In the past, I've always used dowels to join boards. I'm now considering a biscuit joiner. It appears SS has a smokin' deal for their biscuit joiner for Father's Day. The question I have is this: will having the biscuit joiner restricted by being required to be attached to the SS as opposed to being a self contained unit (being able to take it to the project) be an advantage or disadvantage? For those of you who have experience with a biscuit joiner, please offer some advice.
Thanks.
Wayne
Biscuit joiner
Moderator: admin
Although not having any experience with the self contained biscuit joiner, I have used the SS version with success.
The only consideration(s) I can think of is to make biscuit slots prior to any assembly. Also - making accurate biscuit slots toward the center of a flat face of a board has it's challenges. Nick has a Sawdust session covering this operation.
I had a saw tooth on the biscuit cutter blade break. Shopsmith replaced the blade with no questions asked.
EDIT, CORRECTION - The video of making slots in the face of a board is located in the "Video Shop Tips" part of the Academy - not in the Sawdust Sessions.
The only consideration(s) I can think of is to make biscuit slots prior to any assembly. Also - making accurate biscuit slots toward the center of a flat face of a board has it's challenges. Nick has a Sawdust session covering this operation.
I had a saw tooth on the biscuit cutter blade break. Shopsmith replaced the blade with no questions asked.
EDIT, CORRECTION - The video of making slots in the face of a board is located in the "Video Shop Tips" part of the Academy - not in the Sawdust Sessions.
Octogenarian's have an earned right to be a curmudgeon.
Chuck in Lancaster, CA
Chuck in Lancaster, CA
I have both a hand-held joiner and the Shopsmith version, but I've never used the latter so I can't really comment on it. But, I suppose which is better depends on how you intend to use a biscuit joiner.
If you were making face frames, either version works and that likely holds true for joining a couple of boards together to make a wider plank.
Chuck makes a good point about cutting slots in the center of a panel using the Shopsmith joiner. I'm still using dial-up internet service, so I haven't seen Nick's method of cutting slots in panels, but I don't think it's an easy task. Considering that I mostly use my Porter Cable joiner for cutting slots in panels, I'd favor the hand-held version. Another possibility would be using a router with a straight bit. In any event, here's a photo of using a hand-held joiner for that task.
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If you were making face frames, either version works and that likely holds true for joining a couple of boards together to make a wider plank.
Chuck makes a good point about cutting slots in the center of a panel using the Shopsmith joiner. I'm still using dial-up internet service, so I haven't seen Nick's method of cutting slots in panels, but I don't think it's an easy task. Considering that I mostly use my Porter Cable joiner for cutting slots in panels, I'd favor the hand-held version. Another possibility would be using a router with a straight bit. In any event, here's a photo of using a hand-held joiner for that task.
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Art in Western Pennsylvania
EXACTLY, Art! That is the operation I was talking about!!! Thanks for the photo!
Nick did his in the Shopsmith horizontal position. I'll have to review the Sawdust session again. Don't remember how he got the right position on the board. I think the instructions coming with the biscuit joiner showed the overall technique, but the placement still escapes me.
EDIT - Just reviewed the video - It is located in "Video Shop Tips" portion of the academy instead of the Sawdust sessions. http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/Tips.htm To summarize - - Nick aligned the end of a fence extension in the horizontal position with the center of the biscuit cutter blade. He used the end as a guide for the vertical location of the slot. Then, positioning the miter gauge from the blade center an appropriate amount (to get the horizontal position), clamped the board to the Shopsmith saw table and lowered the table to make the slot. Three tricks - 1)setting a adjustable stop collar on the saw table to limit its downward movement to the full opening of the biscuit joiner. 2)clamp the miter gauge down to the table using the tapered screw after the horizontal distance is measured. 3) clamping the board to the table.
Nick did his in the Shopsmith horizontal position. I'll have to review the Sawdust session again. Don't remember how he got the right position on the board. I think the instructions coming with the biscuit joiner showed the overall technique, but the placement still escapes me.
EDIT - Just reviewed the video - It is located in "Video Shop Tips" portion of the academy instead of the Sawdust sessions. http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/Tips.htm To summarize - - Nick aligned the end of a fence extension in the horizontal position with the center of the biscuit cutter blade. He used the end as a guide for the vertical location of the slot. Then, positioning the miter gauge from the blade center an appropriate amount (to get the horizontal position), clamped the board to the Shopsmith saw table and lowered the table to make the slot. Three tricks - 1)setting a adjustable stop collar on the saw table to limit its downward movement to the full opening of the biscuit joiner. 2)clamp the miter gauge down to the table using the tapered screw after the horizontal distance is measured. 3) clamping the board to the table.
Octogenarian's have an earned right to be a curmudgeon.
Chuck in Lancaster, CA
Chuck in Lancaster, CA