Biscuit joiner

[cyclopentadiene]

If you choose the costly option, festool domino, you will never look back to regret it. It aligns perfectly, forms a strung bond and has far more uses than just alignment. No more mortise an tenon joints. In less than 5 minutes per geg, you can attach stretchers and have a dry fit table that once glued is just as strong as traditional joinery that takes 30-45 minutes per leg
How do you value your time? Dewalt or PC biscuit jointer $200 festool $900. Your time @ $30 per hour, $60savings in time per table so 11 tables and it is paid for.

 

[wsrhue]

15 year old PC. I have a domino, but I usually grab the biscuit jointer out of habit. I'd jump on the $50 Power cable Phil has.

 

[Martin Roper]

I have the DeWalt. It hasn't seen the light of day since I got a Domino.

One of these days I'll dig it out and put it in the For Sale section.

 

[JMcanoe]

I got a good deal on a lightly used Porter Cable several years ago. It's nice for installing face frames on cabinets/bookshelves. I made the jig in the attached link (worth $6 for the downloadable plans) and it greatly enhanced its operation - quicker, repeatable, everything stayed flat, and the opposing biscuit slots lined up nicely. I actually leave the tool installed in the table. It's set up for 3/4" stock and anything different would require modifications. The triangular piece presses the board against the fence and can be pivoted to a 45 degree angle to install biscuits in the ends of miter joints. As with all substantial jigs, the only downside is finding a place to store it when not in use. Accurate-Alignment biscuit-Joiner Jig Woodworking Plan from WOOD Magazine

 

[mikeyt]

Nice jig!
I think half the fun for me is gonna be building jigs and stuff.

 

[patlaw]

I have an Elu 3380. It's the first one Norm used on The New Yankee Workshop. They're actually desirable to people who have gotten used to them. I'm not crazy about it so it's hardly used.

 

[Phillip Mitchell]

I use biscuits all the time and do a lot of what I would call picky/high end work. When using them for alignment / edge / panel glue ups, most of the time I will not glue them in their slots but only use them for aligning (dry) during glue up with the glueing going all the full edges as normal. This is plenty good enough to get essentially flush glue seams unless your boards are just not flat, which will always be a fight no matter how you tackle it.

I have had a few Lamello’s and currently have the Classic X, which is perfect and dust collection is outstanding - compared to older models I’ve used. I do use Lamello brand biscuits that I buy in bulk boxes of 1000+.

i also have a DF500 and use it often as well, but typically grab the Lamello for edge glue up alignment purposes in stock that is 1” thick or less. It’s quicker (for me), does the same function, and biscuits are cheaper in bulk than dominos. I also use biscuits a good bit in cabinetry style joinery, but dominos are often the stronger choice for furniture style joinery.

I have never had an issue with biscuits telegraphing through or swelling / caving the glue joint.

 

[bob vaughan]

I have an Elu 3380. It's the first one Norm used on The New Yankee Workshop. They're actually desirable to people who have gotten used to them. I'm not crazy about it so it's hardly used.

I'm a frequent user of the Elu 3380. I use it to plow grooves and then insert splines. I wouldn't want to be without it.

...and for some amusement, Porter Cable used to make a bench mounted biscuit jointing machine (32-100) that was foot operated. I had one for a short while but eventually moved it along. For those that haven't seen one: