Reply by Fred Hargis

The tables on the jet are 66”, at the time I bought it that was pretty much the standard and those with longer table were seriously premium priced. I’m not sure which one I would get today, but it would have longer tables. The other thing that kind of bothered me with the jet is that the finish just wasn’t what I expected. The castings are very rough, the paint had chips (it actually came with a bit of touch up paint, but it was in can that looked like it had been fished out of the trash). Maybe most of the other jointers would have been comparable (again, at the time) but the Delta had reported problems with the fence and I was avoiding it. The PM really looked nice but was quite a bit higher. I hadn’t really considered the Grizzly units, though I have no problem with them and can’t remember why I didn’t give them a looksee. Today my choice might be a PM or one of the Grizzly models, and it would have longer tables than mine. But all things considered, mine works real well and the only problem I’ve had was a blown cap on the motor; Jet Fed Exed me a new one. So I won’t be replacing it with another 8”, but if I find a deal on a 12” one it will go.

-- Our village hasn't lost it's idiot, he was elected to congress.