biscuit joiner

[beedigo]

hi, been browsing on sites with 2nd hand tools for sale, and i keep on seeing a biscuit joiner. i just want to know what's the use of it. tnx.

[jarod]

Hi beedigo,

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biscuit_joiner

A biscuit joiner or sometimes plate joiner is a woodworking tool used to join two pieces of wood together. A biscuit joiner uses a small 100mm (4") diameter tungsten carbide tipped circular saw blade to cut a crescent shaped hole (called the mouth) in the opposite edges of two pieces of wood or wood composite panels. An oval-shaped, highly-dried and compressed wooden biscuit (usually beech) is covered with glue, or glue is applied in the slot. The biscuit is immediately placed in the slot, and the two boards are clamped together. The wet glue expands the biscuit, further improving a bond that is often stronger than the wood itself.

http://images.meredith.com/wood/images/p_biscuit.jpg
Image from http://images.meredith.com

[pyth]

hi, been browsing on sites with 2nd hand tools for sale, and i keep on seeing a biscuit joiner. i just want to know what's the use of it. tnx.

Videos explain it all
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prZzGc1Sm04

[beedigo]

thanks sa mga sagot and info links, pero meron ba nabibilihan ng wood biscuits dito sa pinas, interested kasi ako sa tool. tnx.

[beedigo]

hi guys,
does anybody knows where to buy the biscuit for the biscuit joiner, if ever available ito sa pinas? Interested kasi ako sa biscuit joiner, may project kasi ako to replace worn out cupboard doors, plan ko used palochina wood gamitin, pagdikitdikitin, at magagamit ko yung biscuit joiner sa ganun, kaya i,m asking if anybody knows where i could get it.

[jarod]

Hi beedigo,

You may try to use our forum search function to give you some ideas. You may also check on sulit.com or ayosdito.com.ph ad sites.

However, just make sure you could get straight cut and planed planks inorder to have a good result.

[beedigo]

Thanks Jarod,

I guess i might get one biscuit joiner from sir pyth pag may budget na. Ang problem lang talaga kung makakabili ako ng biscuit na pang insert sa wood, ilang ACE hardware na pinuntahan ko pero either di alam or wala silang ganun. Next week try ako hanap sa mga builders hardware. Thanks ulit.

[jarod]

Just make sure you have abundant supplies of biscuits before you get the joiner.

[violaine]

Thanks Jarod,

I guess i might get one biscuit joiner from sir pyth pag may budget na. Ang problem lang talaga kung makakabili ako ng biscuit na pang insert sa wood, ilang ACE hardware na pinuntahan ko pero either di alam or wala silang ganun. Next week try ako hanap sa mga builders hardware. Thanks ulit.

you can buy biscuits (one size lang yata meron sila) at mayon industrial, the distributor of makita tools for about 800 bucks per canister..approx 100 biscuits.

biscuits arent cheap though.

as far as i am concern it once occurred to me to get a biscuit jointer but later changed minds...i could join planks much better using the router.

biscuits are better meant to join mdf, chipboards and the like imho...

of course there are better biscuit jointer but arent locally available like the lamello.

[beedigo]

Thanks Violaine,
I appreciate your advise. I guess your right, biscuits are not cheap like I thought they were. Router to join planks? Can you teach me how? Can I do that with "used" palochina wood?

[violaine]

one requirement for edge jointing using every available machinery for that purpose alone is to make at least one surface flat..the better if you can make all stocks planed to thickness..this is easier than said though.

it is best to use a table mounted router for edge jointing.

you can use two types of router bits for this purpose.
1. tongue and groove bits
http://i435.photobucket.com/albums/qq76/violainesweetness/TGmakitarouterbits.jpg
2. slot cutter bits--here you will need to make a spline but spline making is also tedious and consistency in dimension is always a problem.

hope this helps

[timber715]

Hi guys,

Ask ko lang if anybody knows where i could buy the wood biscuit na ginagamit sa biscuit joiner.
you can buy biscuits (one size lang yata meron sila) at mayon industrial, the distributor of makita tools for about 800 bucks per canister..approx 100 biscuits.
sir please try to avoid starting a thread every-time you have a question. often they can be asked in a specific thread. like this one can be asked on this thread. please keep it clean...

[beedigo]

Hi sir Timber,
Sorry po sa mistake ko, i'll try to be keen on observing that rule next time. Tnx sir.

[jarod]

Hi sir Timber,
Sorry po sa mistake ko, i'll try to be keen on observing that rule next time. Tnx sir.
Worry not much beedigo, suplado lang talaga dito sa forums si timber715 pero napaka-bait nyan sa personal :p

Going back, you may also opt to use dowels as alternatives to biscuits since they are cheaper to buy and easier to do (just a plunge router or hand drill or drill press). Again, tongue and groove approach like what violane mentioned is one of the best way to do it if you have a router.

