Advice on the Triton Biscuit Joiner

[hilton]

Just finished watching the carnage on TV so I'm not in a good mood, but nevertheless.........

What's the general consensus on the biscuit joiner? I'm asking with specific reference to the ability to join pieces that may not fit on the router table.

In other words is this a good system or do you find that a normal biscuit/plate is more practical?

The biscuit joint seems to be pretty popular not so?

[Gumby]

I'm going to sell mine a get a hand held joiner. I like the system and it's very accurate but limited to what it can do. For example, cutting biscuit slots in panels like you would need to do joining shelves in the sides of a bookshelf for instance.

Because absolute accuracy isn't so much of an issue with biscuit joinery, unlike dowels for example, I think a hand held joiner is the better option.

[Wardy]

hi hilton---same thoughts as gumby:) opted myself for a hand held jobby
cheers wardy

[Sturdee]

If you get the hand held one you can always build a jig that holds it upside down with a sliding feed table and then you have the Triton system for those special accurate or machine shop speed biscuiting. :D :D :D

One of the first new jigs I'll build when I've finished making over my back garden.


Peter.

[Gumby]

opted myself for a hand held jobby


Don't want to edit that do you ? :D :D

[Ashore]

I also went with the hand held unit as you can do more with it , I also use a lot of dowels using the ozzie dowel jig but some things you need the biscuit joiner.
If you have the money & believe the hype , and I have no reason not to , then the biscuit joiner became obsolete with the introduction of the FESTOOL DOMINO , those who have one swear by it , and one woodwork mag suggested you sell your biscuit joiner while you still can, this is proberly a bit over the top as you may need a lot of explaining to SHIMBO about the price if you don't use/ need to use it every day :D
Rgds

[Gumby]

the biscuit joiner became obsolete with the introduction of the FESTOOL DOMINO ,

Not at that price they haven't

[woody62]

You can buy DIY versions that work just as well as the pro's in most applications from $160 down. Unless your super serious or a professional this alternative is very affordable.

As with the other comments above the Triton is also restricted to it's own small biscuits

[Bluegum]

I've looked at a hand held B/J after owning my triton for a few years. I find that the triton set up does the job for me. i find it easy to set up and use excepet for the dact I can't do a centre joint in a sheet. This doesn't worry me as I don't do any of this sort of work.

[Lignum]

If you get the hand held one you can always build a jig that holds it upside down with a sliding feed table and then you have the Triton system for those special accurate or machine shop speed biscuiting. :D :D :D

One of the first new jigs I'll build when I've finished making over my back garden.


Peter.

An edition of Shopnotes about 6 or 7 years ago had one, and the biscuit joiner was clamped on a table and a pushbike handbrake cable was hooked up to it and a floor mounted pedal for your foot to opperate it. You just put the workpeice on the table butted up to the joiner fence and hold it tight and with your foot press the pedal in and presto a nice slot. It looked simple and fantastic.:)

[Stuart]

I remember that one - saw it soon after I bought a Triton Biscuit Joiner, and I wondered why I had paid for a jig I could make. Would never have gotten around to it mind, but it did highlight that a lot of the Triton addons are just commercially produced jigs. Saves making them, especially for those without the skill to do so, but a jig nevertheless.

[Sturdee]

An edition of Shopnotes about 6 or 7 years ago had one, and the biscuit joiner was clamped on a table and a pushbike handbrake cable was hooked up to it and a floor mounted pedal for your foot to opperate it. You just put the workpeice on the table butted up to the joiner fence and hold it tight and with your foot press the pedal in and presto a nice slot. It looked simple and fantastic.:)

The one I have in mind is described in the original Time Life series on the Art of Woodworking. You manually push the workpiece into the biscuit joiner but with the further refinement of a dead man foot switch to turn the machine on/of.

When I made that kind of switch for the drill press I made a spare for this.


Peter.

