Matt,
I bought the DeWalt. . .I considered the ff capability but felt I could live without it.
The primary reason I liked the DeWalt was ergonomic (sic?)Their machine just felt more comfortable and balanced to me. After about 50 slots on a project balance and comfort become even more critical.
Good Luck,
Rob
I picked up a type 3 PC yesterday at HD. They had the $30 rebate (assuming a HD gift card) which ended yesterday. Looks like a great tool, love the smell of a new tool when the case is opened. Going to do some practice cuts today to get a feel for the fence and adjustments. Thanks for the help everyone!!!!
Matt
R> You know that PC has a $30.00 rebate on the 557 if bought between Nov and
I just send in a $30 cash rebate offered by Porter Cable for the 557 I received as a Christmas present from my wife (yes, she get the $30). I got the rebate form off the Porter Cable web site. The jointer had to be purchased between
11/1/2003 and 12/31/2003. The envelope must be postmarked before 1/7/2004.-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)
I sent mine in Tuesday, but there is one thing I feel uncomfortable with about the PC rebate - they want the ORIGINAL receipt. I usually hang onto receipts until the tool turns into dust...
Greg G.
I made a copy of the receipt for my records before sending in the original. I staple the receipt inside the manual and then keep the manual in a filing cabinet.
One of these days I should go through that file and, at least, remove the manuals for the tools that bit the dust over 10 years ago.
-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)
I just looked at my copy of the upc code that I sent in for my rebate, and it says it's a type 2. What exactly is the difference? I suppose there's not much I can do about it at this point, since I already mailed in the receipt and upc, and now only have a copy.
Tom
Some of the type 2's require a shim for the fence to be flush with the base when doing 0 degree cuts:
Swingman, thanks for the information. I raised up the fence and put a straightedge on it, and there was a slight gap on the slot face where the anti-skid piece is, so I'm assuming I need the shim. I may try taking it back to HD and talk to the manager about exchanging it, but I doubt I will get anywhere without the original receipt and upc...just copies. If that fails I'll order the shim kit.
Do you have any idea when Porter Cable first came out with the "Type
3"? My only arguement would be that HD sold me an old tool.Thanks again! Tom
IIRC, sometime last January or February (03), so it's been about a year now.
Print out the article on Owen's page (I'd ask his permission first) and take it with you when you go. Tell them that it is imperative for _your particular use_ that the tool be a type 3 and you thought that what was you were getting since Porter Cable fixed the problem a year ago.
The PC 557 has play in the sliding mechanism, you can feel it in a new tool. It is aggravated by the placement of the handle which PC suggests is a good feature. The sloppy base cause the slot to be bigger causing the biscuits to fit loosely which is not what you are trying to achieve. A good biscuit joiner should cut a slot where the biscuits need to be tapped in with a mallet. The FF slots if you need them can be cut more accurately on a router table with a 5/32 3 wing cutter. Lamello or Makita if you want to go cheap.
Gene
My Lamello, Classic C-2, will not cut FF slots. And if you think that's going cheap, good luck to you. But, then, you really don't want biscuit slots so tight you have to use a mallet to insert the biscuits. Your thumb should be enough. The biscuits, unless improperly stored, will swell a bit from the glue, and if they're too tight, you'll get print-through on thinner (3/4" and down) stock.
Charlie Self "If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to. " Dorothy Parker
Not to say that you are wrong for your particular use of the technology, but my take on the subject is different ... and I am not a big fan of biscuit joinery in furniture, but I do like to match the joinery to the task.
IMO, biscuit joinery is NOT a precision operation at its highest level, even with the Lamello, which I've tried. The 557 is much more than adequate for the job, and the FF blade is quicker to set up than a slot cutter on a router table, just as accurate, and a damn sight faster ... done it both ways too many times to count, and I routinely use a slot cutter to cut spline slots. And a biscuit that has to be tapped in with a mallet is much too tight, IME.
Just glued up a small (12" x 28" x 1 1/4") table top this afternoon, used #20 biscuits and the 557. The biscuits, with glue on them, were snug, but could be pushed in by hand with the same resistance you feel on a well cut mortise and tenon joint.
Just my experience/tuppence ...
It's OK with me. The change seems to first appear in the Fall of '02 with the last of the Type 2 run. Meaning that some late Type 2's don't exhibit the 1/16" setback of the saw slot from the fence face. Best to check the tool before deciding it's got the setback problem.
5/32 3 wing slot cutter. I said buy Lamello and if you want to go cheap make it a Makita is that clear? I didn't say Lamello was cheap or cut FF slots, I know what they cost better than you do. Everbody on this WW NG knows that biscuits swell. A lite tap with a mallet is about the same as a thumb push, agreed. No matter how you say it around there is always someone like you that will twist your words around to try and make themselves look good. Nothing real informative, just putting people down in general. fun huh?
eugenec states:
You did list Lamello with "going cheap." I'm not exactly sure you "know better than I do" what the Lamello costs, but what the hell. Maybe. Seems to me that everyone who has looked the price up recently has a pretty fair idea of its cost.
You think so? Don't bet on it.
Not for me it isn't. I don't know of anyone who uses a mallet to do what a push with the thumb will be.
You do an excellent job of putting yourself down. No help needed.
Charlie Self "I am a marvelous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man I keep his house." Zsa Zsa Gabor
I use only cat's head biscuits for my end-grain butt joints.
JP
*********************** And use rice glue.
Your splitting hairs, don't be ridiculous. Bring something important to the table!!
You know all the good ones don't you. Your rhetoric is always the same, a nasty, obnoxious old fart who thinks he knows something.
On your last statement above about gluing up a 12" X 28" tabletop, did you get acceptable alignment? you know that is one of the main advantages of biscuits. I am inclined to agree with you mostly about plate joiners, I have tried them all and they will all do the job for sure to one degree or another. At least I could get by with any of them. After trying them all except Lamello which is just too much money, I prefer the Makita. It has a number of significant advantages -FOR ME- over any of the others and I can demonstrate the weak points in all of them. But, like you say, it isn't exactly a science, sinking a slot. But, working with a Makita is safer and more accurate. As far as biscuit fit goes, it is a matter of preference and can be adjusted. The biscuit joiner threads never seem to die on this newsgroup, they go on and on. Maybe there should be WWW slot cutter newsgroup?
Sure did ... I have had a plate joiner for a good while, but rarely used it, except for the ocassional FF biscuit "spline" in miter joints. A few weeks back I glued up a pretty good size table top that I could tell from experience was going to be problematic, used biscuits for alignment (for the first time), and was impressed enough to do it again, above, even though I was tempted to not bother on such a small top.
I am now a fan of biscuits for alignment in panel glue-ups ... took a long time to come around, though.
As I said, I got the 557 more for the smaller FF blade than for anything else, and thus far I've enjoyed using it ... never thought that would happen.
Yep ... and we're adding to it. ;>)
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