TS3660

How handy is a biscuit jointer to have? I usually dowel my joints but have considered getting a biscuit jointer. Are they all they're cracked up to be? Pun intended.

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Bud

"Capitalism is the unequal sharing of wealth: Socialism is the equal sharing of misery"

Terry Beeson

Wow.... you and I are thinking the same thing, Bud... That could be dangerous on your part... LOL

But I'm anxious to hear the replies myself.

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joasis

I use them on nearly every project....the answer that works for you will be based on what you prefer....they are not "traditional"......and takes very little skill to master the use of a biscuit jointer. Win win situation as far as my opinion goes.....I have the Porter Cable model....FWIW.

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Daren

I think they are very handy. Way easier to line up than doweling. Faster lay out, faster cutting than drilling dowels. The height from the surface of the board is set by the fence so no high/low in the joined boards. Make your match marks on the pieces and line the center mark on the biscuit cutter fence, pull the trigger and push it in.
Granted I typically use single board construction (like 24" wide boards, not 4- 6"ers) so I do not to as much jointing really as others. But I used to dowel and found the biscuit much easier for me (you can be a little off side to side with a biscuit and the pieces will still go together)
I bought a cheapy reconditioned one 4-5 years ago just to see if I would use it...never bought an expensive one the cheapy is still working just fine. I know I paid less for the machine than a "good" doweling jig and you don't have all the extra "stuff". A pencil, biscuit cutter, biscuits, and glue does it all.

My $.02, I would recommend looking into one.

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Big Dave

I have one and use it all the time. I use mine more for alignment than strenth of joint.

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JackC

Do you set it so the cut is not in the middle but slightly below? I've seen a table top where the location of every biscuit could be seen due to "shrinkage".

Daren

That top had more problems than biscuit location,obviously, it would not have mattered.

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firefighteremt153

Woodcraft has a triton TC9BJM biscuit joiner for $100.00. I just ordered it the other day and I'm waiting for it to get here. I couldn't find any info(reviews) on their BJ on the web but Triton has a pretty good rep from everything I've read about them. I'll try to remember to say a few words about it once I play with it some.

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cabinetman

I have a DeWalt and only use biscuits as an absolutely last resort for joinery. They don't insure alignment. If they did, there wouldn't be room for glue. There is an initial slip fit gap. That's what gives room for mis-alignment. IMO, helping to keep two pieces from separating is what biscuits are about.

I prefer a spline over a biscuit.

raskgle

I ordered the disk-kit from sears, my feeling is that the 2 inch blade eather cuts to deap. the diskets are set for a 4 inch blade. I have them both.

clarionflyer

They're quick and easy to use.
Just by looking at it, I wouldn't think they would be very strong. Basically the joint is held together by surface glue and the strength of that little biscuit. But Let me tell you they're pretty tough! I built a quickie table for my son (less than an hour) and I've seen him do incredibly punishing things to those joints without a failure. I was impressed.
Go 'head and laugh - I got the Craftsman (tons of gift cards )... around $90, and it's been a good machine. No problems.
And in certain situations... the biscuit joint is about the only good option. Try it.. they're cheap.

LaurelLaneWoodWorks

I purchased a used DeWalt from a Craig's Lister for $75. It works GREAT! It was in nice shape, and I got a TON of biscuits with it. It's very nice when you want to glue up something and keep it aligned. I would admit, there are times when I would like to use a spline and it would look good, but there are other times when the biscuit works easier and faster.

Boardman

I don't have one but I recall how they were initially pushed by some TV people like Norm Abrams. They fell a little out of favor after the "telegraphing" problems started to show - the sunken spots someone mentioned seeing on a table top.

From what I gather the problem was from the glue expanding the biscuits so there was a swelling. If you sanded down that spot too early - after the glue had fully dried and the biscuits shrank down - you end up with apparent divots when it was fully dried.

skymaster

Bud; Hi again, biskits work great. As with any tool there are some limitations. That said you cant beat em for glue ups, no mechanical fastenerd joints ect. They are way faster and easier than dowels by far. The divot issue is easily solved by allowing everything to dry properly. The biggest improvement of late is to run a continous 5/32 slot the whole distance of a carcass and jut put biskits in facefream where it works best then you have no locations to match in boxes since slot is whole length, glue the puppy pop in in place Shazam u is done.
Jack

John in Tennessee

Pocket screws show up here the day after I was ponderin'
them and now biscuit joints show up

JackC

That's exactly what he was told. That's why when Nahm uses them now he places them not in the middle but slightly below. Figure a 1/3 of the thickness.

DeputyMike

I recently purchased a porter cable biscuit joiner as well and have a dumb (most likely) question. I understand that the adjustment knob on top of the fence? raises the fence up and down. But that doesn't change where the cutter cuts into the wood because the cutter itself doesn't move. I put a board on the table and the biscuit joiner on the table so they are in the same plane. When I make the cut, obviously the slot is the distance from the BOTTOM of the tool, so how does moving the fence up and down supposed to change where the cut goes?

johnjf0622

I purchased a Ryobe a few years back cause of cost and wanted to see if I liked a biscut jointer or not. That being all theprevious years it was doweling jigs . I used it a few times and seems to be good. Looking to upgrade to an higher quality one. Placement is important of the biscuts. You dont want to place the biscut close to where you are going to trim the ends of the boards. Not a very pretty look with that showing. Over all go for it practice on your scrap pile and you will see it is not really a big deal to use and is easy.

John

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Domer

Biscuits are pretty strong.

I build some chairs close to twenty years ago entirely with biscuits and except for the one my son bashed into the ground, they are still working.

I also built a garden bench with biscuits as well. It is also twenty years old and still solid.

I have not had the leveling problem with biscuits that others have mentioned nor the divits they mention.

The problem I have had in designing pieces to use biscuits is that you have to have at least two inch wide pieces or the blade cuts out on the end.

Biscuit joiners are a great tool but shouldn't be the only way you have to join wood.

Domer

Fyrzowt

If you have the 2 side knobs loose when you turn the top adjustment knob, the cutter moves up and down in relation to the fence. Since the fence is sitting on the wood, the cutter also moves up and down relative to the wood.