[hilton]

Thanks guys, it looks like I'll have to first see what a handheld BJ goes for here. The Triton sells for ZAR1000 but you can buy a crappy (can I say that word?) Ryobi for a bit less but I'd rather not. I think the Domino is waaaay out of my price bracket, even at a straight conversion from AUS$1200 without import duties and VAT, it's expensive for a not yet pro (read newbie).

Anyone tried one of those angle grinder BJ attachments?

[lesmeyer]

[quote=hilton]Just finished watching the carnage on TV so I'm not in a good mood, but nevertheless.........

Hilton,
was not aware they still show the gruesome murders in South Africa on TV. (All 55 of them each day??):eek:
Regards
Les

[Sprog]

As with the other comments above the Triton is also restricted to it's own small biscuits

No, you can use #10 and #20 Lamello type biscuits as well.

[hilton]

[quote=hilton]Just finished watching the carnage on TV so I'm not in a good mood, but nevertheless.........

Hilton,
was not aware they still show the gruesome murders in South Africa on TV. (All 55 of them each day??):eek:
Regards
Les

Sorry Les, was referring to the rugby on Saturday from Wellington :-(

[Auld Bassoon]

hi hilton---same thoughts as gumby:) opted myself for a hand held jobby
cheers wardy

I wasn't aware that Onan had gone into the WW tool business Wardy :D :D :D

[lesmeyer]

[quote=lesmeyer]

Sorry Les, was referring to the rugby on Saturday from Wellington :-(
Hilton,
the remark was a little tongue in cheek. Was not sure whether you meant the War in Lebanon, the rugby or what I mentioned above. I should have guessed which was more important.:D I think the bokke did improve since the Wallabies game, but too many penalties given away (try count was even).
Getting back to the thread, I also have the Triton BJ that is used on the router table. For what it does, it is excellent. Very accurate. However, as some others have stated, when the sheet of ply etc is large or you need to put biccies in the middle of a sheet, the "hand held jobbie" is the ducks nuts. My own opinion - think twice before purchasing the top end. A Ryobi/GMC etc can produce the same results. Just depends on how much work it will get. AND it won't be long before we see the Festool domino clones.
Regards
Les

[hilton]

[quote=hilton]
My own opinion - think twice before purchasing the top end. A Ryobi/GMC etc can produce the same results. Just depends on how much work it will get. AND it won't be long before we see the Festool domino clones.
Regards
Les

Thanks for that Les. It's not like I'll be making cabinets every weekend so maybe I'll relook at the Ryobi again.

[jow104]

If you have got the Triton workcentre2000 and the router table the biscuit accessory is a super effective bit of gear for what it can do.

[skot]

Correct me if I am wrong but the Trion B/J can not do joins for 'T' joins eg Bookcase shelves up the length of a board

[jow104]

skot,

it has not been designed to do this type of operation,

but

it could be done with some ingenuity.

Someone please ask me how!!!!!!!!!

[Stuart]

I wrote an article how to do this on the Triton a couple of years ago.

Can be found on my Triton website.
Scroll down to Joints, Tools & Techniques, click on "Router", then "Mid Panel Biscuits with the Triton".

http://home.swiftdsl.com.au/%7Estuart.lees/triton/Images/Articles/biscuit/Biscuit%20Joining-08.JPG

[jow104]

Ah yes stuart, but I could do it using the triton table assessory:cool:

[hilton]

it could be done with some ingenuity.

Someone please ask me how!!!!!!!!!

and


Ah yes stuart, but I could do it using the triton table assessory:cool:

Ok ok, you now have my full attention. Spill the beans please.

Oh Stuart, your method is pretty neat. Makes me rethink (again).

[jow104]

A rough sketch to show the principle.
Must admit I have never needed to try this but no reason why if you must have bicuits to hold up a shelf the battens wouldn't work.
Battens would naturlly be the same thickness as shelves.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/devonwoody/2nd%20album/biscuits.jpg

Perhaps Triton will give me a new battery and motor for my respirator when I get over to OZ.