Bypassed The Variable Speed On Jointer

[kmmcrafts]

I don't know if any remember how I had some issues with my jointer motor variable speed issue back in June.. and the electric motor shop said it's time for a new one as the parts are obsolete.. This motor service place use to save me a ton of money.. but the good guy doesn't seem to work there anymore.. They said the variable speed chip in the circuit board was bad and the circuit board is no longer available.. Well I did some research and found a circuit board but wasn't worth nearly $200to me since this same jointer new is only $250 ish.. Anyway I called the motor shop about bypassing the VS.. he said it was not able to do that on this set-up.. well turns out it is.. after lurking around the web and finding others having the same issue.. some guy posted something about if you have a motor with brushes then you can bypass it.. Anyway after getting this thing apart I see it has a normal pot switch in it.. however I don't care for the VS anyway and always left it on fast speed.. I just wired it to bypass that and it's working great.. 

Unfortunately but I used to brag and send that motor shop a lot of business over the years.. Doubt I'll go back there for anything much any more since the one guy isn't there anymore..

Good day today since I found a fix for my miter saw ( another post earlier today ) and now I got this jointer going.. Just didn't get much scroll sawing done.. only cut 10 ornaments today.. and my goal was to cut about 60, LOL.. Guess the day isn't completely over yet, LOL  

[Woodmaster1]

It is always a great day when you can fix things yourself. Sometimes the so-called professional doesn't have a clue on the easy fixes.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Why would you need variable speed on a jointer. Only those table top jointers have VS. Any light weight woods just take less of a bite. That is how you control speed when jointing. 

[kmmcrafts]

7 hours ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Why would you need variable speed on a jointer. Only those table top jointers have VS. Any light weight woods just take less of a bite. That is how you control speed when jointing. 

My thought exactly JT.. and yes it is just a cheap Delta table top model.. I picked it up about 10 years ago at a garage sale for $25.. was still pretty much new.. While I don't use it a whole lot I'd also be lost without it for certain things that I do use it for.. I think Murphy seen me put new knives in it last year and thought he'd talk me into a new jointer..   

At a recent wood expo show I was looking / thinking quite hard about the bigger Jet jointer they had on display.. but was hard to justify $1000 for something I just don't use a lot but still need in the shop.. Plus.. no more than I use the thing.. it's also hard to justify the floor space the bigger higher end ones take up.. not that I'm  short on space (YET anyway )  

Money better to spend on better saw blades as we discussed yesterday.. Like a better table saw and someday a router..   

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I wish I had a dedicated out building for a shop and space would be no problem. I would have had all the latest and greatest tools. I am a tool junkie.But I work out of a basement shop. I have managed to fit quite abit tools in there and still able to function well. It is nice to have full size toys and walk over and use whenever the need comes up. But they made bench top tools for a reason and yes things can get done using them but there are drawbacks. You make work with what you have. The one thing is not to compromise safety. I have a Delta 6" full size and love it. Use it on every clock I make. We can talk routers when the time comes up.

[stoney]

Yeah Kevin I remember you saying sometime back you had a variable speed jointer.   I stated then I could see no good reason for variable speed on a jointer.   Like JT said the control should be the thickness of the cut being made.   I can't remember ever seeing a surface planer with variable speed cutters and they preform a very similar function. Anyhow glad to hear you now have a usable jointer again. 

[kywoodmaster]

On 9/24/2018 at 6:01 PM, kmmcrafts said:

I don't know if any remember how I had some issues with my jointer motor variable speed issue back in June.. and the electric motor shop said it's time for a new one as the parts are obsolete.. This motor service place use to save me a ton of money.. but the good guy doesn't seem to work there anymore.. They said the variable speed chip in the circuit board was bad and the circuit board is no longer available.. Well I did some research and found a circuit board but wasn't worth nearly $200to me since this same jointer new is only $250 ish.. Anyway I called the motor shop about bypassing the VS.. he said it was not able to do that on this set-up.. well turns out it is.. after lurking around the web and finding others having the same issue.. some guy posted something about if you have a motor with brushes then you can bypass it.. Anyway after getting this thing apart I see it has a normal pot switch in it.. however I don't care for the VS anyway and always left it on fast speed.. I just wired it to bypass that and it's working great.. 

Unfortunately but I used to brag and send that motor shop a lot of business over the years.. Doubt I'll go back there for anything much any more since the one guy isn't there anymore..

Good day today since I found a fix for my miter saw ( another post earlier today ) and now I got this jointer going.. Just didn't get much scroll sawing done.. only cut 10 ornaments today.. and my goal was to cut about 60, LOL.. Guess the day isn't completely over yet, LOL  

Hey Kev

Can you post a how to do this?  I have one of the Delta's that has the same problem and I figured there was a way to do it just haven't had the time to set down and figure it out.

Thanks

Larry

[kmmcrafts]

10 hours ago, kywoodmaster said:

Hey Kev

Can you post a how to do this?  I have one of the Delta's that has the same problem and I figured there was a way to do it just haven't had the time to set down and figure it out.

