# Joining Biscuit bits



## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

What do you guys think of using a router to make biscuit joints instead of a biscuit jointer?

What is a good biscuit jointing bit to get?


thanks... 
chris


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

43longtime said:


> What do you guys think of using a router to make biscuit joints instead of a biscuit jointer?
> 
> What is a good biscuit jointing bit to get?
> 
> ...



HMMM A biscuit cutter blade is about 3 to 3 1/2 inches around. I am not to sure putting this on your router would be a safe thing to do. That's just my opinion. And I am the one that doe's things that would make osha cringe.


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

Handyman said:


> HMMM A biscuit cutter blade is about 3 to 3 1/2 inches around. I am not to sure putting this on your router would be a safe thing to do. That's just my opinion. And I am the one that doe's things that would make osha cringe.


what do you mean?

this is what i am talking about. http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=8060


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

43longtime said:


> what do you mean?
> 
> this is what i am talking about. http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=8060



Never mind.:blink: I had envisioned you putting a biscuit cutter blade on a router. That would have been a very bad idea. On the other hand the bit you are looking at would be nice to have. I didn't know such a bit existed. I offered my uneducated opinion on a misunderstood question, and i was wrong. Please except my most humble apology.
It will most likely happen again.:yes:


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

Handyman said:


> Never mind.:blink: I had envisioned you putting a biscuit cutter blade on a router. That would have been a very bad idea. On the other hand the bit you are looking at would be nice to have. I didn't know such a bit existed. I offered my uneducated opinion on a misunderstood question, and i was wrong. Please except my most humble apology.
> It will most likely happen again.:yes:


lol. its ok i guess i didnt explain it so you could under stand. I will have to word stuff better next time.


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## Ken Johnson (Nov 8, 2007)

I have done this many times and it works quite well. I don't do biscuit joints enough to justify a special tool to cut them. The router does a great job.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Ken Johnson said:


> I have done this many times and it works quite well. I don't do biscuit joints enough to justify a special tool to cut them. The router does a great job.


That is the main thing, how much you are going to use it. As a person who uses biscuits a lot I would want a dedicated biscuit jointer.

G


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

GeorgeC said:


> That is the main thing, how much you are going to use it. As a person who uses biscuits a lot I would want a dedicated biscuit jointer.
> 
> G


 I under stand what you are saying use the tool that is made to do the job.

just dont know how much i will want to use the biscuits or if i will like it so i dont want to buy a biscuit jointer just yet want to try it out on the router and see.


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## user4178 (Apr 18, 2008)

43longtime said:


> What is a good biscuit jointing bit to get?


 I don't get this part of the question, you aparently allready knew it.


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

43longtime I bought a cheep biscuit cutter from this company www.dropshiptools.com for about $25. or $30. bucks. All the front was plastic. I knew it wasn't going to be a great tool but i was willing to try it out and see if I wanted to spend the money on a better one. Remarkable it worked well. I was going to post a picture of it but the company no longer has it. Dropship tools is a lot like Harbor Frieght, but only sell online. I have bought 20 or so tools from them and sold some on ebay.


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## red (Sep 30, 2008)

That is a pretty cool biscuit cutter bit. I think it would be great for installing face frames. The price isn't too bad either. Red


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## Geoguy (Feb 22, 2008)

Several router bit companies make slot cutters the appropriate width for biscuits. I use a three-wing biscuit slot cutter that works great. I think MLCS has the exact same router bit tool. Works great! See the link below.

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/bt_slot.html


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## johnv51 (Oct 27, 2008)

i used to make dowel joints but once I tried a decent biscuit joiner I never took out the doweling jigs again. I finally sprung for the Porter Cable biscuit joiner and I love it. Easy to set up and use. You can have a joint ready to glue in a couple of minutes with little or no fuss.


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

Woodchuck1957 said:


> I don't get this part of the question, you aparently allready knew it.


I just found the link to that. didnt know if that was a good one or not.


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

johnv51 said:


> i used to make dowel joints but once I tried a decent biscuit joiner I never took out the doweling jigs again. I finally sprung for the Porter Cable biscuit joiner and I love it. Easy to set up and use. You can have a joint ready to glue in a couple of minutes with little or no fuss.


I think i want to get a biscuit jointer soon but cant put out 250 for one just yet want to try the router one out and see.


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## djonesax (Mar 3, 2008)

This is how I look at it. How mush is the bit? 30 bucks we'll say. I bought a Ryobi Busciut Joiner for 99 bucks and came with some biscuits and a nice little case. The dust collection bag on it works surprisingly well too.

