If you've spent any time looking at woodworking machinery, you'll probably have come across the jointer. It's one of those machines that seems almost essential when you're starting out. A jointer gives you a flat face and a straight edge. That sounds pretty important.
But there's a problem for many small workshops. Jointers are big. They're expensive. And they take up a lot of space.
So, do you really need one? For most small workshops, the answer is no.
A jointer is certainly useful, particularly if you regularly prepare rough-sawn timber. But there are several practical ways to create a straight reference edge without owning one. In fact, if you already have a table saw, router, hand plane or even a good straightedge, you may already have most of what you need.
In this article, we'll look at five practical ways to get straight edges without buying a jointer.
What Does a Jointer Actually Do?
Before looking at the alternatives, it's worth understanding what we're trying to achieve.
A jointer is designed to create a straight, flat reference surface. Typically, you use it to:
- Flatten one face of a board
- Straighten one edge
- Create a reliable reference surface for other machines
- Prepare boards for edge-to-edge glue joints
The important part is that the jointer isn't making the wood magically straight. It's giving you a controlled way of removing material until you have a surface you can use as a reference.
Once you understand that, the alternatives become much easier to understand. You don't necessarily need a machine called a jointer. You need a reliable way of creating a straight reference edge.
1. Use a Hand Plane
The simplest alternative is also one of the oldest. Use a hand plane.
A plane is perfectly capable of producing a straight edge, and you don't need a large machine taking up half your workshop to do it.
The basic process is straightforward. First, identify the high spots and establish where material needs to be removed. Then work along the edge with a suitable plane, checking your progress regularly with a straightedge or winding sticks as appropriate.
A longer plane can make this easier because its sole bridges small hollows in the timber. A jack plane such as a No. 5 is a particularly useful general-purpose plane for this sort of work. For longer boards, a longer fore or jointer plane can make maintaining a straight edge easier, but you don't automatically need to buy one.
The important thing is to learn to check your work rather than simply keep removing material. A straightedge is one of the simplest and most useful accessories you can own.
The advantage: It's quiet, inexpensive compared with a machine and takes up virtually no workshop space.
The disadvantage: It's slower than using a machine, particularly if you're preparing a large quantity of timber. But if you're a hobby woodworker making one project at a time, that may not matter.
2. Use a Table Saw With a Jointing Jig
If you already have a table saw, you may not need a jointer at all. A table saw can produce a very straight edge, provided you can safely guide the board so that the rough edge doesn't dictate the cut.
That's where a jointing jig comes in. The basic idea is to create a straight reference surface that runs against the table saw fence. The board is secured to the jig with the rough edge overhanging the cutting area. The jig then provides the straight reference, allowing the saw blade to remove the irregular edge.
Once you've made the first straight edge, you can remove the jig and use that new edge against the table saw fence for subsequent cuts.
This is a very useful technique for small workshops because it turns a machine you may already own into a surprisingly capable edge-jointing setup.
Using the HDS Portable Workbench as a Table Saw Jointing Jig
This is where a compact workshop setup can get particularly interesting. The HDS Portable Workbench has a vertical workholding section that can be used as a useful reference surface when preparing timber.
Rather than thinking of that vertical section simply as something for holding a workpiece, it can also form part of a table-saw jointing setup. The basic principle is the same as a conventional jointing jig. The rough board is held against the straight vertical reference surface of the workbench, allowing that surface to guide the timber while the table saw removes the irregular edge. The result is a straight reference edge that can then be used for subsequent cuts.
This is particularly useful if you have a small workshop where space is limited and you don't want a dedicated jointer taking up valuable floor space. Instead of buying another large machine, you're making more use of equipment you already have.
The important point: The setup needs to be secure and controlled. The board must be properly supported, the jig/workbench arrangement must be stable, and the timber needs to be kept under control throughout the cut. Don't improvise a setup that leaves the workpiece loose or puts your hands close to the blade.
The advantage of this approach isn't simply that it saves money. It's that it gives a small workshop another way of processing rough timber without needing another dedicated machine.
3. Use a Router and Straightedge
A router can also produce an extremely straight edge. The basic idea is simple. You position a straightedge or guide alongside the board and run a router against it. The router bit then removes the material that extends beyond the guide.
This can be particularly useful when working with wide boards or panels that are difficult to manage on a table saw. You can also use a router with a suitable straight bit and guide to straighten an edge before using that edge as a reference for further work.
The key is the guide. The router isn't deciding where the straight edge goes. The straightedge is. This means the quality of your guide matters. A good straightedge should actually be straight and rigid enough not to deflect while you're working.
When is this method useful? It's particularly handy when:
- The board is too wide for your table saw
- You don't have a jointer
- You need to straighten one edge of a large panel
- You already own a router
- You're working with plywood or sheet goods
It can be a very versatile solution.
4. Use a Circular Saw and Straightedge Guide
You don't even need a table saw. A circular saw combined with a good straightedge guide can do much the same basic job. This is particularly useful for large boards and sheet materials.
