Today I've got my personal top 10 biscuit joiner tips for you. Do you call it a biscuit joiner or a biscuit jointer? I call it a jointer but 'joiner' seems to get more hits on Google so I've used that instead. Also gets known as a plate joiner or plate jointer. I use the DeWalt DW682K biscuit joiner and it's great although it did take some initial tuning up to sort the accuracy (see my other vid). A biscuit joiner is used for providing a strong joint between two pieces of wood using a wooden 'biscuit' that's glued in to the slot created by the biscuit jointer. They're a very versatile way of joining wood together. Welcome back to the Gosforth Handyman Tips Library!
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As an absolute novice I really appreciate your explanations as to what you are doing. You are a very talented teacher and I hope to learn a lot more from you. I’ll let you know when I finish my first project. Thank you so much.
Thank you so much for this video because you helped me fully understand all that this tool can do. I was confused but your tutorial helped me navigate on my own and I’m forever grateful!
Thank you. It's been a number of years since I've used my biscuit/plate joiner, and I couldn't remember how to SAFELY join the end of one board to the face of another board. I watched several introductory tutorials and none showed it being done. They only showed boards being joined along their lengths or the ends being mitered, but nothing of a board's end to another's face. Upon finding your video, your demonstration showed me what I needed to know very quickly. Thank you very much for your time and effort to share what you know.
What a refreshing change to watch/listen to a video that's to the point, clearly explained, no unnecessary waffle and no crap music. If your other videos are the same I will be watching the lot. Well done, thank you. And you echo my sentiments exactly about dust extraction. I made the same comment when I 'discovered' it. Previously, I got so fed up with the bag clogging that I would use my DeWalt biscuit joiner without it but then it filled the workshop with dust. But with dust extraction connected absolutely no dust whatsoever.
Cheers Glen - yes, was exactly the same - ran mine without the bag for a while. Welcome to the channel! 👍🛠
Really appreciate your tips and techniques, I just purchased a biscuit joiner and not too proud to realise I need strong safety tips as yours I did stuff my initial joining up because I did not fully understand about references. Thankyou so much
Great informative video. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
My Son-in-law gave me a used Dewalt biscuit jointer. This video definitely put me on the right direction... Thank You So Much!!! Chuck in Michigan
Great tips. Especially the 2 for one tip for joining 2 boards at 90 degrees with only one clamping.
Great tips well explained. Thanks Andy!
Awesome vid very informative specially to one that's had a biscuit jointer in the case for ooh say 4 years now. Greatly appreciate your teaching techniques very comprehensive and every one of the tips you mentioned.. Cheers from Chicago USA
Mine doesn't get much use,but when you need one they are golden!Thanks for the refresher Andy👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
No worries Alan! 👍
This is brilliant, exactly what I needed. Thanks!👍🏻👍🏻
Some great tips there for people interested in getting one of these units, especially the tip for deflecting the air vent eyeball duster.... 👍😂
Cheers Bill! 👍
i just bought one so this is a handy little video. they seem great little things to use and so quick compared to messing with dowels and jigs.
Great video very well explained in detail and ive seen it all now a remote controlled VAC
Well done, Mate; I appreciate your knowledge and time to explain the finer points. Have a lovely day, Cheers!
Thank u big guy, very informative, i am learning from this!!
I received a Fern biscuit jointer several years ago as a birthday present and love it. I generally use it to make a piece longer, as I'm too tight / lazy to buy a longer length. The pieces fit perfectly aligned & flush.
They're great for that! 👍
Excellent teaching methods. I always learn a lot. Keep up the great work.
Excellent practical tips
Excellent video as always Great job I learned alot
Awesome tips thanks for sharing
Awesome tips! This is really helpful. Thanks!
Thanks! This is new for me so it's a great video 👍
I'd like to know what the people who down voted this didn't like. I just bought a jointer, was looking at the project wondering how I was going to groove the vertical faces. One quick KZhead search and GH has answered my question and a couple more I should have asked and pointed me to another video to help me set it up. Great as always. Cheers.
Such a great vid. I got way more than 10 useful tips, even from some of your passing comments. Subbed.
Once you said "easy peasy" I knew I was watching the right guy for tips. lol Thanks for the great video. You did make Biscuit jointing look "easy peasy".....
