Biscuit jointer, bandaid or needed tool?


bob493

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Since I am one of the newbies on here... 

 

For those that don't use a domino or a biscuit joiner, what do you all use to keep boards aligned in glue ups?  I am having trouble visualizing something else to do the same job?

Cauls and lots of patience. When the latter runs out, lots of swearing.

Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk

This might work well also. I've never used one but it looks cool

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Now that I have a domino I use them in every panel.  I mostly use them near the center.   I use c clamps near the edges to keep things aligned.  The dominoes are really just insurance and save time leveling/sanding the panel.   Depending on the size of the panel I might use cauls too. 

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Like Eric said, I have found success just clamping. Maybe punching some boards into position. And then I clamp the ends so they stay right. I don't have a domino, but I suspect it's amazing for alignment. Biscuits, however, aren't a tight fit. At least that I have noticed. So they allow the boards to wiggle around. But I maintain that just because I can't get them to work right doesn't mean they are useless. It might just mean I'm useless!

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2 hours ago, Cliff said:

Like Eric said, I have found success just clamping. Maybe punching some boards into position. And then I clamp the ends so they stay right. I don't have a domino, but I suspect it's amazing for alignment. Biscuits, however, aren't a tight fit. At least that I have noticed. So they allow the boards to wiggle around. But I maintain that just because I can't get them to work right doesn't mean they are useless. It might just mean I'm useless!

Meh your not useless you just "ain't got time for that"?

I use biscuits as an extra hand and use the wiggle in to place method when they have slop. It's just nice to get close, some times they work great.

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4 minutes ago, Chestnut said:

Meh your not useless you just "ain't got time for that"?

I use biscuits as an extra hand and use the wiggle in to place method when they have slop. It's just nice to get close, some times they work great.

I "ain't got time for that" when I turn out pieces like Eric :)

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I bought a biscuit joiner when I first started out and used it on part of project then returned it. I didn't like it at all. I found a great deal on a Domino kit a few months later and have used it several times for joinery and for doing panels. I'm still getting the hang of it but I really like it. I also use my left on the fence and guide near the plug with my right.

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  • 2 years later...

I just want to say...   I just bought a biscuit joiner.   So there!  :P

I remembered reading this thread and at the time didn't really think I needed one.  But I need help aligning panels.  I've been trying dowels with imprecise results.    I considered the Festool domino, but I think I'd rather spend a grand on a drum sander.   So Menards had the Porter Cable on sale this week for $170, and since I had a $50 rebate coupon burning a hole in my pocket I figured why not.

I spent the last several days watching videos on youtube and reading articles from my fine woodworking archive trying to understand how to properly use it, and I think I understand that.   I brought it home today and jointed a couple 1x6's and tried to align them with the biscuits and it worked pretty well.   The top was aligned well enough that I could easily sand it out.

So I'm going to try this.

 

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16 minutes ago, Minnesota Steve said:

The top was aligned well enough that I could easily sand it out.

 

Glad you are happy with the purchase, but IMHO if the jointing aid can only get you as close as being able to sand it out, it's a failure. 

With properly milled material, you can get that close (or perfect) with the blue tape method or your hands alone. This is the exact reason I went with the Domino after borrowing a B Jointer for my bench build. If you still have to sand out the alignment, the tool failed it's job.

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34 minutes ago, Minnesota Steve said:

I just want to say...   I just bought a biscuit joiner.   So there!  :P

I remembered reading this thread and at the time didn't really think I needed one.  But I need help aligning panels.  I've been trying dowels with imprecise results.    I considered the Festool domino, but I think I'd rather spend a grand on a drum sander.   So Menards had the Porter Cable on sale this week for $170, and since I had a $50 rebate coupon burning a hole in my pocket I figured why not.

I spent the last several days watching videos on youtube and reading articles from my fine woodworking archive trying to understand how to properly use it, and I think I understand that.   I brought it home today and jointed a couple 1x6's and tried to align them with the biscuits and it worked pretty well.   The top was aligned well enough that I could easily sand it out.

So I'm going to try this.

 

WTF i have one sitting in my basement you could have had for cheap! .... i should throw that on the marketplace or something....

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I used my biscut machine for years and it does have advantages over dowels. But the Domino is a game changer.  I lucked into a used one and jury rigged it to work with a tool triggered Fein Vac that I already had. I'm greatful that I already had a drum sander and didn't have to make that choice, both make significant improvements to the capabilities of a small shop. Drum sanders require dust collection to function properly and so does the Domino. Biscut joiners benefit from connection to a vac but will operate without it.  Just be ready to clear dust clogs from time to time.

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I enjoyed using a biscuit cutter for years and swore I’d never spend that kind of money on the Domino, much less their silly vac. But, several months ago in a moment of weakness and probably a shot or two of tequila, I pulled out the old MC and ordered both and I’ve never regretted either. 

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Where the biscuit joiner excels is when joining sheet goods. Quick, cheap & strong. I bought one for doing the millwork in my house back when Lamello was the only game in town so it was quite expensive. About a year later the patent expired & prices dropped like a stone. I don't use it much anymore, but I wouldn't even consider getting rid of it. Although I would if I got a Domino though.

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I have 2 Lamello biscut joiners because they have much tighter tolerances than the rest of the copies. Haven't tried to sell them yet but also haven't used them since I got the Domino.  If you can lay your hands on a used Lamello Top 10 or Top 20 that would exceed the quality of the mass market versions. 

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I bought the Dewalt, used it for the first 2-3 years, it has been in storage for the last 10.  I have biscuits in sealed containers for the last 10 years, they are antique biscuit by now.  I'm thinking of putting them at the bottom of the pond, it seems these old growth tree from river bottom fetch a premium, hopefully the same with happen with my biscuit.

I try once or twice to use the discuit to be structural for a joint, and unlike a Domino, it does not have enough holding power.

After I bought a drum sander, it seems as long I was careful during the glue-up with the board sliding up and down, the drum sander would take care of the small difference.

I do not own a domino, but if one day I try to do a chair, I think Domino will facilitate there angle joinery.

The one glue joint I never have good result with,  is when I try to glue up some 4/4 to have 12/4. It seem there is always some gap in between.  May be I should to do a cleanup pass on the jointer, with a very light cut.

 

 

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For panel, I only slightly tight each clamp, making sure to alternate having the clamp on top or the bottom of the board.

As I do it, I check if the board are slipping out of alignment, and if so, I release the pressure on a few clamps around the slippage, and reversed the other to tighten them up. Even with parallel clamp,  the pressure does not seem to be even on the board, in some case, making them slip out of alignment.

Helping me to have a tight join, I always to make a last cut on the table saw, only engaging 1/3 of the teeth to make a clean/effortless last cut.  Also, I use an  8' aluminium I beam as an edge instead of just the fence on the table saw for any piece which will be longer than the fence.  

This work only if the board are cut at 90 degree. I had a colleague which cut his board off of the 90, and alternate the angle up and down, which will benefit from the biscuit. 

 

 

 

 

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