The principle is simple. Clamp a straight guide to the workpiece and run the saw against it. The guide controls the saw, giving you a straight cut. If you're starting with a rough edge, you position the guide so that the saw removes the irregular section.
Once you've made the first straight edge, you have a reliable reference for subsequent cuts. A track saw works on exactly the same general principle, although it incorporates the guide into the system.
For a small workshop, this can be a very practical approach because a circular saw and guide take up very little space compared with a jointer.
One important limitation: A saw is removing material by cutting it away rather than shaving it gradually. That means you need to position the guide accurately before making the cut. Measure twice. Check the amount you're removing. Then make the cut.
5. Use a Shooting Board and Hand Plane
For smaller pieces of timber, there's another beautifully simple solution. A shooting board and hand plane.
A shooting board allows you to hold the workpiece securely while using a plane to create a straight and square edge. It's particularly useful for:
- Small boards
- Cabinet components
- Shelves
- Boxes
- Small panels
- End-grain work
The shooting board gives you a controlled reference surface while the plane does the cutting. It's slow compared with a machine, but it's also remarkably accurate.
And it has another advantage for the small workshop: it doesn't need much space. You can build a shooting board yourself and store it against a wall or underneath a bench when you're not using it.
For someone who enjoys traditional woodworking, this can be one of the most satisfying ways to prepare an edge.
Which Method Should You Use?
There isn't one answer. The best method depends on the tools you already own, the size of your timber and the amount of material you're preparing.
| Method | Best suited to | Main advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Hand plane | Individual boards and general woodworking | Simple and versatile |
| Table saw + jointing jig | Small and medium boards | Fast and accurate |
| HDS Portable Workbench + table saw | Small workshops | Makes better use of existing equipment |
| Router + straightedge | Wide boards and panels | Very flexible |
| Circular saw + guide | Large boards and sheet material | Compact and portable |
| Shooting board + plane | Smaller components | Accurate and inexpensive |
You can also combine these methods. For example, you might use a hand plane to remove the worst of the twist, then use a table saw jig to create a reference edge. Or use a circular saw to establish a straight edge on a large board before using a plane to refine it.
What About Really Rough Timber?
This is where it's important to be realistic. If you're buying rough-sawn timber that's badly twisted, bowed and cupped, getting a perfectly straight edge is only part of the problem. You may need to establish a flat face before you can reliably straighten the edge.
A jointer is useful because it can do this efficiently. But there are still alternatives. You can use:
- A hand plane
- A planer sled
- A router sled
- A straightedge and router
- A combination of hand and power tools
The right approach depends on the size of the timber and how much material needs to be removed. The important thing is to establish one reliable reference surface first. Once you have that, the rest of the machining process becomes much easier.
Why Small Workshops Often Don't Need a Jointer
A jointer is a fantastic machine. If you're processing large quantities of rough timber every week, it's difficult to beat the speed and convenience of having one.
But think about how much timber a typical hobby woodworker actually processes. You might buy a few boards for a project. You might prepare them once. Then you move on to building the project.
For that type of woodworking, a large machine that spends most of its time sitting unused can be difficult to justify. The alternatives we've looked at are slower, but they're also flexible.
A hand plane can be used for dozens of other jobs. A table saw is useful for countless operations. A router is one of the most versatile machines in a workshop. A circular saw can be used for breaking down sheet material and rough timber.
And an HDS Portable Workbench can perform many different workholding jobs while also providing a useful vertical reference surface for a table-saw jointing setup. That's an important consideration when you're working in a limited space.
The Jointer Isn't the Goal — A Straight Edge Is
It's easy to get caught up in the equipment. You see a jointer in a woodworking video and think: “I can't properly prepare timber because I don't have one.”
But that's not really the problem you're trying to solve. The problem is that you need a straight, reliable reference edge. How you create that edge is up to you.
A hand plane can do it. A table saw and jig can do it. A router and straightedge can do it. A circular saw and guide can do it. A shooting board can do it.
And if your workshop is set up around compact equipment, you can often find clever ways to combine the tools and workholding equipment you already own.
So, Do You Really Need a Jointer?
If you're running a professional workshop that processes large amounts of rough timber, a jointer can be an extremely useful machine. For a small hobby workshop, however, it's worth asking whether the space and cost are justified by the amount of work you'll actually do on it.
If you're only preparing a few boards at a time, you have plenty of alternatives. And that's really the point. You don't need a jointer to make a straight edge. You need a reliable method of creating a straight reference surface.
For some people, that's a hand plane. For others, it's a table saw and jointing jig. For a compact workshop, it might be a combination of a table saw and the vertical workholding section of an HDS Portable Workbench. And for someone working mainly with large sheet materials, a circular saw and straightedge may be all that's required.
Before you find space for another large machine, look at the tools you already own. You may already have everything you need to get the job done.