30 bucks versus 99. I paid 69 extra dollars to be able to grab the cutter and bam, bam, bam, cut all my biscuits quickly. I have never done it on a router table but I would imagine changing the bits, taking a little more time for alignment, setting the fence, and having to postiion the work peice instead of the cutter would take much more time.

For me it all about time. With a 40 hour a week job plus I run a small technology business, a wife and baby, I would spend extra money to do the job faster.


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

Handyman said:


> 43longtime I bought a cheep biscuit cutter from this company www.dropshiptools.com for about $25. or $30. bucks. All the front was plastic. I knew it wasn't going to be a great tool but i was willing to try it out and see if I wanted to spend the money on a better one. Remarkable it worked well. I was going to post a picture of it but the company no longer has it. Dropship tools is a lot like Harbor Frieght, but only sell online. I have bought 20 or so tools from them and sold some on ebay.


thats what my goal it to try it out and see how well it works


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

Geoguy said:


> Several router bit companies make slot cutters the appropriate width for biscuits. I use a three-wing biscuit slot cutter that works great. I think MLCS has the exact same router bit tool. Works great! See the link below.
> 
> http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/bt_slot.html



Thanks for the link. :thumbsup: I think i am going to order one and see what happens.


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## user4178 (Apr 18, 2008)

Whiteside bits are good.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

If you are going to use biscuits, a router setup takes alignment and would be difficult to install a biscuit mortise in a 45 degree angle, or any particular angle. With large pieces, machining may have to be done with a hand held router, which would require accurate alignment and large heavy routers may be cumbersome to handle. Stops should be set up, as indicator lines may be hard to see because of the base for hand held, or starting the plunge horizontally away from the fence.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

43longtime said:


> I think i want to get a biscuit jointer soon but cant put out 250 for one just yet want to try the router one out and see.


A good biscuit jointer does not cost anywhere near $250. Plus you will never learn whether or not you like using one by first trying a router.


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## user4178 (Apr 18, 2008)

GeorgeC said:


> A good biscuit jointer does not cost anywhere near $250.


George, whats a good biscuit joiner ? The DeWalt is about $190. I think it's rated pretty highly, I've had one for quite a few years and have no complaints with it.


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

GeorgeC said:


> A good biscuit jointer does not cost anywhere near $250. Plus you will never learn whether or not you like using one by first trying a router.


I wanted to try the router one to just see. I have a friend that is going to let me borrow there biscuit jointer to try it out and see what i think about it. what biscuit jointer are you looking at that is not a lot of money?


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

cabinetman said:


> If you are going to use biscuits, a router setup takes alignment and would be difficult to install a biscuit mortise in a 45 degree angle, or any particular angle. With large pieces, machining may have to be done with a hand held router, which would require accurate alignment and large heavy routers may be cumbersome to handle. Stops should be set up, as indicator lines may be hard to see because of the base for hand held, or starting the plunge horizontally away from the fence.


that is something i never thought about not doing 45s but i am going to use my little palm router (trim router) and make a base plate that is maked so i know where center is.


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## djonesax (Mar 3, 2008)

43longtime said:


> I wanted to try the router one to just see. I have a friend that is going to let me borrow there biscuit jointer to try it out and see what i think about it. what biscuit jointer are you looking at that is not a lot of money?


 
I would think that even my little 99 dollar Ryobi would be better than using a router. The blade is easliy aligned and cuts like butter and would probably be much safer seeing as the blade is never really exposed.


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## user4178 (Apr 18, 2008)

43longtime said:


> I am going to use my little palm router (trim router) and make a base plate that is maked so i know where center is.


Do what you got to do, BUT, useing one of those bits in a hand held trim router, or even a regular router seems like a very dangerous thing to do. I would suggest you atleast put it in some kind of a router table with a adjustable stop block on the fence for this reason. If that bit ever grabs the wood, which it can still even do with a router table, it can fling that router right out of your hands and only god knows where. This is especially so if you don't have much experience with power tools.


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## boondocker (May 31, 2008)

Woodcraft is advertising that to use with biscuits (and I suppose it WILL work for them) but it would make a better slot maker for splines the length of the joint. And, as the Gent above pointed out the tool doesn't lend itself to mitered corner very well. Truth be told, you can find plate jointers on ebay or on Craigs List for little money and you'd have the best of both worlds.


