High-end biscuit joiner vs low-end

[dan]

I'm not a furniture builder, but a weekend hobbyist that does mostly "rough" woodworking. I have a tendency though when I buy tools to buy the best. I just bought a $225 PC biscuit joiner. I've been thinking that maybe the Ryobi $100 biscuit joiner would suit my infrequent needs. I do build some cabinets and in the future I'm thinking about building my kitchen cabinents, but then I'm still not sure I should have gotten the high-end tool. Or maybe I just feel bad for spending that much money? Sigh.

[Dave in Houston]

And here I thought you were going to say the decision was between a $700-800 Festool or a $700-800 Lamello.

Dave in Houston

[Swingman]

Au contraire ... you did good!

You've already gotten over the biggest hurdle - you will no longer have the frustration of attempting to do even the most mundane of tasks with sub par tools.

Instead, you can now consider the extra bucks as an investment in the future satisfaction of jobs well done ... jobs that will allow you to relax, sit back, have a brew, and contemplate what you accomplished at the end of each with satisfaction.

Congratulations!

[JC]

Let me pass along the advice my Dad left me. "Son, always buy the best, and most expensive, tools you can find. Because if you don't, you'll probably get a bad product and your wife will buy the most expensive jewelry with the money you leave behind."

[dan]

That's why I said weekend hobbyist. Wow! $700 for a biscuit joiner??

[nailshooter41]

What Swing said.

Plus, you won't ever have to worry if the tool fails as to if you might have screwed yourself "going on the cheap". A machine doesn't look like much of an intelligent buy not matter what the reasoning when it fails early on.

And since they have a tendency to do that when you really need them.... something to consider. My PC biscuit machine has been happily chewing out slots for a few years now, and since I put it back in its blow mold steamer trunk after every session, it still looks and works like new.

Robert

[dan]

No. I did not have one. But went with the PC instead of the Ryobi.

I just wonder if I'd use it enough to justify the cost. Over the years, my purchases have been worth the extra cost.

[Leon]

If it makes you feel better, I bought a PC 556 Plate Joiner in 1989 and replaced it with a much better PC557 Type I as soon as they were available. That model was a vast improvement over anything on the market "in that price range". One year ago I upgraded leaps and bounds to the Festool Domino.

[cyrille de brebisson]

hello,

I have a $30 from HF, and of course, it is not perfect and it takes a little bit more time to setup, but I saved $70 on the next cheapest tool.. way enough to get more stuff like a good gouge for my lathe.... my hobby time is not worse the extra money of a 'good' tool...

cyrille

[Upscale]

What's wrong with the PC biscuit joiner that you want to get another one?

If you feel bad about the money you've spent, won't you feel worse spending more money on another biscuit joiner?

[Lee Michaels]

"Leon" wrote >

I must be in that kind of mood today.

And if a spaceship were to land carring some exotic tools requiring batteries from another planet, Leon would buy it!

Cuz, naturally, it is the next evolutionary step up from the Festool.

[mac davis]

Well, it may be overkill, not sure of the difference in ease of use, accuracy, etc. in the 2 tools..

I wasn't sure that I would use biscuits, but wanted to try 'em, so a few years ago I bought the "best" model that Harbor freight had, on sale for 1/2 price.. I think I paid about $30..

I did some playing with it and a couple of small projects and realized a few things..

Biscuits are cool and I'll never use a dowel in a joint again...

never glue the biscuits into one side and then try to assemble the joint.. DAMHIKT

The HF tool was well worth the price and worked well, but I needed a few more features, like and adjustable fence and such..

As I was in the middle of a few months of very anal comparison research, my wife bought me the Sears tool.. (DeWalt in a black case, I think)

It's been very good to me and I like it.. If it has any accuracy problems, I can't tell.. might be own skill level? Have I mentioned that I'm a turner and don't usually do anything with corners or joints? lol

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[mac davis]

Be in peace, my son..

You say you're a HOBBYIST...

You don't justify costs of a hobby, or no one would ever buy an RV or private plane..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[Peter Huebner]

I think you did well for yourself. The handful of Ryobi powertools I've had the misfortune to use over the years have all been utter and total Crap(tm). I only ever bought one myself, and that was enough of a learning experience to teach me about 'false economy' and to do better next time.

There may be exceptions, but I haven't struck one yet; nor am I likely to :-P

-P.

[Robatoy]

I'm thinking of attaching a pair of Festool MFK 700 Modular Routers to an ultra-light air craft. Waitasec.. I NEED a pair for my business.

[Frank Boettcher]

Ah, Swingman I think you get it.

When I did my quality preach, the most prevelant of my soapbox rants, I used to remind my colleagues "we do not make and sell machinery, we make and sell "satisfaction".

Frank

[Leon]

The spaceship or the exotic tools? ;~)

[Leon]

I'm thinking of attaching a pair of Festool MFK 700 Modular Routers to an ultra-light air craft. Waitasec.. I NEED a pair for my business.

I wonder if it would be less expensive to go to Germany, find a job, make some money, buy all the Festools I want, and bring'up back home.

[jo4hn]

What is all this talk about erotic tools? My scoutmaster says I should not be here...

[B A R R Y]

Someone gets it...

---------------------------------------------

** **

---------------------------------------------