Friction Between Wood and Jointer

Waxing helps wood slide more easily, but the outfeed table may also need adjusting. February 6, 2007

Question
I am trying to joint up some red oak, but the oak seems hard to push through the jointer. The blades are new – it's like the wood is sticking to the bed or fence. Is there a spray used to help the wood slide better?

Forum Responses
(Cabinetmaking Forum)
From contributor D:
Topcote works for me, and it comes in a spray. Most cabinet hardware suppliers have it.

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From contributor T:
Topcoat is great, but in a pinch you could use some Johnson wax, or Minwax's version.

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From contributor F:
That feeling you have that the wood is dragging might be just that. As you wear and dull the knives in one 3/4" area, it actually causes top dead center of that knife area to be a fraction lower. Now the board is actually slightly dragging on the lip of the outfeed table. If you have a hand wheel type of outfeed table adjustment, you can lower the outfeed table just a hair to compensate for knife wear. As stated above, paste wax or some other commercial preparation makes life on any steel tool bed much easier.