Okay, Biscuit Joiners are WAAY COOOL!!!!

[oldsaw]

Although I bought the thing a year ago, I haven't used it that much, just haven't had the time.  Well, I'm going to try to build some jewelry/decorative boxes for the girls at work and have been giving this thing a bit of a workout.

I splined the miters in the corners with this thing, and laid up the bottom and the lid slicker than snot.  Got them set aside so the glue can dry.  

Dad always used to talk about things you don't know how you ever got along without...and this qualifies.  I think of all the times I've doweled those things, what a time consuming mess.  Now I'm really glad I bought a nice one rather than a cheaper one.  I really like cool toys that work...

I'll post some pictures if they turn out okay.

[Mark M]

I like mine too although I haven't used it a lot. Another tool I really like is the Kreg pocket hole jig. That really works great!

[Larry]

Yea Mark I got one of those machines.  My machine didn't do very much work for a couple of years but got to thinking one night about using it to end match flooring.  Next day bolted it down and started cutting the grooves in the end of floor boards.  Wore out several cutters and it works great, especially on wide plank floors.  Learned how to use it to align face frames on big cabinets little later.  My machine won't use those little bitty biscuits so that's pretty good excuse to get another one isn't it? ;D

Hope to see some pictures! 8)

Mark M, you gotta give the Kreg jig the machine of the decade award especially if your building any kind of cabinets.

[Engineer]

I bought a Porter-Cable biskit joiner about a year ago, think I've only used it a couple times.  It'll get more use someday, not the kind of thing I can't live without, but not a tool I wanna get out of my shop either.  It's OK.

The Kreg jig, on the other hand, is gonna pay for itself tenfold once I start building kitchen cabinets for my new house.  That, and I gotta get my hands on a Leigh dovetail jig for the drawers.  Kitchen design right now has only three doors in the whole thing, but about 40-something drawers and a bunch of open shelving.

Having both is a nice way of giving yourself a choice of what method to use.  

[SwampDonkey]

I've also got one guys. I haven't even used it yet and I've had it a couple years. This spring I'm gonna have to get up the ambition and make my roll top desk and a chest of drawers. Them biscuits would be fine for the side peices when matching some woods. Might even be nice for some drawer faces too. I've always wanted one of these machines, then when I got it, I never even fired it up. That's gonna soon end cause I like working with wood. ;)

cheers

[rebocardo]

Biscuit joiners are almost a must for fine furniture or when using 1x wood, imo. I have always wanted one, especially after watching Norm Abhrams use them in his shop.

Though I will stick with Grade 5 - "5/16" bolts for anything my kids use :-D  My kids destroy any chair in short order that uses biscuits or dowels.

[oldsaw]

Not a Kreg, but a decent enough one to experiment with.  The Kreg will come later if I have enough use.

Engineer: Got a Porter Cable too.  I shopped around but it was just a bit more money than I wanted to spend.  Luckily Woodcraft had it with a box of biscuits and a $30 rebate...I was a goner then.  

Larry, I never thought of one for flooring.  That's a cool idea.  Add one more cool thing to the list.  Some new cabinets in the garage/shop come later, that' s what the pocket jig is for.

[D._Frederick]

The next piece of equipment on my wish list is the Porter Cable machine used to screw face frames together. Do any of you furniture builders have any comments about this method?

[Mark M]

D.

I'm not familiar with that one, how does it work?

Mark

[Haytrader]

Just so happens........I thought the same thing last week also Mark.
I haven't built a lot of stuff but am making a "puter" desk as we speak.
I picked up a bisquit jointer for this project and now am like some of you............"how did I get along without it"

[Furby]

If I remember right, it's a jig where the router swings down and cuts a tapered slot. Then you insert a drill into the hole in the jig for a screw pilot hole. Does that sound like it D.?

[D._Frederick]

I looked up the model no. of the machine I mentioned, it is a: Porter cable 552XXX Production Pocket cutter. Cutter comes up from the bottom to cut pocket then its drilled from the side.

[fstedy]

 8) 8) 8)  I have a Porter Cable biscut joiner its great used it extensively on my home. Did a spindled Victorian porch and made fluted six sided covers for the 4X4 porch supports came out great, Made them in 2 halves then assembled over the supports. That Kreg Jig looks very nice I have to build a set of Kitchen cabinets and was wondering how durable them face frames would be ??? ???

[ohsoloco]

I like to use my biscuit jointer for fastening face frames to cabinets.  Even with this method I still make them 1/16" to 1/8" wide so I can trim them with my router and a flush trimming bit...much easier than trying to sand pieces flush  

[Mark M]

Fstedy

I think they will be very durable. It makes very tight joints.

[AtLast]

It's a GREAT tool and I LOVE mine!!!...If I ever figure out how to post pics on here ( or have the time) Ill post a pic of a table I made out of Purple heart and Acaia Koa....the joints can out PERFECT and I owe it to that biscut cutter....If used properly it's 1 HECK of a tool to have in the arsonal