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## boondocker (May 31, 2008)

43longtime said:


> I wanted to try the router one to just see. I have a friend that is going to let me borrow there biscuit jointer to try it out and see what i think about it. what biscuit jointer are you looking at that is not a lot of money?


Checkout Craigs list. I scored a practically new Porter Cable plate joiner last night for a hundred bucks.


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## johnv51 (Oct 27, 2008)

I've only had 2 shop injuries that required stitches, one was with a biscuit joiner. That was the main reason I upgraded from a kit that used an angle grinder and a slot blade to a real biscuit joiner, I got the Porter Cable. And $100 is a great deal on it. I paid $200.


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## boondocker (May 31, 2008)

I'm living on a fixed retirement program so I have to go the cheap way every chance I get....and be willing to buy used stuff rather than off the shelf new.


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

I have been looking on craigs list and ebay for a biscuit joiner.

I am going to weight to buy one and not use that cutter for the router.


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## boondocker (May 31, 2008)

Hey 43 - here is a link to an ebay item for a Porter Cable plate joiner. I have owned & used this particular model for years and it is just a good solid performing tool that will last you for years even with frequent use. They are readily available because lots of woodworkers are upgrading to the new PC model which will use the smaller FF biscuits for more delicate work.

http://cgi.ebay.com/PORTER-CABLE-BISCUIT-PLATE-JOINER-KIT-MODEL-556_W0QQitemZ270294383758QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item270294383758&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

I wouldn't bid on this particular item however, it seems to be missing the wrench and spring hook neeeded to replace the blade - but there are others.


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## boondocker (May 31, 2008)

There is a high end Porter Cable plate joiner on Craigs list today for $100. Hell of a deal for anyone wanting one. It's #851707891, or search for "plate joiner". This is how I found my new joiner last week.

I have no interest in this other than I like to spread the word when a good opportunity show up. Even with some shipping this would be a great buy.


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## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

I labored with the same decision about a year ago. I ended up buying a nice $85 jointer (Craftsman). They work great and are fast and easy. But I'm still not sure if I use it enough to justify the extra money, compared to the router bit.

I'd say it all comes down to how often you're gonna use it. And if you're gonna make complex (angled) cuts. 
More than once a month... or complex cuts? Go get a nice biscuit jointer for less than $100. I would only buy a high end machine if I was pro and used it every other day.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

boondocker said:


> There is a high end Porter Cable plate joiner on Craigs list today for $100. Hell of a deal for anyone wanting one. It's #851707891, or search for "plate joiner". This is how I found my new joiner last week.
> 
> I have no interest in this other than I like to spread the word when a good opportunity show up. Even with some shipping this would be a great buy.


On Craigslist for what city/area?

G


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

well i just got a new porter cable 557 from homedepot today. so i get to try it out.


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## user4178 (Apr 18, 2008)

Congradulations longtime, I think your going to luv it, I see customers rated it pretty highly in Amazon.


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## boondocker (May 31, 2008)

GeorgeC said:


> On Craigslist for what city/area?
> 
> G


Denver (http://denver.craigslist.org/tls/851707891.html )


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## pianoman (Jan 16, 2008)

After reading all these posts...I think you`re on your way to buying a Kreg Jig. It all depends on what you are building. Bisquit joiners are very handy...slot cutting bits are also handy...after using all the neet stuff invented for speeding up basic joinery...I think...really, it depends on what you`re building!! I used to use bisquits for making face frames. But now use Kreg screws...much faster!! I got tired of the mess with bisquits. As far as splining miters...I do that on the TS. In my opinion, Kreg scerwing face frames to cabinets is stronger and quicker and the holes can easily be filled. This could go on and on...and probably will! Rick


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

pianoman said:


> After reading all these posts...I think you`re on your way to buying a Kreg Jig. It all depends on what you are building. Bisquit joiners are very handy...slot cutting bits are also handy...after using all the neet stuff invented for speeding up basic joinery...I think...really, it depends on what you`re building!! I used to use bisquits for making face frames. But now use Kreg screws...much faster!! I got tired of the mess with bisquits. As far as splining miters...I do that on the TS. In my opinion, Kreg scerwing face frames to cabinets is stronger and quicker and the holes can easily be filled. This could go on and on...and probably will! Rick


Yes i am going to be getting a kreg screws. its next on my list.


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## johnv51 (Oct 27, 2008)

I have both and used both on some bedside tables I'm making. The pocket screws were just the ticket for joing the top (banded oak ply) to the frame of the tables.


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