Biscuits with a router?

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  • Brett
    Handtools only
    • Nov 2005
    • 3
    • USA.
    #1

    Biscuits with a router?

    Hi all.

    I'd like to start teaching myself biscuit joinery as I have suitable projects coming up. Is it possible to cut the slots with a router or do I need to purchase a dedicated slot cutter. I'd rather not drop the cash if I don't have to.

    Thanks,
    Brett
    Tags: None
    • leehljp
      The Full Monte
      • Dec 2002
      • 8802
      • Tunica, MS
      • BT3000/3100
      #2
      A router slot cutter will do for a few cuts and there are a couple of people on this forum that does use the router when they do biscuit joinery occasionally. HOWEVER, if you plan on doing this through several projects and think that you will use it even after these projects, invest in a good biscuit cutter. They are much more flexible in that they can be used at 45° for mitered edges, something the router would have a very difficult time doing.

      For more on this, check out this post:
      http://www.bt3central.com/forum/topi...TOPIC_ID=28146

      ON this post, they discuss which size cutter to get to fit the biscuits.
      Hank Lee

      Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

        Comment

        • monte
          ***** Windbag
          • Dec 2002
          • 5242
          • Paw Paw, MI, USA.
          • GI 50-185M
          #3
          I would spring for a dedicated plate joiner if you can. Cutting biscuit slots with a router isn't all that easy.
          Monte (another darksider)
          Reporting Live from somewhere near Kalamazoo

          http://community.webshots.com/user/monte49002

            Comment

            • Tom Miller
              Veteran Member
              • Mar 2003
              • 2507
              • Twin Cities, MN
              • BT3000 - Cuttin' it old school
              #4
              I occasionally "do" biscuit slots with my table-mounted router, but if I were to begin doing full-fledged biscuit joinery, I think I'd want a dedicated biscuit joiner.

              The few times I've used biscuits, it was for panel alignment during glue-up. I think the table-mounted router does a very satisfactory job of this.

              But it definitely has it's limits for joinery. And the slot cutter and bearings will cost as much as ~$30. That's a sizeable fraction of a biscuit joiner (at least the cheaper ones).

              Regards,
              Tom

                Comment

                • woodsmoke
                  Forum Newbie
                  • Dec 2005
                  • 28
                  • Pablo, MT, USA.
                  #5
                  I bought a HF biscuit joniner and have used it a lot more than I thought I would. It is accurate and has stood up to quite a bit of usage. If you are running cabinets out the door like dust from a router I would go with a name brand(Frued,PC,etc) otherwise I would go with the HF one.
                  If it is impossible just give me a couple more days.

                    Comment

                    • JimD
                      Veteran Member
                      • Feb 2003
                      • 4187
                      • Lexington, SC.
                      #6
                      I have both but did not get much use out of my slot cutter for biscuits for the router. It is so much quicker to cut biscuit slots with a dedicated tool that I gave up on the router bit and quickly found a way to get a dedicated slot cutter.

                        Comment

                        • Brett
                          Handtools only
                          • Nov 2005
                          • 3
                          • USA.
                          #7
                          Thanks for the input everyone. I was looking you you guys to discourage me from feeding my habit, but I guess that didn't happen.

                          I'm off to go tool shopping...

                          Brett

                            Comment

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