Biscuit Jointers ...

[Arfa Daily]

I have a job coming up where I am going to have to join some lengths of worktop, and I am intending doing this by biscuit jointing (any excuse for a new 'toy' d:-} ). My daughter has offered to get me one for my birthday next week, so I have been looking at Toolstation's offerings. They have one at £44.84 (66637) and another at £52.47 (33775). The cheaper one has a more powerful motor - 900 watts as opposed to 700 watts, but the more expensive one has a dust extraction bag. The cheaper one has a dust extraction point, however, which I guess you hook to a vacuum cleaner or whatever. The more expensive one also comes with a carrying case. Other than that, the specs look pretty similar. But the blue one looks 'prettier' :-)

Anyone got any experience of either model, or spot any differences that I haven't, that they would consider to be important ? For instance, one says that it has "depth adjustment for standard biscuits 00, 10, 20" whereas the other says "max cutting depth 19 mm". Does that amount to the same thing ? What exactly is the difference between these biscuit "sizes", as I have not been able to find anything about them other than them being called by and sold as those numbers ? Which would be the normally used size for joining 40 mm thick worktop ?

Any pro advice from the usual suspects, greatly appreciated

TIA

Arfa

[Gazz]

not a pro by any means, but i've had a biscuit joiner for about 7 or 8 years, tho not used it that much,

basicaly it's an angle grinder with a special fance and a wood cutting saw type blade on it. they all adjust for the biscuit size, which is the width of the biscuits, just basicaly how much the blade plunges into the wood when you push in in,

the height of the biscuits is the same, (as only one blade used in the joiner) the other adjustment is the height the blade plunges into the wood, you set this to be in the middle, but on thick stuff like worktops, putting one in a quarter of the way from the top, and another 1/4 of the way from the bottom edge would be better i'd guess.

can't really see a point of a specific motor power, 200 watts more may allow you to plunge it into the wood a tiny bit faster, but it's only about 3/4 of an inch it goes in at made depth,

i'll let the people who use them all day long continue/correct my mistakes.

[A.Lee]

I've got the Erbauer from Screwfix, £50-60 now I think. Marvellous tool for cutting the bottoms of skirting when laying laminate flooring, otherwise it doesnt get used.

I've got a biscuit cutting router tool which is permanently attached to my 1/4" router, and this gets used every other week when i am doing worktops.

In fact, thinking about it, the biscuit jointer is pretty pointless, so i may be putting it on ebay soon.

0/10/20 relates to the depth and width of cut, they are meant to be 4mm thick.

[The Medway Handyman]

I've got a cheap 'Ferm' from SF which I've had for 10 years odd. Works fine.

There are basically 3 sizes of biscuit 0, 10 & 20

thickness, different W x L. The jointer adjusts to 0, 10, or 20. No idea how deep the cut is, but obviously the further in a circular blade goes the longer the slot.

I'd use No;20 top & bottom as Gazz said.

[John Rumm]

Power is not really an issue unless using for non biscuit jointing tasks like undercutting skirting etc.

Nope, and in fact they look like they may well be pretty much the same.

Generally they all have stop positions for the three normal size biscuits.

no. 20 biscuits being used. 0 are about half the length, and 10 somewhere between the two.

The largest - prolly 4 across the width, and possibly a double row with then set in 1/2" from top and bottom. (this assumes you are using dog bone connectors in routed pockets).

Some background here:

[John Rumm]

I had a router cutter and found it was a liability. Once I had the proper jointer I stuck the cutter set on ebay.

(probably personal preference thing, but the fact that you can't cut a larger biscuit slot in one "plunge" I found annoying - you need to plunge and slide for an appropriate amount to get a wide enough slot. Changing depth means changing bearings rather than just twiddling a preset. Also I found it too easy to damage stuff with a moments laps of concentration. The action of placing down, and then slideing in sideways, sliding out, and then remembering not to lift or lower the router when anywhere near the work).

[TheOldFellow]

Don't have one of those, mine's a Freud, but I encourage you to get one for worktop fitting. It takes all the vertical alignment issues away.

You need to practise a bit and not rush. The key is keeping it flat to the work while you push it in (as the actress...)

I sometimes use the smaller biscuits in the larger slots to give more horizontal leeway.

R.

[Arfa Daily]

Thanks all. Lots of useful info as always, particularly in John's FAQs. Anyone ever tried getting Toolstation to get two items like this out for you to look at and compare ? Their 'trade counter' format doesn't seem well suited to this ...

Arfa

[John Rumm]

One thing I forgot to say, is check the quality of the fence - its the thing that makes all the difference. You need to be able lock it off easily at any offset, and crtically - it must always be dead parallel to the blade otherwise your biscuit will through whatever you are fitting off alignment. Even a mil off at one end soon multiplies out to half an inch once you are a foot away from the biscuit location.

My cheapy Ferm one is a bit of a let down in this respect - its easy to get the fence out of square unless you take care when locking its position.

[dennis]

I don't think they were ever intended to be used in hand held routers. I wouldn't use one. The aldi biscuit jointer only cost about £20.

[The Other Mike]

[Andy Dingley]

Don't.

Biscuits align, but they don't pull the joint tight. If you do this on a worktop (and it's not uncommon to see it done) then the joint opens up in the future.

Yes, I know they're expensive, but get a router jig and do it right, with pull bolts. You can even make your own jig.

If you want a biscuit jointer (and they're handy things), then get one where the fence is hinged to drop down at the front, like the good ones do (or the innumerable cheap Chinese copies). Avoid the old Freud sort, where there was a removable right-angle sub-fence. Also get a biscuit glue bottle and some diluted cheap PVA.

[Andy Dingley]

The point of biscuit jointers is not how much you use them, it's how much time you saved over doing it the other way. Most people with biscuit jointers probably find they don't use them much (frequently but briefly), but this is actually an advantage, not a disadvantage.

[John Rumm]

Well its fair point the router cutters are much easier to use in a table, but that diminishes the flexibility of the system as a whole. Biscuit jointing supposed to be quick and easy to take to the work.

If its got the fence accuracy, then its probably a good deal. The Trend biscuit cutter set was something like £36 IIRC. However that was in the days when the cheapest jointer was still in the > £250 price bracket.

[robgraham]

Well, that's a puzzle - I'm sure when I read this thread through last night I saw someone saying they only used one for cutting the bottom of skirting for laminate flooring, and I'm not seeing that post now. Anyway although it wasn't quite that use, I was struggling doing something very similar, and the jointer made the job a breeze - a time factor of at least 30 to 1. Thanks who ever did put that comment up even if imagined it :>)

Rob

[John Rumm]

Still there - A.Lee: "I've got the Erbauer from Screwfix, £50-60 now I think. Marvellous tool for cutting the bottoms of skirting when laying laminate flooring, otherwise it doesnt get used."

[John Rumm]

IME you need the worktop joint jig, but biscuits are still very handy for getting the alignment spot on when doing up the dog bone connectors.

[The Medway Handyman]

It was A.Lee & I can still see it.

[Arfa Daily]

>

Interesting link. Thanks

Arfa

[Arfa Daily]

Thanks for the advice John. I'll try and get a squint at that

Arfa