A really helpful tutorial. Thanks. I note the air deflector and that there is a threaded hole next to the air vent. My immediate thought was to cut a piece of sheet material (aluminium, plastic or similar) and bolt it in position.
Thanks! a really great set of tips ...
Gday from Oz mate Very easy to understand and enjoyable to watch. My ethos as well drink coffee and make stuff ! cheers
Very helpful video. Thank you
Great videos, big fan of both yourself and Mr millard. There are reference 'screws' on either end of the face for easy set up, I use these as a way to speed things up and to avoid marking the workpiece. Biscuit is closer to your preferred position as well. Keep up the good work (I'm hoping to start a similar channel soon, just ordered some filming equipment) , Thanks, John.
Cheers John! 👍
Very interesting. Been woodworking 40 years and just got my first biscuit jointer (Ryobi Corded). Tired of using cauls to align boards for slabs.
Thanks for this!
Excellent information.
Wonderful info thanks for posting.
Great video, Mate! Thank you for creating and sharing. :)
Thank you for sharing your wisdom really appreciate it good tips
Cheers Tim! 👍
I have the same machine, another thumbs up for the masking tape idea!
Saves the eyes! 😂
Great tips and techniques Andy. In the instructions that came with my non-DeWalt jointer it reminded you that the biscuits were dried compressed Beech and that you should store them in an airtight container to stop moisture absorption over time. Great tip about the air deflector - mine does that too ! . It's really just an adapted angle grinder I suppose.
Yeah, I've heard that before. The UJK packs of 1000 are just in a cardboard box - never had any problems. I guess if you lived somewhere really humid it could be more of an issue. 👍
Wales...
That's just a rumour we started to keep the the population levels down. ;o)
Excellent Demo, thanks!
🛠👍
thank you for the great video and instructions !!!!I had one question regarding hight of the blade. Is it right to say that in order for the blade to make a center cut ,the stock has to be 3/4 inch thick ???? Or can you adjust it when your stock lets say is only 1/2 inch thick ? THank you again !!!!!!
thanks to you I learnt every thing about joiner! I did use your tips for my first bookcase :-) what about making a hole in your bench and clamp to avoid your hand either on the right or on the left ?
Helpful thank you 👍
Great bits and pieces of advise here! I highly apppreciated
Great video - thanks!
Hi, good video. May I ask your thoughts please? And now some people use a much closer spacing than 200mm to each buscuit centre, I can see why you do since its for lining up not exactly strengh because that is what the glue is for and I think others have more to add strengh. Also about putting glue within the buscuit slit (if you call it that lol) some do not because the glue can expand so were the buscuit is the wood can bulge a bit? Thank you
What do you think of using a router for making biscuit joints? End to end, would you use biscuits to joint 2 pieces of plywood (4x5)? Or use joining pins?
From my experience, distributing the glue with an acid brush in the hole before inserting the biscuit is one of the most important step, especially if you are joining 2 boards to make a wider one and want the edges to align perfectly (with veneered mdf boards to make wood top, for example). The biscuits expand with glue, so uneven glue equals uneven expansion. Cheers
Exactly what I need for a pair of media cabinets I'm building.
Hi, I just got a biscuit jointer so thanks for the tips! Can you tell me what brand glue you use?
I particularly liked your last point - clamp once and use the edges and the base. My instruction manual assumed you know which is the reference edge - but you make it obvious and marking a channel makes it clear where the biscuits will be e.g. the right surface. Keeping fingers out of the line of fire - like a table saw with a push stick - why not use a 75x75 block with a handle to press down but keep fingers away from the action? Using a board to hold the smaller pieces - reminds me of a bigger version of a bench hook. A custom version of this could have a top lip to catch the board and just make it a bit safer to use without getting in the way? 18mm board and a base plate that's about 10mm means the fence is immaterial and since this is most likely to introduce errors avoiding it is just perfect! Thanks again for the 10 hints e.g. 20mm to edge and 200 spacing etc. as guide.
Another good video
Thank’s from France !!! 😉
No worries and hello to France! 👍😀
Thanks Andy, another great video, more so as I have a biscuit jointer. So, no festool dominos for you mate :)
Cheers - no dominos... yet!! 👍😀
Thank you for the great tips Andy. I am very pleased with mine but always appreciate a refresher from a pro. Do you have any thoughts on the Festool Domino versus biscuit jointers?