Thanks

Larry

So I don’t know if you have the same setup as I have. I took the whole jointer apart so I could reroute the wires. But really all that needs to be done I think is to pull the variable speed switch out to access the wires and the circuit board. I was going to just repair the circuit board by soldering a new pot switch in it. Not for me as I don’t use it need the variable speed. Not a big fan of modifying a tool like this because one day some other person may end up with the machine and hurt themself because of my modifications. So do this at your own risk lol. 

Anyway first you need to remove the speed control knob. Mine had a very small set screw which took a very small Allen wrench. Then behind that is a nut and washer. Then you can remove the 4 screws to get inside to the circuit board and the wires.  NOTE: there is another screw all the way to the back that also holds the circuit board in. I broke my circuit board because I didn’t see that last screw otherwise like I said I’d have soldered a new pot to the circuit board. 

You really don’t have to remove the circuit board but I did for easy access to the wires. There are 3 wires on mine two white and one black. I just connected the two white wires together and I cut the black wire off over from the power switch side. I took my circuit board right out and pushed all the wires over to the power switch side where that came from anyway. 

If you can solder good I’d just buy a new pot switch and fix it the way it’s supposed to be. . 

I attached a couple of photos on my circuit board and the spot where it fits into the jointer. I no longer have the wires on that side so maybe you’ll see where that last screw connects to the circuit board. 

Quite simple fix to bypass it without taking the whole thing apart like I did. 

The pot switch is the little round switch where the control knob connects to and can be bought for about $5 

[kywoodmaster]

Thanks. I haven't got into mine yet so I cant say if they look the same. I am like you I never saw the need for the variable speed I think it should be turning wide open. I have a full size very old Sears jointer that works good but that one was handy for short work.

[Miguel Moreno]

On 9/24/2018 at 6:01 PM, kmmcrafts said:

I don't know if any remember how I had some issues with my jointer motor variable speed issue back in June.. and the electric motor shop said it's time for a new one as the parts are obsolete.. This motor service place use to save me a ton of money.. but the good guy doesn't seem to work there anymore.. They said the variable speed chip in the circuit board was bad and the circuit board is no longer available.. Well I did some research and found a circuit board but wasn't worth nearly $200to me since this same jointer new is only $250 ish.. Anyway I called the motor shop about bypassing the VS.. he said it was not able to do that on this set-up.. well turns out it is.. after lurking around the web and finding others having the same issue.. some guy posted something about if you have a motor with brushes then you can bypass it.. Anyway after getting this thing apart I see it has a normal pot switch in it.. however I don't care for the VS anyway and always left it on fast speed.. I just wired it to bypass that and it's working great.. 

Unfortunately but I used to brag and send that motor shop a lot of business over the years.. Doubt I'll go back there for anything much any more since the one guy isn't there anymore..

Good day today since I found a fix for my miter saw ( another post earlier today ) and now I got this jointer going.. Just didn't get much scroll sawing done.. only cut 10 ornaments today.. and my goal was to cut about 60, LOL.. Guess the day isn't completely over yet, LOL  

So I have a Porter Cable 6in jointer that just wouldn't turn on after just using it no humming or anything. I came across this video 

It seems that it is a chip that is the culprit behind this issue if you want to fix it properly this is the way. On the other hand I will just hook it up directly to the the motor like you did. Did you remove the green cable as well that attaches the the rear of the circuit board or did you just leave it there? Also the black cable you removed did you do it from the connection or just cut it out with some pliers?

[kmmcrafts]

2 hours ago, Miguel Moreno said:

So I have a Porter Cable 6in jointer that just wouldn't turn on after just using it no humming or anything. I came across this video 

It seems that it is a chip that is the culprit behind this issue if you want to fix it properly this is the way. On the other hand I will just hook it up directly to the the motor like you did. Did you remove the green cable as well that attaches the the rear of the circuit board or did you just leave it there? Also the black cable you removed did you do it from the connection or just cut it out with some pliers?

Welcome to the scrollsawvillage!!

To be honest I can't remember exactly what I did to wire it up direct as that was 4-5 years ago I think.. and it may not be healthy for the motor as my motor sounds like it bogs down now after a few years.. my knives are getting pretty dull and I'm planning to just buy another one soon. I don't use it a whole lot so being wired direct may have done something to the motor I have no idea.. I got by with it for a few years but with limited use. I have some plans for doing a lot of glue ups etc. so I'm thinking I'll be going with a little higher end larger jointer.. 

 

[John B]

Glad you got it sorted.
My thoughts exactly regarding a variable speed jointer. About as useful as a hip pocket in a singlet

 

[OCtoolguy]

On 3/13/2022 at 12:42 PM, Miguel Moreno said:

So I have a Porter Cable 6in jointer that just wouldn't turn on after just using it no humming or anything. I came across this video 

It seems that it is a chip that is the culprit behind this issue if you want to fix it properly this is the way. On the other hand I will just hook it up directly to the the motor like you did. Did you remove the green cable as well that attaches the the rear of the circuit board or did you just leave it there? Also the black cable you removed did you do it from the connection or just cut it out with some pliers?

I'm just curious, those of you who have watched this video, were you able to hear and/or understand what this guy was saying? I've turned up my volume to full blast and can't understand a word he says. I'm going in for the third watch to see if I can pick up anything I missed. I sort of know what he's saying but can't understand him at all.