Woodworking jointers are essential for shops and professionals because they make two boards square to each other to finish a project. These are essential tools to have in any situation when working with wood. WEN has developed two models, the 6559 and the JT630H, that offer excellent specifications. We will base our recommendation on user skill level and project need.
WEN 6559
The WEN 6559 features a 6 ¼ x 28 ½ inch table. It also has a cutterhead that is twoblades and is 6 1/8 inch. It has a 10 A motor that provides up to 20,000 cuts per minute. This jointer can make cuts that are anywhere from 0 to 1/8 inch.
The fence is adjustable and bevels in either direction up to 45 degrees. The jointer includes a push stick, push block, adjustable 2 ½ inch dust chute, and dust filter bag.
Unfortunately, the fence is lightweight and aluminum and just isn’t that great. It’s not complicated to set up and offers ease of use when setting up for a bevel cut, but it’s just not great quality.
There is some movement on the fence when exactly any type of force against it. Even a gentle hand will create an angle of 1° or more out.
Another issue is the 2-blade cutter. It works amazingly for softwood, leaving a smooth surface. However, working with hardwoods, the blade will not hold up for very long.
Also, the spindle speed is not adjustable. There are no bolt holes to allow for the attachment to a workbench. Users will have to drill their own if they want to add this feature.
The WEN 6559 does, however, feature a solid heavy bed. Assembly is easy. The jointer is ready to go in a few minutes after coming out of the box.
There is a knob on the front panel for super easy depth adjustment. The machine only weighs 36.4 pounds, making it easily transportable. Additionally, it can be bolted to a workbench. It also features a dust extraction port to keep your workspace clean.
WEN JT630H
The spiral cutterhead features 12 staggered HSS blades that provide a beautiful finish to both hard and softwoods. The 10 A motor turns the cutterhead up to a maximum of 12,000 times per minute.
When compared to the WEN 6559, the WEN JT630H does not offer the same high-level speed specification. It does, however, offer better reliability when working with hardwoods. Both models feature problems with the fence being unreliable.
The infeed table is adjustable to remove 0 to 1/8 inch of material per pass. Maximum accuracy comes from a reliable scale for depth of cut.
The table is spacious and measures 30 x 6 inches. The fence can be beveled up to 45 degrees to create angled cuts along the faces of boards.
Additionally, the WEN JT630H features a blade guard to protect users against any kind of injury. Only a small section of the cutterhead is exposed during operation. The kit comes with two push blocks that allow for safer operation.
It features an excellent dust port that will keep the workspace clean. The base is cast iron, making it solid and stable. It features four mounting holes that allow for easy mounting to a workbench.
The WEN JT630H offers cuts that are smooth, accurate, and fast. The finish is incredibly smooth. It also makes less noise than other jointers.
This is the perfect jointer for limited spaces and provides near professional results, setting aside the problems with the fencing. It is lightweight and easy to transport and store.
The cutting head is spiral, not helical. This means that only two sides are used at any time instead of four sides like a helical blade.
Recommendation
Clearly, both jointers offer excellent specifications while also having some negative aspects. The WEN 6559 features great speed, beveling, and portability. Because of its issues with the fencing, we recommend this jointer for DIYers where precision may not be as critical as it is with professional projects.
On the other hand, the WEN JT630H offers decent speed, better options when working with hardwoods, and beveling. We also recommend this jointer for the DIY crowd.