[beedigo]

Thanks sir Jarod,
Mahirap po talaga pag beginner, ang dami pa kelangan matutunan, sensya na po.
Thanks for the advise, I'll try to use dowels since its much cheaper and easier to find than biscuits as you said. Mag experiment na lang ako, malamang planks alignment ang magiging problem ko kasi handrill lang gagamitin ko. Well there's always a first time for "chamba".

Thanks din sir Violaine. I also would want to try joining planks with a router, but my problem is I only have a spiral saw. Are there tongue and groove bits that could fit a spiral saw? Or could I use a spiral saw in the first place?

[jarod]

I'm not sure but I guess the spiral saw's tip move in a reciprocating motion thus the router bits cannot be used aside from the fact that the bits mentioned above have a collet (cylindrical body) size of 1/2".

As using the spiral for doweling, I think it could do well but start a pilot hole (starting smaller hole) using your hand drill. Better yet buy a dowel first, get a drill bit a bit smaller than the dowel for faster method.

[beedigo]

I guess I'll buy dowels first and try to experiment on weekends. My spiral saw moves like a small router. It's a Power Craft Spiral saw. It has this features;
- 220-240V,50Hz
- spiral saw for blind lateral cutting
- 3mm, 6mm chuck
- no load speed: 34000RPM
- removable handle
- router base with edge guide
- circular cutting guide
do you think this could do the trick? Can I get a tongue and groove bits with this size?

[timber715]

you can try, but try on the side of caution... pinoys are known to be inventive, making thing work when they should not... :rolleyes:

[beedigo]

thanks for that advise sir timber.

update on my terrible problem...

I just got home from Alabang area, I tried looking for wood dowels or biscuits at the two big builders depot there, Wilcon and Alabang home depot, but to my disappointment they have none. So to my plan B... I tried looking for router tongue and groove bits but sorry for me, I didn't found any. And the worst part of it was, when I tried to buy just any kind of bit, they said that that nothing would fit the 6mm collet of my spiral saw coz their smallest is 1/4 inch, was that worst thing or what? I guess I'll just have to wait for the bits that sir Pyth is offering, although there are no tongue and groove bits there. I guess I have to think of a plan C now...

[jarod]

I tried looking for wood dowels or biscuits at the two big builders depot there, Wilcon and Alabang home depot, but to my disappointment they have noneTry Hafele, I think beebeenator mentioned before that Hafele sells dowels. PM Ben as well.
So to my plan B... I tried looking for router tongue and groove bits but sorry for me, I didn't found any. Call Panda or visit Binondo for quality bits such as these.
And the worst part of it was, when I tried to buy just any kind of bit, they said that that nothing would fit the 6mm collet of my spiral saw coz their smallest is 1/4 inchTongue and Groove (T&G) bits are router bits. Smallest collet size of routers in the market right now are 1/4 inch. Those router bits are not meant for your spiral saw and even if it would fit, it would not havethe power to spin those T&G bits as they are quite big (I believe they are only available in 1/2 collet size locally, look at the image posted by violane above).

If you want to do such T&G, router is the best tool. Your spiral saw is for cutting and not for grooving as what T&G is merely all about. Routers like Maktec goes for 5.5K I think and followed by the Bosch palm router in terms of price. Just make sure you have enough projects to justify getting a router.

If all you need is to fasten your cupboard project door, plan if glue and horizontal braces could work. Besides, you still need enough bracing as dowels would not be enough to keep the whole door for a long time.

Maybe you could post a sample pic so that the other guys could help you with your project.

[timber715]

there is a reason why they call i router bit and not spiral saw bits... T&G bits even if you find 1/4" shank or even 6mm shank bits are not meant to be used on other tools besides the router.
Imagine if the spiral saw collet loosen or breaks (since these are not designed for that use) while cutting with a router bit and it flew, the money you have saved by not buying a router would not be enough to fix the damage it can cause you.
use the bits that is specified for your tool, read your manual and keep safe. while we are happy with the ingenuity that pinoys are known for, we advise against it since it makes poor and dangerous practice. buy a cheap router if you like...

[beedigo]

Thanks for the very very sound advise guys. I think I'll just use nails, glue, braces, and screws for the while, anyway its just a cupboard door. I sure would want to post pictures as soon as I start my project repair or as soon as I learn how to post pictures in the threads. Thanks sir Jarod and sir Timber, for a well appreciated advise.