# biscuits or dowels? which is stronger joint.



## MasterSplinter (Jan 12, 2013)

I am wondering which makes for a stronger joint?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

MasterSplinter said:


> I am wondering which makes for a stronger joint?


Without any other choices, properly done (without a specific joint depicted) dowels would be my choice. IMO, biscuits are junk joinery. I would try to avoid a butt joint if possible.


















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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Noooooooo.....not another one!!!! You'll find a group of people that use both, and the opposite group thinks the other is garbage.....and then some think both are garbage. I wouldn't expect a consistent answer for this question. Are biscuits better than pocket holes, probably....are mortise and tennons better than biscuits....yea.....so on and so forth


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

ryan50hrl said:


> Noooooooo.....not another one!!!! You'll find a group of people that use both, and the opposite group thinks the other is garbage.....and then some think both are garbage. I wouldn't expect a consistent answer for this question. Are biscuits better than pocket holes, probably....are mortise and tennons better than biscuits....yea.....so on and so forth


In case it ever gets brought up, and for the record, I like chocolate better than vanilla.:yes:


















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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Well you are clearly wrong as vanilla is much better.


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

cabinetman said:


> In case it ever gets brought up, and for the record, I like chocolate better than vanilla.:yes:


Yeah, but strawberry is better than both of those!:laughing:


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)




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## MasterSplinter (Jan 12, 2013)

So let me get this straight. Chocolate is better than vanilla but we did not consider strawberry. Have I missed anything. LOL..


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Strawberry is the construction grade pine of the ice cream world.....no one really wants it in their shop.


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

I'm sure there is a test somewhere that proves which is stronger, but I'm not sure I've seen it. It might even be variable, depending on the size/length of the dowels.


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## Wood4Brains (Jul 25, 2012)

One other consideration:

Which is easier to REPAIR if the joint should fail?

I say that because one furniture maker who made our bed admitted that he stopped using biscuits about 25 years ago because they were harder to repair if they failed.

Oh yeah, and Mocha is the best flavor by far. It is both chocolate AND coffee. So it gets my vote.

At least until they start making beer flavored ice cream...


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## Itchytoe (Dec 17, 2011)

I'm with cabinetman in that I think dowels will provide a better joint than biscuits. On the other hand, he's dead wrong in thinking chocolate is the best flavor. It's so overdone and there are so many better flavors out there, including vanilla.


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

Being one of diverse tastes, I prefer vanilla because most any other flavor can be sloshed all over it to make it taste better(?). 
Biscuits are good under sausage gravy or with butter and honey. Add a little sugar and they are really good with strawberries and cream.
As to the OP's question, dowels...by far.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Itchytoe said:


> I'm with cabinetman in that I think dowels will provide a better joint than biscuits. On the other hand, he's dead wrong in thinking chocolate is the best flavor. It's so overdone and there are so many better flavors out there, including vanilla.


You should work on your reading comprenhension skills. I didn't say (or think) chocolate was the best flavor...I said I liked it better than vanilla.


















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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

So are we trying to make a good joint on icecream now. :laughing: A biscuit joint is a good method of joinery and has it's place and is much easier to do but a dowel if done correctly makes a stronger joint. The length of the dowel would make a big difference. Some people use very short dowels so that wouldn't make for any stronger joint than the biscuit. It's the small size of the biscuit which makes it a lesser joining method.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

The thickness of the base stock needs to be considered as well.....to thin and a dowel isn't going to work, i'd venture to say I can put a biscuit in a thinner piece than one with a dowel.......but since i've never tried putting either in thin stock.....i'm just guessing....


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