What may very well become the world's most expensive desk

[Bruce Cohen]

After shelling out the budget for a small country on cabinet grade Maple and Cherry plywood (which I really hate working with) it now appears that I need to get a biscuit joiner to finish the desk without spending what's left of my life on it (see my thread on the Projects in progress forum).

The purchase of another tool will probably cause athe wife to move me from sleeping in in the shop to a closet in a Hotel 9.

It seems that most of you prefer the one by Porter-Cable, so if I'm spending money I don't have, it this the right choice, or could I get by with something for less like a Dewalt??

Help!!!

Bruce

[coach]

Bruce,

I have the DeWalt, and I've never wanted to upgrade. I haven't used the PC, so I don't have a fair comparrison. The DW gets the job done though.

[cabinetman]

Upgrade from DeWalt - upgrade from DeWalt, upgrade from DeWalt - how do you upgrade from DeWalt - spend more money, that's how. I bought my DeWalt a few years ago for around $160.00. Haven't ever regretted it. Have no idea how the PC would be better. I checked out the details of both because that's the kinda guy I am. I think the industrial grey color has people mesmerized. Now, I call my BJ Hummer yellow. It does what it's supposed to do. I never even considered HF or discount models. I think the only feature missing is FF size, and I don't do those much anymore.



I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[JR]

There isn't all that much to a biscuit joiner. You want a solid (not plastic) fence, with rack-an-pinion height adjustment, ability to square it to the face and that's about it.

Oh, you don't want any slop when you press home the blade.

I recently did a project that called for FF biscuits. The project would surely have been easier if I had that reature available on either of my biscuit joiners, but it was a specialized appliction easily solvable in other ways.

JR

[Ken Weaver]

Check out the O'Malley on the BT3 header. I've had mine for over a year, accurate and it does the job, can't beat the price.

[lcm1947]

I'm no expert. In fact I don't even own a plate joiner yet. Notice the word "yet". Anyway, it seems every time I open a woodworking book I see some professional using a DeWalt. That's got to tell you something. Now which am I going to buy. Haven't decided cause I'm still trying to make do without one. I have looked at the Makita, PC, DeWalt and the Freud's. The Freud's were eliminated as soon as I fiddled with one at the Borg. The other 3 all look good but it does seem that the PC has a much more accurate fence I guess you would call it. The other two just don't seem to automatically level it for you. It appears that the PC's have the fence supported by two positions, one on each side of the fence whereas the other 2 is adjusted by one side and then you lock in the other side. But that's what makes it appear to me anyway that difficulty would come in. Plus I will say that the PC does feel so much better. I really am trying to talk myself out of the PC cause I love both the other companies and have been extremely pleased with their other tools but the PC is a finely built tool I have to admit. My 2 cents for what it's worth anywho. I'm only a weekend warrior and just hate to spend $200.00 plus what $10.00 for the 3 different size biscuits I'll need. Just seems like a good amount of money to me for something I can hopefully make do with my pocket screw rig. I mean for the love of God where do you draw the line on buying tool after tool after tool.

[Bruce Cohen]

Many thanks for all the replys, although I didn't wait too long and got the PC. Got a 20% discount coupon with my license plate renewal (the BORG now probably owns NY State Motor vehicles).

The PC will accept FF size biscuits and even though most of my power tools are Dewalt (wlhich are great, accept for the rotten jig saw they made) I pulled the trigger on the PC.

BTW, a tube (large) of biscuits (any size) are $6.95 at the BORG and the Model 57 joiner is $190.00, without the discount vs. $170 for the Dewalt.

Now all I have to do is figure out how to use it

Bruce

[lcm1947]

With that deal you made a good choice and if I get a 20% coupon somewhere I'd do the same. I really don't think you will ever look back with that tool. Enjoy.

[Scottydont]

I have the Dewalt and the Porter Cable and like them both. I bought my PC used (barely used) for $100 and my Dewalt as a refurb for $80. I bought them for a project and I have taken an intense liking to using biscuits. FYI I also use pocket screws and jig. Other folks have had good things to say about Frued and suprisingly the O'Malley. Stay away from HF and Ryobi.

<edit> I posted up without seeing your update Bruce. Good luck with the new BJ.

[mater]

That is a good deal with a 20% discount. I think you will be happy with the PC.

[LCHIEN]

...

Now all I have to do is figure out how to use it

Bruce

They're not that hard to use but I do recommend
you do some practising on scraps to make sure you have the hang of it and making perfectly perpendular slots. You can dry fit with bicuits to make sure your joints line up and then remove and save the biscuits.

[Bruce Cohen]

Loring,

Probably just wasred money but I ordered a book on just that from Amazon today.

I'm one of those "people" who read software manuals for relaxation, so stuff like this is SOP with me. Also, its another way of wasting money I don't have.

Thanks for the heads up.

Bruce

[bigsteel15]

I mean for the love of God where do you draw the line on buying tool after tool after tool.

What's that you say? SACRILEGE!!!

[LinuxRandal]

Loring,

Probably just wasred money but I ordered a book on just that from Amazon today.

I'm one of those "people" who read software manuals for relaxation, so stuff like this is SOP with me. Also, its another way of wasting money I don't have.

Thanks for the heads up.

Bruce

TCP/IP illustrated Volumes 1-3, Can't wait till Peter Jackson makes a series, back to back, out of those

I still haven't bought one (found one via craigslist but it sold an hour before I found it ), what is a good used price?