by the Professional Power Tool Guide Crew
Woodworking is one of the most popular hobbies in the United States. Although there has been a decline in the number of true wood workers across the country, there has been an increase in the number of shops that have opened which allow wood workers access to expensive power tools, such as saws, planers and joiners. Many of these shops also offer instruction on how to use the tools and may even provide step-by-step classes for specific projects. Many that come to these places may never have seen some of these tools and may ask things like, what’s a joiner?
A joiner is a specific type of tool that is used to apply a flat, smooth edge to a piece of wood, so that it may be joined with another piece of wood in order to form a wider board. The goal of a joiner is to be able to create a wider board that has an almost imperceptible joint between the two boards. If done correctly, wood putty can be used to further conceal the joint so that there is almost no way of telling where the two boards became one. Many people first coming into a woodworking class may wonder “what is a joiner used for?”
As already stated, a joiner is used for creating smooth joints between boards. What people are truly wondering when they ask what is a joiner used for is why would you want two boards joined together? If you wanted a wider board, why not just use a wider board? The answer to that question is pretty straight forward. It is less expensive to use two narrower boards than it is to use one wider one. The wider the board, the broader the tree that it came form needed to be. It can take centuries for a tree to get broad enough to be used for something like a door or table in a single board. By using a joiner however, a much younger tree can be used to accomplish the same thing.
If you have questions like “what is a joiner?”, then you should check your area to see if there is a woodworking shop nearby. Go in and take some classes. You may find that it is a very relaxing and rewarding pastime. If there is not a woodworking shop near you, check your local home improvement or hardware store and see if they offer classes.
