I just bought the same one from Lowes for $139. I could not find it cheaper even online. What a beautiful piece of machinery. I love DeWalt, but their joiner was a joke.The only complaint I have is that the exhaust port clogs easily.
I was hired to do some wainscoting in a staircase & having no idea how to use a biscuit joiner I was shocked at how easy it was! I feel like an idiot for not buying one years ago.
The instructions are simple, because it is simple.
Steve

 

Freud makes good tools I have there jigsaw.

 

domino.

 

Thats not a biscuit cutter.

S.O.T. for once Warner. We all know the best plate joiner is a Lamello. Sorry it's not so green.:laughing:

 

I've been using a Ryobi for a decade or more, not like I use it a lot. It works well if you know how to compensate for it's restrictions.

We call it 'cheating the machine'. It goes back to my days as a CNC programmer. Make a fair machine work well or fool it altogether.

 

I've been using a Ryobi for a decade or more, not like I use it a lot. It works well if you know how to compensate for it's restrictions.

We call it 'cheating the machine'. It goes back to my days as a CNC programmer. Make a fair machine work well or fool it altogether.

I bought a craftsman a few years ago, thinking how much will I use it? I don't think that it was built to cut 40 #2 slots in a row.:laughing: It got kind of a funny smell about slot 30.

It is indispensable in some situations, it's either that or dowels. A couple of weeks ago I had to make a 14" Pressure treated threshold for a church. They used to grow big trees!

 

I have it, and I like it, but I honestly don't have anything to compare it to besides an OLD makita that a GC had I used once or twice..

 

After checking out the PC, Dewalt, Ryobi, and Freud, I ended up buying the Freud @ Lowes for $139 US.

It just feels like a good quality tool when you pick it up.

I just used it yesterday for the first time to make come radiused facia, and it worked great, I did notice that the exhaust port cloged up easily.

bisquits and pocket screws, for the tapered columns.

 

I haven't tried it without the bag to see if it still clogs easily? I do like the design of the case & where the bag is stored. I also like the anti-skid faceplate design. The DeWalt looked like it would be all over the place.
Steve

 

I love my Porter Cable. No problems after two bags of biscuits. ( Over 5 years, not at same time. )

 

I have a Porter Cable also. I use it primarily for alignment and backed up with Kreg pocket screws. I like the PC because the fence (or plate) can tip to 135 degrees and it also has an accessory cutter blade that uses 00 biscuits for really small stuff. Exhaust port hooks right up with my little Shop Vac - very handy when doing interior work - window sills etc.
Good rig
T:thumbsup:

 

I have a Porter Cable also. I use it primarily for alignment and backed up with Kreg pocket screws. :thumbsup:

hey thats my trick

 

i have a porter cable (back when they were still good) and love it. i have gone thru atleast 10 containers of biscuts of all sizes. currently have it set up with ff size (face frame, used a smaller blade).
i have havent used anyother brand, so i would have no comparison.

 

X2 on the Domino.

 

I also have the porter cable biscuit joiner. I mostly use it on PVC trim boards with plastic biscuits. I have had not one problem after several hundred cuts in PVC. The thing works like a champ. I would be hesitant to buy one now that Dewalt owns Porter Cable.

 

Black and Decker now owns Delta and Porter Cable.

 

I think I may keep it. I cut 80 slots in a row without any issues.

It has no issues with clogging if you run it without the bag (I never even put the bag on yet).

Pocket screws are a good idea for the columns, this was my first time building them so I wasn't sure if the biscuits would be enough. I glued and clamped the columns indoors (its -15 degrees outside!) and tacked it all together with brads. The edges and nail holes are covered with a corner bead.

Thanks for the tips,

 

If you cut 80 slots in a row, would it not be faster to just cut a slot with a router. Just change the bearings on the bit to change the depth. You could even rip a spline instead of using biscuits or just tongue and groove it.

 

I haven't found anything as quick & accurate as a biscuit joiner. A router can go off on you.
Steve

 

Or a lock miter. I also saw a guy making his own dominos made from azek. So he could glue up some azek.

