Biscuit Jointer

[Dave S]

Just picked up an unused DeWalt 682K for a hundred quid ;D
Guy bought it for a project and never used it. Clean as a whistle, it doesn't look like it's ever been out of the case. Only thing missing is the instructions - will have to see of I can download a copy from the website.

So - never having used a biscuit jointer before - a couple of questions....

firstly, any tips or pointers before I start experimenting?

secondly, are biscuits all much the same, or is it worth going for a better make?

cheers
Dave

[paulchapman]

Sounds like a good buy, Dave. Biscuit jointing is very fast and very accurate but has the advantage of a bit of leeway sideways, so I'm sure you'll enjoy using it.

Because you are plunging a fast, revolving blade into a stationary piece of wood or man-made material, the tool can sometimes get thrown off line. If you are using something relatively soft, like chipboard or MDF, you can usually plunge the blade straight in, but with something harder, like oak, I find it better to plunge in the blade in small steps. Always hold the tool firmly.

Keep your biscuits somewhere dry and warm or they can swell up in storage and it's a pain having to sand them to fit

Apart from that, I find them very straight forward to use.

Cheers

Paul

One other point - you will sometimes hear about tell-tale swelling on the surface of the wood being jointed where the biscuits have swelled (as they are designed to do). What can happen is that if the material is relatively soft and thin (say, some mahogany veneered Contiboard) you can get some localised telegraphing on the surface of the board. If you sand or scrape this before the adhesive and board have fully dried out, you will be left with a slight depression when it does dry out fully, which can show up with a high-gloss finish. The trick is to leave it a few days before sanding. With something like inch-and -a-half oak, you could ignore it.

[jaco]

Have used biscuits on lots of projects. Quick & easy.

I dont have a biscuit jointer, but a biscuit bit for my router.
Fitted to the table works well, you are limited though in the application.

[scrums]

I'm a bid fan of Biscuit Jointers for the right application - I have an elderly Elu.

Biscuits however are prone to moisture, and being a reasonably tight fit anyway, this can be a bit of a problem. However, someone does them that are moisture resistant..........I know, I've got them and they are......but I can't remember who !!

..........hope this helps !

Chris.

[Scott]

paulchapman said:

Keep your biscuits somewhere dry and warm or they can swell up in storage and it's a pain having to sand them to fit

Sanding biscuits?? Put them in the microwave for a few seconds to dry them out a bit!

[9fingers]

I keep my biscuits in the airing cupboard - SWMBO is quite accomodating that way. There is room in the BJ carrying case for a plastic screwtop jar that holds about 75 which is enough to be working with.

Bob

[Scott]

daves said:

secondly, are biscuits all much the same, or is it worth going for a better make?

I've used a few makes and have found that some are less well formed and less consistent in thickness than others. Using Lamello ones from Axminster at the mo and they seem to be the best I've used. I guess they did invent the things!!

DeWalt ones deffo didn't seem as nice as the Lamello ones but my usage is pretty low so maybe some of the pros will chime in.

Cheers

[jasonb]

I prefer the Tansilli biscuits which are compressed birch ply, seem a bit more consistant than lamello ones. I get them from Wealden now that Axminsters no longer do them.

Jason

[Dave S]

Thanks for all the advice. Think I'll give the Tansellis a try, since I've always had good service from Wealden when I've bought router cutters from them in the past.

When I've got the wardobe doors done I have a couple of cabinets to do for the workshop so that seems like an ideal project to try biscuit jointing on. Then perhaps I can retire the dowel jig ;D ;D

Dave

[engineerone]

you could always try using thebiscuits to join the long bits of the wardrobe doors with the cross rails

works quite well

paul

[Scrit]

I'm another satisfied Tanseli user. They also make a sort of wafer for doing loose tongue inserts cut using the biscuit jointer, their contact details are:

Tanseli Ltd
Unit 11 Imperial Park
Towerfield Road
Shoeburyness
Southend-on-Sea
SS3 9QT
Essex

Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

If you do a lot of biscuit work it's well worth considering a biscuit glue applicator - these range from basic manual ones:



like the Axminster #500387 above at the princely sum of £2.97, through the vastly more expensive Lamello Dosicol 20 glue bottle:



at £40-odd. That's before you get into the humungously expensive compressed air systems like the Pizzi.....

I like the Dosicol bottle, but it does take a lot of biscuits to justify that sort of brass and the downside is that if you forget to empty the bottle and wash-out from time to time, or you leave them in a shed/workshop which freezes, then you'll end-up needing a new one

Addendum for the OP: The biscuit jointer isn't just restricted to making solid glued joints, with the right fasteners or hardware it can also be used to make flat-pack furniture (ideal for getting that 6-foot three bay wardrobe up a staircase with a winder at the bottom), removeable components (such as clip-on plinths, cornices and lighting pelmets) using a variety of metal and plastic joiners such as these:



pre-spaced slatted frames ising this type of joiner:



and even hingeing doors with Lamello hinges:



Scrit

[nickw]

I've got the cheap(er) Lamello bottle (minicol?) which, co-incidentally, works quite well for Domino slots as well as biscuit ones.

[woof]

I also recently bought a biscuit jointer - Freud one. There are some decent instructions for the trend biscuit jointer here ...

www.trend-uk.com/en/UK/product/T20K/6/biscuit/Biscuit+jointer+710W+230V+and+kitbox+.html

go to bottom of page and click on the T20K biscuit jointer pdf. There are some useful introductory tips - when to use 0,10 or 20 biscuits, different joints, distance of biscuits from end and from one to another.

Might not be exactly the same model, but I guess the basics are the same.

Hope it helps and enjoy! I know the first panel I put together I was amazed as to how quick.
;D

[Dave S]

That looks like a handy link, Woof, cheers for that. I remember reading Trend's router guides when I bought my first router and they were very useful for beginners.

I think the Lamello glue bottle might be a little OTT for me!! ;D I reckon it would be worth getting one of the Axminster ones next time I do an order, though. Those non-wood biscuit fixings look interesting - will have to read up on them.

Paul, I did think about biscuiting the wardrobe doors, but then I would have to stop the slots I cut for the panels. I figured it would be easier to cut the slots right through and then use panel material as loose tenons.

cheers
Dave

[engineerone]

dave why worry, just use the bigger biscuits ;D they will bridge the gap. otherwise stop them at top and bottom and run through the middle.

a lot depends on how deep you want to put the floating /glued panel.

paul

[jasonb]

If you do decide to biscuit the joints then use two No20 ones per joint assuming 22mm board. One above the other not side by side

I find it far quicker and easier to run the groove straight through with a wobble saw in the spindle and then use the loose tennon method, though I did use the double biscuit approach on these doors (4per wide rail) as the upper half was double rebated for the mirrors and backing panel.

Jason