Biscuit Joiner

[Knottscott]

I honestly think a biscuit cutter is an excellent example of a tool you don't need. I bought one several years ago b/c I thought I was supposed to use biscuits to reinforce joints. The longer I did wwing, the more I realized that most glued joints don't usually need them, and I used the biscuit cutter less and less.....you may have noticed that Norm has also gotten away from using them, and there's a good reason. Most well prepped joints just don't require them, and for the few joints that do benefit, a router bit will do the trick for ~ $10. I'm far more likely to use pocket holes than biscuits....I sold a very good DeWalt DW682K last year and have not missed it. A jointer will do more for your joint strength than a biscuit cutter if you don't already have one....flat, straight hardwood stock for every project is a beautiful thing!

I'd save your money and get a basic $20 pocket hole jig, router bit, and some wood, or definitely consider adding a jointer to your arsenal if you don't aleady have one.

That's my story and I'm sticking with it!

[rh111]

Got the PM - thanks Ray!!!

[JimD]

I bought a biscuit joiner first, then a dedicated mortiser, and last a pocket hole jig. At this point, I use them all about equally. I have been pleasantly surprised with the strength of pocket screw joints but I don't want to look at them. I use them when they will not show. I use mortise and tenon when I need the most strength.

I am working on some chairs for my son, for instance, and the joints are mostly mortise and tenon with one half lap type joint the plans call for (for appearance I guess, my son likes the design). Some are through and wedged and some blind. I have used other joints for chairs but I think mortise and tenons are best. We use 4 chairs in our kitchen every day that have mortise and tenons cut with a plunge router. It was easier to do this with a jig than to use my dedicated mortiser.

My son's entertainment center, on the other hand, uses biscuits to align the solid wood frames to the plywood center panels and pocket screws for a lot of the corner joints and the face frame. I made it right before the table that the chairs go with. The apron to leg joint for the table are all mortise and tenon.

I am saying all this to say that for me, I like having all these choices and I think that they all have their place. The plans for the entertainment center actually called for no biscuits and all pocket screws but I changed them and improved the design, IMHO. The plans (Woodsmith) had to put in extra pieces for shelf supports just to hid the holes for the pocket screws and then modify the shelves to work around the supports.

Jim