in. The small dowel acts as a handle to use while you tighten the bolt.

Note: When you adjust the infeed table to change the depth of cut, you’ll need to adjust the leveling feet on that extension table accordingly.

Cam detail

—JIM SCHOONFIELD, Shelby Township, Mich.

Illustrations by Dan Thornton
From Fine Woodworking issue #297