Biscuit Joiner

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sing a biscuit joiner is a quick way to make strong, good-looking joints. The tool is essentially a horizontal saw that cuts matching arcs into the mating edges of two boards. The biscuit is a football-shaped piece of pressed wood that slips into the slots in each board and bridges the structural gap between them. Properly glued and clamped, the resulting joints are very strong, but getting that result requires a little skill and attention. Biscuit joiners are best used for reinforcing glued joints that aren’t inherently strong, such as a butted corner joint or just about any joint in plywood (see the table on p. 144).

The most common error in cutting biscuit joints is losing track of the reference surface.

Once the slot height is set, all cuts must be made with the fence on the same reference surface—usually the outside face of the work-piece. If you mess up along the way and cut a

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Biscuit Joiner 143 A

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Biscuit Joiner

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biscuit joiner is a good way to reinforce joinery, especially when building in plywood.

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few with the fence against the inner surface, slots won’t match up. Another alignment problem results when the fence and base don’t solidly contact the workpiece during the cut. The slot won’t be parallel to the surface, and the angled biscuit won’t slip into the mating slot. Prevent this with proper stance and by clamping the workpiece so it can’t move during the cut (see the top photo on the facing page).

Such errors are so common it’s surprising that the biscuit joiner is often hailed as an alignment tool, just the thing for registering boards when gluing up a panel. It’s not.

Edge-to-edge joints made with modern glue are so strong that biscuits are overkill: There’s no need to spend time fussing over their alignment.

What to buy

For the most versatile tool, look for one that can handle a range of biscuit sizes. The small-est #FF face-frame biscuits are handy when you’re working with 1¹⁄²"-wide material, and not all machines can cut such small slots.

Some machines have settings to cut Simplex and Duplex slots, an industry standard used for hinges and knockdown hardware. Next on

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BIISSCCUUIITT JJOOIINNEERR Makes invisible joints

Is easier for large workpieces and sheet goods

Requires clamping while glue cures Requires care with reference surfaces

or alignment can be a problem

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Holes can be made on site with mini-jig Are removable

Don’t require clamps while glue dries Are visible

Can be difficult to position large pieces in jig P

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Biscuit Joiner 145

your list should be the quality of the fence and its adjustments. Don’t settle for anything less than rack-and-pinion adjustment, and make sure you can lock the fence in place so it won’t move in use. Look at the height adjustment scale and make sure it’s clear and easy to read. Finally, check to see that the handle and on/off switch are comfortable and convenient in your hands.

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s you get more familiar with your tablesaw, you’ll find ways to improve its safety, versatility, and performance.

The list is endless, but here are a few acces-sories that will give you the biggest bang for your buck.

Safety

The simple guard that comes on most saws leaves something to be desired. An overarm guard is much better—it doesn’t interfere with everyday operations and is easily removed when it does. The separate splitter virtually eliminates the risk of kickback, and a dust-collection port on the guard collects dust before it falls into the saw. Collect the rest of the dust beneath the saw in a bag, or get a brand-specific plastic shield with a dust port that seals the underside of the saw. For maximum dust collection, don’t forget to seal

the back of the saw around the motor with a plywood cutout taped or screwed in place (just visible in the bottom center photo on p. 148).

Performance

Help your saw work harder and smarter by replacing the V-belt with a link belt. Not only will it increase the power transfer from motor to blade, but it will also reduce vibration. An outfeed table helps that last bit of follow-through when you’re feeding stock and makes your work more secure—even a small shop-made table is a big improvement.

A zero-clearance insert is blank when you install it. Retract the blade, clamp the insert in place, and slowly raise the blade. You’ll wind up with a perfectly fitting slot that not only reduces tearout on the underside of a board, but also increases dust-collection efficiency.

Since the inserts are not interchangeable,

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In document Your First Workshop (Page 147-151)