Photo Index - Northfield Foundry & Machine Co. - 8" Medium Duty Jointer

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Northfield Foundry & Machine Co.
Northfield, MN

True Manufacturer:
Northfield Foundry & Machine Co., Northfield, MN

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Jointer
Machine Size:	8-MD
Submitted By:	Loren Osterbauer

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	8" Medium Duty Jointer
Date of Manufacturer:	1989
Serial Number:	891154-F (View SN Registry Entry)
Last Updated	8/21/2023 4:59:48 PM

Comments:

I purchased this from a private seller in Lakeland MN. in November of 2017 after seeing it listed on Craigslist. He had 2 Northfield jointers, both similar, but one was a 12" and the other was this 8". All things being equal he kept the 12" and sold the 8" to me. He loaded it onto my 5X10 utility trailer with a car hoist and I pulled it the 30 miles home. I requested the history on it from Northfield Machinery Builders shortly afterwards and their reply was interesting. In part it read: "891154-F is a Northfield 8" Medium Duty Jointer with a 3HP direct motor drive, 4 knife head, hand brake, switch for hand brake, dust chute and was wired for 230v/60cy/3ph. It left our plant on June 15th 1989 and shipped to Peerless Level and Tool Co. in Walnut IL. In 2005 it was acquired by Al's Cabinets in Burnsville, MN. In 2013 it was acquired by Regalwood Cabinets in Burnsville MN. No parts have ever been sent to it".
While traveling through Illinois in 2018 I took a small detour and went to Walnut to see if the Peerless Level and Tool plant was still around. It was still there but had long ago been shut down and boarded up.
I can now only imagine that this jointer had some part in helping make the nice brass bound mahogany level marked "Peerless Level and Tool, Walnut IL." hanging on the cabinet next to it in my shop.
I run it on single phase now, using an Allen Bradley Powerflex 4 single phase 230V input to 230V 3 phase output inverter/drive. The drive allows soft start and slow ramp down when hitting the stop button. The little drive works flawlessly and makes this my favorite machine, I use it all the time.

Photo 1:

Comments: Northfield 8-MD front view
Source: my iphone

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Photo 2:

Comments: Northfield 8-MD front view with hand brake and motor cutout switch for handbrake
Source: My iphone

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Photo 3:

Comments: Northfield 8-MD infeed side with 1phase to 3 phase drive upper right
Source: My iphone

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Photo 4:

Comments: Northfield 8-MD infeed side showing safety guards
Source: My iphone

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Photo 5:

Comments: Northfield 8-MD fence detail. The original adjustment lever had been broken and brazed as a repair. I ordered a new one from Northfield and replaced it.
Source: My iphone

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