 

I had a bunch of rips left over from doing some custom Azek moldings and used them to make Dominos for future needs.:thumbsup:

 

Well Black and Decker owns Dewalt, Porter Cable, Delta, Kwikset, to name a few. So I def think the quality of Porter Cable just went down the drain

 

Has any one used the frued doweller.

 

I used a dewalt for a while and I thought it worked good. I then got a portercable about 3 years ago cuz I was kreg jigging face frames in hickory and it kept splitting the wood. I LOVE the porter cable. The nice thing is I can leave my dewalt set up for standard biscuits and porter cable for ff biscuits but if I was buying one I'd have to say I have no complaints about the porter cable. I would be leery of any other porter cable tools at this point though. It seems like lately all the tools have gone in the crapper- finish sander, on off buttons always go to the crapper, lithium ion drills dont charge for crap when their cold.

 

I used a dewalt for a while and I thought it worked good. I then got a portercable about 3 years ago cuz I was kreg jigging face frames in hickory and it kept splitting the wood. I LOVE the porter cable. The nice thing is I can leave my dewalt set up for standard biscuits and porter cable for ff biscuits but if I was buying one I'd have to say I have no complaints about the porter cable. I would be leery of any other porter cable tools at this point though. It seems like lately all the tools have gone in the crapper- finish sander, on off buttons always go to the crapper, lithium ion drills dont charge for crap when their cold.

There is no reason you should be splitting the wood with a pocket screw. In really hard woods like Hickory try using a fine threaded pocket screw with the little self drilling side cut at the tip. No splits, even in Hickory Dickory Doc. :thumbsup:

 

Hickory does split even with the fine threaded bit. Even says so in the Kreg manual. You just have to keep the screw away from the edge of the wood. Even if it splits you just squeeze some glue in there and clamp it. It goes away real nice.

 

Hickory does split even with the fine threaded bit. Even says so in the Kreg manual. You just have to keep the screw away from the edge of the wood. Even if it splits you just squeeze some glue in there and clamp it. It goes away real nice.

I'll have to go w/ Leo on this one. I tried everything (I always use the fine thread self drilling in hardwoods). I tried dipping the screws in parrafin wax, spitting on em prior to screwing em in. I didn't want to spend the 220$ on the pc joiner but now I'm glad I did. I also concidered just clamping it but was affraid the split might show up after I sanded it or a month or two later.

 

I use Grip Rite Exterior Prime Guard Plus for most of my Pocket Screwing....they have a deep thread, strong metals, the "Z" or "W" cut tip for that self drilling, and the combo head holds very will on my #2 square drive tip. I do alot of pocket screwing in Melamine, MDF, Pine, Poplar and Oak.

 

You can pre drill them before you screw them. You need to get a long bit so you can keep it at the same angle. You put your joint together, put the Kreg clamp on the faces and then do the pre drill. Then you can put your screws in. Much faster than using the biscuits, just a bit more work than using the screws by themselves.

 

The biscuit joint does take alot more time. Biscuit join, glue, square, clamp, and wait for the glue to dry- verses drill kreg screw holes, glue, screw and install. Definately faster. I'll have to look for that longer bit...

 

I don't have a FF biscuiter. So I am forced to use dowels in that situation. And the only time I use dowels now is when the back of the FF is going to be seen. Like if there is a mirror in the back of the cabinet or if there are doors on both sides. Otherwise I have eliminated the doweled FF member.

 

Kreg Jig... If a lot get the Forman. I've been looking at the Domino's after another crappy Non-Lamello Jointer's bit the dust.

 

I have the Foreman. Works great. Look inside of it and you'll ask why they get $800 for it. Use it building a kitchen and you go "Oh, that's why they get $800 for it." Not worth the price in parts, but worth the savings in time.

 

Bit the bullet on a Foreman last summer, haven't looked back since. As for the original topic, my biscuit is one of the least used tools I own. I doubt it's seen the light of day for over a year.

 

I've got the freud as well and works well, though I don't use it often