Domino is awesome and does a lot of stuff the biscuit jointer can't do. I don't really need one at the mo. but we'll see what happens... 👍
Andy,you're awesome,
Hello from 2021 `future time` All very useful info, thankyou.
Great video thanks
Can you buicuit join say 4x2 planed timber for a door casing to align square, and use screws to make stronger surley this would be quicker than trenching out the head?. Great Chanel thanks for your tips
Just bought my first biscuit joiner, an older craftsmen, used and it came with 500 #20 biscuits for $50.
just got a dewalt biscuit joiner, I have the dewalt size 0 biscuits. They are loose and dont stay in. Is my blade to big? they are not snug.
The original version of that DeWalt biscuit jointer was made by ELU in Switzerland, mine is still going strong, they occasionally turn up on eBay.
Interesting - great stuff!
I've been using my elu biscuit jointer today😍 long live elu tools👍
Always very usefull tutorials, keep the good job, thanks !!
There are also metal biscuit connectors that you can use as well. It means you cut up the joint put in the metal biscuits and glue the surfaces and then connect the biscuits.
I just bought a second hand dw682 supposedly used once. A few of the knobs for adjustments are stuck. Is there a penetrating oil I can use on this that won’t harm plastic and rubbing parts?
Great vid again would like to see more vids and less music and high speed vids. Anyway you show these tips using mdf do you use your joiner on mdf for your projects? Do you have problems with swelling.
Ah Mike, put it out to vote a while back and the majority like the music 😀 No probs with swelling! 👍
I do not have a biscuit joiner (and I'll probably "never" have one) but this video is very informative. I like seeing you using a brush to spread the glue. So many people on YT use their fingers(!), incredible. Thanks for sharing. By the way, how is your arm doing? No problems anymore? What helped in the end?
Arm is still buggered - going for physio. 😢
I'm sorry for you to hear that. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. Do consider the injection I mentioned the other day. That really should help. Good luck!
Very good
On the dial that shows biscuit sizes I saw 0, 10, 20, and then an "M". What is the "M" for. It that a setting for a "mini" biscuit? Thank you for responding to my comment.
I don't call it a jointer because it doesn't do what a milling jointer does. Makes more sense to me to call it a joiner since that's what it assists you in doing. :-) Good video though, I got a good second hand one the other day and am checking out some videos before I start using it to make chopping boards and table tops. Cheers
4:50 if the slot is not perfectly centered on the thickness of the board, you can't flip it while mounting. So it is better to use the same reference as you said just before this.
What is the tape around the joiner I’ve seen that on other videos
A MFT-style table might be a useful thing to have when doing the edge biscuits - put the piece in place on your shim, butt against the strip, then use quick-clamps through the holds to keep your hand completely away from the business end of the jointer ( I mean, MFT tables look useful anyway, but I can see Mr. M doing it that way).
Hi Andy, been watching yours and Peter's channel and applying lots of stuff to my own fitted furniture co. Thanks v much for taking the time to share the knowledge. I think you're both stellar. Q: Doesn't the auto start work on your festool extractor?
I don't have a Festool extractor! (just the hose) 👍
How did you get the biscuits (wood pieces for the joints)
Ah C'mon. Any true wood-worker loves getting saw dust shot directly into your eyeballs.😂
I really appreciate your notes on safety. I have decided to stop watching channels that routinely remove all the safety equipment from their gear; it's just a bad example.
Yes, probably done it myself on older videos. As you say, sets a bad example. 👍
Using safety gear is a PERSONAL choice, a smart one but a personal one. Are you watching "how to" videos just to see if they use safety gear (that you know how to use, when to use yourself) or are you watching videos to learn about new techniques or projects? Yes it's a personal decision for you to not watch, but it is you missing out because they will still produce videos the same way. Why is it people on the internet expect everyone else to operate the same way they do or they aren't worth watching? Personally, I'm watching for information, i manage my own safety.
How can I tell if my joiner is at 45 degrees for joining corners? Is there a trick to it?
