If you’re like me, you love finding a good deal on Craigslist, especially when it comes to tools. You sometimes have to be patient, but oh the satisfaction when you snag that sweat deal. On the down side, that often means you’ll need to do a little work to get the tool back into smooth operation.

My latest find was a 6 inch Delta Rockwell jointer on Kijiji. Got it for 200$ CAD, which was a great price considering the new set of blades and closed motor to keep the dust out. It had some rust, which was easily cleaned off with WD-40 and wet/dry ultra fine sandpaper. I also made some adjustments to the fence to get it square.

My biggest issue was the missing blade guard. I personally have a certain attachment to my fingers, every single one of them, so safety is my top priority in the shop.

Step 1: Watch the Video

If you have a jointer model like this one with a spring knob on the underside, check out the YouTube video for step by step instructions on how to make a replacement jointer guard or read on!

All you need for this project is:

a scrap piece of plywood
a 1/2 inch dowel
band saw or jigsawwood
glue

Step 2: Draw Out Your Template

I found a manual for a planer that looked like mine online and, based on the picture, the jointer guard looks something like this (top picture).

I used a compass to draw the bottom semi-circle edge. Aim to have the tip of the pencil hit both edges of your sheet. Don't have a compass? Just use a small paint can. As for the outer and back edges, you can cut those out however you want since the boards don't hit that edge when running them through.

Make sure to draw the hole for the dowel as well.

Transfer your template over to your plywood by tracing the edges with a pencil.

Step 3: Cut Your Plywood

Following the contour that you traced out, cut out your new guard on your band saw, or use a jigsaw.

Use a drill press with a 1/2 inch spade to make the pin hole.

Step 4: Cut the Dowel

You can purchase a half inch dowel at Home Depot for a few bucks. Cut a length of approx. 6 inches. The you will need to make a short (about a half inch) incision across the center of the bottom on one end. You can do this on a band saw if you have one, otherwise clamp the dowel down and use an oscillating cutting tool like I did.

Step 5: Dryfit and Glue

Before gluing, start by dry-fitting. Make a mark along the dowel just above the guard. Make sure to leave a small gap - this will prevent the guard rubbing on the surface of the jointer.

Use this reference guide to glue the guard and dowel together. Use clamps to hold it together while it dries overnight.

Step 6: Install the New Guard

To install the new guard, first grab the tension knob from underneath and spin it several rotations in a counter clockwise direction. Holding the knob, insert the dowel into the hole and adjust so that the pin lines up with the incision in the dowel.