Bickscuts

[outback]

Just doing a bit of research here.

Triton biscuits can be used in a generic biscuit joiner even though they have their own shape. YES?

500 Triton Biscuits to a barrel. YES?

Anyone know about the going rate for a barrel of Triton biscuits?

Is there a cheaper way of buying biscuits?

NO! I am not going to make them. :doh:

[Groggy]

I tried them but wasn't happy. Too loose in la track, so to speak..

[Iain]

They have to be Triton?, my last lot of 2/0 Bix (1000) cost about $30.

[Big Shed]

Just doing a bit of research here.

Triton biscuits can be used in a generic biscuit joiner even though they have their own shape. YES?

500 Triton Biscuits to a barrel. YES?

Anyone know about the going rate for a barrel of Triton biscuits?

Is there a cheaper way of buying biscuits?

NO! I am not going to make them. :doh:

Last time I looked Triton biscuits were about $40 and they are a non-standard size.
Don't quite know why Triton tried to re-invent biscuits.

I bought some Medalist brand #20 biscuits for my last project, come in containers of 150 and are about half the price of the Triton biscuits. Got them at Home hardware.
The local kitchen hardware/bench top place also stocks Lamello biscuits and they are very well made, but cost a little more.

[Big Shed]

I tried them but wasn't happy. Too loose in la track, so to speak..

They expand with the waterbased glue Groggy.

[Groggy]

They expand with the waterbased glue Groggy.Let me elaborate then. The Triton biscuit was developed to be used with a router bit with a smaller diameter than the usual biscuit joiner. I found that I didn't like the additional looseness longitudinally due to the fact the biscuit was rounder and tended to allow more movement when gluing up. I also felt the Triton biscuits were thinner, although that was just a feeling I had and I never actually measured it, it may have been the wood they are made from didn't expand as quickly.

I used the same glue for both types of biscuit so it wasn't that (same batch actually).

[Big Shed]

Groggy, I have some Triton biscuits here and I measured them with the digital verniers, they are the same thickness as the #20 Medalist/Lamello biscuits, about 3.8-3.9mm. You are right, they are not as wide, about 40mm against 60mm. They appear to be stamped out of plywood, but I could be wrong. The non-Triton biscuits certainly work far better, as I said earlier, beats me why Triton tried to re-invent biscuits, particularly if they don't work as well.
I have the Triton Biscuit joiner attachment, have never been impressed by it. Now use my el-cheapo PwerCraft biscuit joiner and it works a treat.
Will be selling the Triton one when I sell the Triton router table.

[Harry72]

Elraco's stock the Lamello brand of biscuits $42.90 per 1000, price drops to $39.60 if buying 5 packs.

[outback]

Thanks so far.

No they don't have to be Triton, and in fact won't be now, thanks to the feedback. I only suggested them as opportunities are limited here, but I do own a phone, and freight wouldn't be too bad.

Iain, where did you get yours from?


Just to let you know, at my local hardware I can only buy packets of 50, and the price, $7.95, :o and no, I don't get a set of steak knives. Now you know why I am looking at alternatives.

[Big Shed]

Elraco's stock the Lamello brand of biscuits $42.90 per 1000, price drops to $39.60 if buying 5 packs.

Thanks for putting that up Harry, great site and very good prices.

Will come in handy as, like you, I live in a country town.

Used to get all this sort of stuff from Halliday Hardware when I lived in Adelaide.

Thanks again

Fred

[Iain]

I got mine from Speight Hardware in Koo Wee Rup, local Shifty Link Hardware, that was about two years ago after I spent a few thousand $$$$$$$$ on assorted bits and pieces for reno's around the home, he also sponsored my daughter in some State equestrian events and I think he just gave me a good deal.
I don't know what the current price is but $45 sounds OK compared to what some places charge, I haqve seen them selling for $15 per 100 which I think is a bit rich.
Some people don't like Bix but I have never experienced any problems with them.

[Sturdee]

beats me why Triton tried to re-invent biscuits, particularly if they don't work as well.



They re-invented the biscuits to suit their biscuit joiner attachment for their router table. It was quite a good attachment and made biscuit joining affordable to the average hobby woodworker. This was the philosophy behind most Triton tools.


