Biscuit Joiner issue

I recently purchased a Porter Cable 557 biscuit joiner. I have a slight problem and irritation with it. I am asking is it the design problem or am I expecting too much? It seems that the dust catching bag and the exhaust vent leading to the bag are always getting clogged. At first I thought that I was pushing the cutter in to quickly, but even when I do it slowly the tube leading to the dust catching bag clogs up after two cuts and the mouth of the bag is clogged with saw dust. Any suggestions.

Regards,

Al

Reply to
Al Holstein
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Mine did the same thing. Now I hook up a small shop vac.

Max

Reply to
Max

I was going to say the same thing. A vacuum cleaner seems to eliminate those clogs.

Reply to
Jim Behning

Thanks,

A duh that seems like a no brainer. I don't know why I didn't think of that.

Al

Reply to
Al Holstein

This is the one commonly reported weakness across the web of what is otherwise the industry leading biscuit joiner. Just bought one myself-- the solution is to remove the bag and connect a vacuum.

Reply to
digitect

On my miter saw when I was using the bag this would happen. The air coming in would eventually inflate the bag and the mouth would open, but by this time the cut was already over. What I did was stick a cardboard tube inside the bag taped to the end. This kept the mouth open. I don't know if this is possible on the biscuit joiner.

Of course hooking up the vac is always better than the bag.

-Leuf

Reply to
Leuf

The vac works but if you plunge too quickly you get larger debris. Cut more slowly and you get smaller particles of dust. I have never had a problem with clogging after 2 plunge cuts. I only had a problem after the bag got full.

Be sure that the path is totally cleared out.

Reply to
Leon

My DeWalt does the same if not connected to the ShopVac.

I purchased a Craftsman "Auto Switch" for $20 at Sears, and a Porter Cable vacuum hose. The vacuum starts and stops with the tool. The hose will also work with sanders, hand planers, etc... with a spot of duct tape and or paper towel tube.

Reply to
B A R R Y

I get about twenty cuts with size twenty biscuits before it clogs. Stop, clean it, and go on.

If the shop is due for a major clean up, I just take the bag off and blast it all over the shop.

Frank

Reply to
Frank Boettcher

Take off the bag.

Reply to
dadiOH

They all do, Al. I have a Lamello Classic and a 557 and used an Elu (similar to a DeWalt).. the only thing that works, is a vacuum. Doesn't have to be much of one either. If I have a lot of biscuits to install, I use one of those Craftsman Autostart doo-hickies and a 'Stinger' vacuum. Total value of the package was about 60 bucks on sale. I use the bag adaptor of the 557 as the hose connector.

Reply to
Robatoy

"Frank Boettcher" wrote

Great minds ...

:)

Reply to
Swingman

Well, thank God someone else does that. For a hand full, I just plug in and go.

Robert

Reply to
nailshooter41

Norm does it too.

Reply to
Leon

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