High-end biscuit joiner vs low-end

[Leon]

Typically you mark the good side so that you can reference everything with out having to think the reverse. Very commonly solid wood is attached to the edge of plywood and unless both are perfectly the same thickness you can throw off the height location of the slot being cut. If one board is thicker than the other and the good side is up your slots will be off the same distance as the difference in thicknesses. If you let the fence rest on the material rather than having the plate joiner base setting on the bench the upper surfaces are correctly referenced.

Add to that if you are using the bench surface to reference the plate joiner to the material, debris can often raise the plate joiner up and throw off the slot locations.

Add to that if the material is slightly warped and bows and you use the bench surface to reference the plate joiner it will cut the slot lower down from the top surface of the material. The plate joiner should always be referenced off of its fence for consistent cuts.

[JC]

I used to be a Rockwell only user, then I switched (for no particular reason) to DeWalt and about a year ago I switched to Porter Cable. I've been happiest, so far, with Porter Cable. They just seem to be better and put a little more thoughtfulness into their products. A real thorn in my side with DeWalt is the damn cases they make for their tools. They are the most ill conceived pieces of crap I've ever seen. That might be the ultimate reason I switched. I think it's just like everything else, the eye of the beholder.

[Phisherman]

not the best, but I might use it 4-5 times a year in favor of traditional joinery. The dust collection bag is useless and I always end up shooting sawdust all over the place, but it does cut a nice accurate slot. The Lamello biscuits are better than PC biscuits, but either one will do.

[Chris Friesen]

Hook it up to a shop vac. Works like a charm with my PC joiner.

Chris

[B A R R Y]

That's why you do it in the router table.

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[B A R R Y]

I do the same with my DeWalt and a $20 Craftsman "Auto Switch"

It all works like a charm, and the hose and switch are also handy with sanders, the Kreg Jig, etc...

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[dayvo]

Just want to add that dust collection on the Dewalt is excellent with a shop vac. I'd suggest laying hands on the PC and the DW to see which one you like best.

[Barry Lennox]

I was at the New England show where it was a contest between the DW and the Makita 3901. The Makita was about $25 cheaper so that was it. Never had any regrets. A great tool and used a lot.

Barry

[Jay Pique]

I use that line (without attribution...apologies) all the time. One of my favourites.

JP

[Chris Friesen]

I don't see it. It's always going to be more complicated to make a domino-style tool than a biscuit joiner, so it's going to be more expensive. For sheet goods casework the Domino offers little in additional benefits as compared to biscuits.

For solid wood construction with M&T joints I can certainly see the Domino replacing smaller mortising machines and horizontal boring machines.

Chris

[Upscale]

I think it's going to be worse than that. Despite it's exorbitant price, I can envision the Domino killing off most of the biscuit joiner market. It might take a little while, but it will happen. A slightly different but mostly similar competition will enter the market and the biscuit joiner will become a relic that only will only be used by very few.

I'd liken it to a recent news story I saw on SUV's. Because of the gas crunch, fewer and fewer people are buying them and they're being sold at well below blue book value. At a certain point there comes a time when you can't lower the price anymore because it's going to cost you money. Lamello will see that relatively soon I think.

[Chef Juke]

Thanks JC ..this is just the kind of comparison info I was looking for

[Leon]

I can see the Domino style fastener becoming more mainstream but look at the screw driver and the cordless drill/driver. People still use hand powered screw drivers. SUV's, they will come back just like larger cars have. I seen this happen time and again every time gasoline prices go up.

[Leon]

IIRC GM and Ford both have Hybrid SUV electric vehicles available for purchase.

[Upscale]

Possibly. I'm old enough that I too have seen larger cars lose and gain market share repeatedly, but I think it's a little different this time. All the other times there really hasn't been a technology looming on the horizon to replace all those big vehicles during a gas crunch. This time there's a considerable rush to purchase alternatively powered vehicles. The technology didn't exist those other times, it does now, or it's about to become mainstream.

The only way I can see some type of real SUV revival is when so many people go to the other fuel type cars that there's a glut of oil.

[Upscale]

I know, but they still have some reliance on oil. Wait and see what happens when better than 25% of personal transport vehicles are chugging along solely on electricity or hydrogen.

[Mathue]

I had a DeWalt and ended up exchanging it for a Porter Cable, for some reason the depth setting on mine (and the three stores near me, Lowes, Woodcraft and Home Despot) wouldn't do anything less than a large biscuit no matter what setting I turned it to. The Woodcraft guys were perplexed. In the end I exchanged it for a Porter Cable, and while the gear drive for the head is a bit nosier, I've otherwise been quite happy with it.

[Pat Barber]

Apparently the Ford motor company has different view:

"Ford F series loses title as top-selling vehicle in May"

The Ford F-150 pickup truck in May was dethroned as America?s favorite vehicle for the first time in a month since 1991 -- by four sedans. According to preliminary sales figures released by automakers, Ford Motor Co. sold 42,973 F-series trucks in May. The Honda Civic and Accord along with the Toyota Corolla and Camry all topped the F series.

"We believe that much of this reducti> SUV's, they will come back just like larger cars have. I

[Doug Winterburn]

Where do I mount the fifth wheel hitch on a Civic, Accord, Corolla or Camray?

[Max]

Will the F-150 biscuit joiners be on sale now?

Max