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Tool: Black 8″ Helical-Head Jointer JWJ-8HH-BLK Shop Now
Manufacturer: Jet
MSRP: $2499.99
The company JPW (Jet, Powermatic, Wilton) has a long, rich history of offering quality, well-built power tools. (Note the side of my vintage Powermatic Planer in the photo above—circa early 1980’s, still running like the day it was new). Jet recently released a new line of tools with a low-friction coating, which they’re referring to as their “Jet Black” line.
The Jet Black tools follow the same line as the Powermatic Armor Glide that’s been met with nothing but praise. The coating has several different benefits. First, it’s low-friction. JPW claims that the coating reduces friction by about 50%. After using the jointer for several months (I’ve ran several hundred feet of white oak over it for an upcoming project), I agree that it is certainly easier to run material across than cast iron. It becomes really noticeable during a long day of milling lumber.
The next benefit is that the coating virtually eliminates table maintenance. As a fan of vintage cast iron tools, I can tell you that they’re needy .The tables need to be kept dry, waxed, and clean. Not so with the Jet Black series of tools. The coating protects the cast iron underneath and keeps the surface rust free. The surface also offers a bit better visibility, as the black is a very low-glare surface. Finally, the coating is tough. After running several thousand (linear) feet of lumber across the surface of the Jet Black jointer, it shows no signs of getting “thin” or coming off. You can see that it’s not a “fresh surface” anymore, but I’d simply call it “getting broken-in.” Jet has tested the surface for over 250,000 passes. Currently, the Jet Black coating is offered in their 8“ jointer, 14“ bandsaw, edge sander, and their 20“ helical head planer. The Jet Black tools are backed by a 5 year warranty.
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