Never forget that when the biscuit joiner attachment first came out the el-cheapo biscuit joiner of the day was about $ 500 ( I paid over $ 600 for mine a year earlier :(( ) so the Triton attachment was good value.


Peter.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Gotta agree with Sturdee.

I bought mine when they first came out (Mk3 table days) and I still use the cutter in my router table, albeit without the guide mechanism. At the time it, and the biscuits, was the much cheaper option and by my reckoning I've saved enough to buy several good brand biscuitters over the years. :)

Given current prices and range of hand-helds to choose from, I wouldn't buy a Triton now... but they filled a niche well back then!

[underused]

I can recommend lamello's. I bought two boxes (1000 in each) when I bought my joiner.
theres not many dud biscuits in a box. With the humid weather here, I have to keep them well sealed in a container. If I get any that are tight, I pop them in the microwave for a few seconds when the wife isnt looking:fisch: before glueup

[Big Shed]

Sturdee, I also bought the Triton biscuit joiner way back when in the Mk3 days. It worked after a fashion with the router table designed for the Mk3, although even then I wasn't impressed.

However, when I bought an RTA300 ("upgraded") router table and "upgraded" the biscuit joiner attachment to suit the RTA300 I never used it again. The biscuit joiner was never really a goer on the RTA300.

You're right, Triton had some good stuff back then and it allowed us to do things we could have dreamed of before. Today however I fear the market has overtaken most of what they offer, both in features and price. I have a Triton 2000 WC now and it is very good and I am happy with it.
Look at the new price however, add a Triton saw, and there are some quite good table saws on the market that don't cost much more.

In fact walk into any Bunnings or Mitre10 and you can see the amount of Triton stock they is nothing compared to what they had a few short years ago.

Any manufacturer that does not move with the market is doomed to fail and Triton has not moved with the market. All the more surprising as they have been owned by GMC for some time now, and nobody could accuse GMC of not moving with the market, in fact they move the market.

Anyway getting back to what Groggy said and I agreed with, Triton biscuits are not as good as standard biscuits:D

[Sturdee]

You're right, Triton had some good stuff back then and it allowed us to do things we could have dreamed of before. Today however I fear the market has overtaken most of what they offer, both in features and price. I have a Triton 2000 WC now and it is very good and I am happy with it.
Look at the new price however, add a Triton saw, and there are some quite good table saws on the market that don't cost much more.



Fully agree with you and to buy a WC, saw and heightwinder etc new is more than a good type of entry level contractor TS. And yes Triton hasn't moved with the times in regard to the WC.

I also prefer the hand held BJ, but the Triton attachment has it's place and I've seen a lot of good work done with it. And Triton's biscuits are designed for their cutter and should never be used with the hand held ones.


Peter.

[mat]

Outback

Have a look at

www.bix.com.au

[outback]

Thanks for all the help peoples. I don't blame the local harware guy, I get on with him really well, but I guess he only buys half a dozen packets of 50 at a time himself. I'll get him to to contact Bix, and see if we can't do a better deal. Otherwise the Lamello from Elraco look the go. Those blokes are getting into everything.

[bsrlee]

Interestingly enough, Lee Valley sell a router based biscuit cutter bit that would use Triton biscuits, and sell small triton-like biscuits. There are a few router books that suggest using a disk cutter in a router that does the same thing, they just suggest cutting twice to get enough room for a regular biscuit.

As for 'not moving with the times' - a LOT of that can be blamed on Hills management - they p*&&#d off the demonstrators, many of who quit, stopped retailer support - who stopped carrying the stock, and stopped releasing new goodies to keep the public interested. GMC have a lot of work to do if they want to regain the old Triton spirit, but it seems they are just riding the name although they are using it to market a generic line of more 'serious' woodworking tools.

[Iain]

Don'y porter cablr have a little biscuit & cutter for their standard machines?

[Honorary Bloke]

Yes, their model 557 Type III (which is their standard model) comes with 2 cutters: one is depth-adjustable for #20 or # 10 or #0 biscuits, and the small cutter for #00. :)