Which device is commonly used to create straight, square edges on stock?

Which device is commonly used to create straight, square edges on stock?

• A. Bench plane
• B. Jointer
• C. Router
• D. Planer

Answer: (B)

To get a straight, square edge on stock, use a jointer. Its design lets you flatten or true one face and then square the opposite edge to that face by guiding the board along a fixed fence. That fence keeps the edge straight and the cut perpendicular to the face, giving a true 90-degree edge across the length of the board. The typical workflow is to first surface one face flat, then joint the edge so it’s square to that face. Once you have a straight, square edge, you can bring the board to a planer to finish thickness while maintaining a reference face. Other tools don’t perform this specific edge-squaring role as reliably: a bench plane can smooth and square somewhat by hand, a router shapes edges or cuts profiles but isn’t used to produce a straight, square edge along stock, and a planer flattens and thicknesses stock but doesn’t guarantee a square edge without a previously true edge.

To get a straight, square edge on stock, use a jointer. Its design lets you flatten or true one face and then square the opposite edge to that face by guiding the board along a fixed fence. That fence keeps the edge straight and the cut perpendicular to the face, giving a true 90-degree edge across the length of the board. The typical workflow is to first surface one face flat, then joint the edge so it’s square to that face. Once you have a straight, square edge, you can bring the board to a planer to finish thickness while maintaining a reference face. Other tools don’t perform this specific edge-squaring role as reliably: a bench plane can smooth and square somewhat by hand, a router shapes edges or cuts profiles but isn’t used to produce a straight, square edge along stock, and a planer flattens and thicknesses stock but doesn’t guarantee a square edge without a previously true edge.