Biscuit joiner

scottss · Post by **scottss** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 11:27 am

I used to use biscuits, it was a simple way to join two boards. But with the glues today it is not needed. As for Norm he quit using biscuits when he found that they where leaving a depression in the wood. Horizontal boring is a craftsman favorite and not to tuff with the shopsmith. Kregg pocked jig works great if not seen (face frames ect).

reible · Post by **reible** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:54 pm

scottss wrote:I used to use biscuits, it was a simple way to join two boards. But with the glues today it is not needed. As for Norm he quit using biscuits when he found that they where leaving a depression in the wood. Horizontal boring is a craftsman favorite and not to tuff with the shopsmith. Kregg pocked jig works great if not seen (face frames ect).

As I recall the story was that a friend of his had seen the problem "...you could see the faint outline of the bisquit present under the finish..."

Norm has since started to put the bisquits slightly below the center line....

Check out his website and search for bisquits....

I personally have never seen this problem in anything I have built. Is anyone here seeing it? How about a url that talks about it?

You are right about glues being better now then years ago but then when I was taking some woodworking classes one test we had was to glue two pieces together and the teacher got to brake the joint... if it broke on the glue you failed and that was only 41 years ago.

Ed

robg · Post by **robg** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 5:04 pm

Has anyone actually ever seen a biscuit impression in a finished piece of work? I agree that it could happen . . . but so could a screw impression if the screw got too close to the edge.

Unregistered · Post by **Unregistered** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:30 pm

batg4 wrote:I am considering the purchase of a biscuit joiner. Does anyone have an opinion about the Shopsmith joiner? It seems to me a handheld unit would be more useful. Also, would you even recommend a handheld joiner? I have heard about problems with alignment and biscuits swelling and becoming visible.

Go to http://www.omalleytools.com and check this one out .it is fantastic

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 6:44 am

I'm still using a desk and bookcase that I built in an early 50's woodshop class and it was put together butt joints and hot glue but I don't want to go back to that. I use biscuits and a Ryobi biscuit jointer that I've had for a long time.

Incidently, I used some brads the other day and they show too; at least the ones that weren't installed correctly do.

Greenvilleguy · Post by **Greenvilleguy** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 9:01 pm

Interesting that this discussion about biscuit depressions has come up. One of the Wood working magazines (can't remember which one) talked about this in the current issue.

Their explanation was that the biscuit absorbs mositure and creates a "bump", then you sand it flat. When the mositure drys, the depression is left. They suggested when biscuits are only needed for alignment, not to apply glue to them so they won't swell in the first place.

And no, I have never actually witnessed this happened.

mindpilot · Post by **mindpilot** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 11:02 pm

The only time I get out the handheld is for big pieces; I recently built a TV stand from 3/4 plywood. Instead of trying to make a dado for the not-quite-three-quarter-inch-thick plywood, I used biscuits. Got a nice strong joint that was almost self-aligning to 90 degrees.

The down side of the handheld is you have to be working on a perfectly flat surface to maintain alignment.

Biscuits are supposed to swell--that's part of what makes them work. If they show, it's most likely because they weren't centered across the thickness of the board.

Edited to add: My most recent cabinet-making instructor was adamant about adequate cure times and letting pieces acclimate to current ambient conditions before proceeding to the next step. That may be a solution to the depression issue but obviously allowing two or three days for glue to cure isn’t always practical.

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 2:37 am

tchwrtr55 wrote:I have heard the plate jointer (on a whole) is the most hazardous tool in the wood shop.

I agree thougth I am not sure it is true, in 30+ years of woodworking the only time my fingers were in contact with a moving blade was the Shopsmith plate jointer. Becauses of its excellent design the blade retracted before I got really hurt. I find the pins don't really hold the wood enough. Now I use the miter fence AND a stop block to hold the word.

I would trade it i a second for a good hand-held device.

brucethecook · Post by **brucethecook** » Mon Apr 12, 2010 5:21 pm

I have 2 older model 10 shopsmiths with the exposed belts will the Shopsmith Biscuit Joiner 555320 fit these? One of the units was passed sown from my older brother. I have been around it my whole life, but just now getting serious about my woodworking.

recurvearcher · Post by **recurvearcher** » Mon Apr 12, 2010 7:54 pm

I have the SS unit and like it.Great for edge to edge joints. Easy to use. Only problem I had was the blade throwing a tooth. I watched Nick's Saw Dust Session on Jointing Midboard, but have never attemped it.I think I would barrow a hand held if I had to use biscuits midboard.

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What Models will Shopsmith Biscuit Joiner 555320 Fit