Thread: Biscuit Joiners

Originally Posted by Lignum

That Lamello is awesome. If you had a small business in knock-down furniture that would be priceless. Brilliant idea.

Oh... I quite agree!!! It's a magnificent machine - and ideal if, as you say, you're in a small knock-down furniture/cabinet business (e.g. Kitchen Cabinets). But for the rare occasion that I want to use biscuits to join some planks for a table top or a panel, it's probably overkill.

Still, I suppose one can drool.....

Bit of a risk, locking yourself into a system as pricey as this.
At least with the Domino you can make your own tenons, and there are a number of biscuit suppliers.

Ian

My Boss has just ordered one for work, fantastic machine & does function as a normal biscuit joiner as well as doing the flash cam biscuits. I will stick with the Dewalt at my place though & put the Zeta on the when I win tatts list. Lol

Oh & you get a flash shirt with your name embroidered on it.

Shirt $1800 + GST

Zeta $ 0.00


See Ya

Brian B

Do you have a specific use for your biscuit joiner that requires a very high level of accuracy?
I have a cheap GMC which does the job fine.

If you search around you will find some techniques that negate the fence and improve accuracy such as using edges for referencing.

To me, a biscuit joiner is not exactly a precise tool so isn't one that should require a huge outlay.

Don't get me wrong, I love having fancy equipment but not for items that don't need to be fancy.

If you are not afraid of a bit of filing & screw tightening, get one of the Aldi biscuit joiners next time they have them in.

They are a very good copy of the Porter Cable unit, just the finish is a bit rough & some of the screws are not put in quite right. An hour or less of work will see you with a very nice unit.

A biscuit joiner needs only two things, a cutter and a height. I have a cheap unit, it cuts as expected but it wanders on height. Now for reasons best known to the maker, they added a tapped screw hole in frort of the height adjustment. As such, creating a plate and with a screw to hold it, for $50 or so I have an accurate machine. Thank you I dont need a domino thingy at several hundred, Is that not a toss for those that do that. Sure I understand that there are many phases of woodworking, but if you are an amateur then you look cheap and the fixes you can do. So in posts like these, there has to be separation between the amateur and the pro. My unit is strictly amateur, used once a year etc it works. Used every day its a pain. So please look at what your need is.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys!

I've decided not going upmarket - certainly not to the Lamello or the Festool Domino as there's no way I can justify that sort of outlay! Certainly not for the very limited use I make of one. (Besides, having been made "redundant" recently, my finances are a bit tight...)

Cheers!

Originally Posted by rrobor

A biscuit joiner needs only two things, a cutter and a height. I have a cheap unit, it cuts as expected but it wanders on height. Now for reasons best known to the maker, they added a tapped screw hole in frort of the height adjustment. As such, creating a plate and with a screw to hold it, for $50 or so I have an accurate machine. Thank you I dont need a domino thingy at several hundred, Is that not a toss for those that do that. Sure I understand that there are many phases of woodworking, but if you are an amateur then you look cheap and the fixes you can do. So in posts like these, there has to be separation between the amateur and the pro. My unit is strictly amateur, used once a year etc it works. Used every day its a pain. So please look at what your need is.

You need to look in between amateur and pro too.
There are some of us who don't make a living out of what we do but still like to have the good stuff.
I have a very diverse range of tools.

Originally Posted by Jack E

You need to look in between amateur and pro too.
There are some of us who don't make a living out of what we do but still like to have the good stuff.
I have a very diverse range of tools.

Cheers

Originally Posted by Jack E

You need to look in between amateur and pro too.
There are some of us who don't make a living out of what we do but still like to have the good stuff.
I have a very diverse range of tools.

Hear, hear!!! It's real nice to have heaps of toys!

I also have a small collection of really fine hand tools - many of which I use rarely - and it's such a pleasure to pick up a fine bit of engineering that works perfectly!

I always try to get the best that I can afford at the time and usually, I only have to lay out my money once and once only. Good quality tools in an amateur environment can last for life - yours and many others!

Rob

Originally Posted by Jack E

You need to look in between amateur and pro too.
There are some of us who don't make a living out of what we do but still like to have the good stuff.
I have a very diverse range of tools.

That was not my point. The guy is asking about a biscuit joiner. Now my answer was directed at its uses not as "Toys for boys". If anybody wishes to buy beyond that of their need then that is their personal choice. And again please dont get me wrong, I have nothing against people collecting fine tools for little more than the pleasure of having them. If that rocks your boat then great. But please realise that not all of us see it your way. My tools are tools and nothing more.

Originally Posted by rrobor

That was not my point. The guy is asking about a biscuit joiner. Now my answer was directed at its uses not as "Toys for boys". If anybody wishes to buy beyond that of their need then that is their personal choice. And again please dont get me wrong, I have nothing against people collecting fine tools for little more than the pleasure of having them. If that rocks your boat then great. But please realise that not all of us see it your way. My tools are tools and nothing more.

No worries, if you read my earlier post in this thread you will see that I have a cheap biscuit joiner as well.
That being said I will have no hesitation buying a Domino as soon as I am doing a job that may require one.
My point was that there are wood workers between amateur and pro, and the level of work or output doesn't determine the quality of tools for all of us.

I wouldn't fall into the trap of putting a biscuit joiner and a Domino in the same class either, as has been seen in this thread a high quality BJ can cost almost as much as a Domino set up.
They are different horses for different courses.

No worries mate!

I guess it depends on what jobs you want to do mainly. You cannot use the Domino for mitres, detachable joints or to clamp a workpiece with the element.
But the Domino is great for making dowel type connections for chairs, beds, etc.
Personally, I'd go for the Zeta for its versatility if I had the cash - but I'm a weekend warrior so can't really get this toy past my wife without her noticing..

Cheers
Chris

Originally Posted by chris.f

You cannot use the Domino for miters

Cheers
Chris

You can do miters with the domino, you can even do 3 way miters.

Andy