What’s your thoughts on biscuiting worktops I’ve done them that way for over 15 years never had one fail I feel there better for joining than bolts they give much more support while closing joint I use seven or eight
I don't do many worktops but would normally use biscuits for alignment and bolts to pull it together. I'm no expert on worktops though! Hate doing them. 😂
Excellent Video....Thank you
Subbed
Anyone used the parkside jointer. Lidl sells it from 4th jan any good?
So why does everyone wax lyrical about the festool domino when (it seems) the biscuit jointer does everything that the fessie does, including widening or enlarging the hole to cater for slight misalignment of the work pieces?
Always make sure that the machine is firmly pressed against the workpiece before operating it. The small spikes should hold it in place. I saw a guy use one of these rather haphazardly once and the piece was slung off the bench and the blade nipped each of his fingertips. If it’s a small piece, clamp it down.
thanks man ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️👌👌👌👌👌
Like the video. Would not dowels be just as strong (possibly even stronger) for the joints???
Can do! Nothing wrong with dowels. 👍
Just to clarify I mean the 'anti slippage pins', I use these for quick reference from the edge of the workpiece. You get a bit of wiggle room as you explained.
Yes - good tip! 👍
Sawdust in blowing in the users face is "feature, not a bug" (as the say in software). The Skillsaw 66 has been doing it for decades.
while these are beneficial for what you are showing in this video....I have a different problem trying to join two longer boards into a longer board butting the ends together with a biscuit joint. I trying to join a 1" X 5" X 8' long....
I loce your wonderful accend!!!
Thank you! 👍
Brill !
8:15 Good point, you see many people being careless there.
👍
You can do that thumbs up because you are safe..... Not✊...... Lol
Every time I use my Dewalt bisquit joiner, it never joins flush. I can use this tool only for things I can sand flush, to get a flush joint between two pieces. What could be wrong? Seems there is something wrong with the tool.
Sounds like the same problem I had! Have a look at this vid: kzhead.info/sun/hcWGYMWFg6uXjKc/bejne.html
Make sure the surface you are resting you work piece on is 100% flat otherwise you will not get perfect results. Actually Biscuit jointers have lost favour with most woodworkers and they don't use them much these days; contrary to popular belief when these tools were first introduced claiming to make the joint stronger, in fact it has been tested and proved that they don't make the joint stronger; it is purely a tool for aligning boards and does not add strength to a joint. The strongest part of a joint is the glue and usually the board will break before the glue will fail.
John South east Try an end grain to end grain joint or an end grain to long grain joint. They add strength.
Ray Brensike j7
Lets see how strong that MDF Edge joint is . :)
I love the accent! Makes me want to move away from California.
John Puccetti that wouldn’t be my first reason
John Puccetti HA! No you wouldn't.
I live not far from this guy if your interested in a home exchange 😄
I guess in America a biscuit jointer would be something for getting (planing) biscuits flat and square. How come they don't call biscuit joiners cookie joiners?
Good question! 👍
A mil is a measurement that equals one-thousandth of an inch, or 0.001 inch. One mil also equals 0.0254 mm (millimeter). Thus a mil is not the same thickness as a millimeter. This aside, you made a nice, informative video.
Chuck Yancey I assume you are in USA. here in uk although most of us old hands use imperial and metric interchangeably, a mil is taken as being a millimetre. 0.001 of an inch we refer to as thousandths or thou’s for short. 40thou equals 1mm btw (39.37 to be precise). Mark Twain said we are two nations separated by a common language! This seems to illustrate that. Have a good day.
Good video - just one small point. You said that by placing each biscuit joint the same distance from the edge, it doesn't matter which way around you position the piece to be jointed. Surely this goes completely against working with reference marks to ensure that the cutter is at exactly the same height on both pieces to be joined? John
Yes, not quite sure what drugs I was on when I said that. 👍😂
Do you have a Domino? If so do you find it more accurate re alignment? I've tried both back to back and there was an overlap with biscuits. Obviously this depends on the machine.
The Domino is about 5-6 times more expensive all in. Let’s leave this video about the biscuit not something most woodworkers will never be able to afford. This is coming from someone with some Festool tools.
I've got both domino machines and a biscuit jointer and I find none of them are 100% accurate. However, that is usually because I get careless and perhaps don't apply enough pressure to keep the devices perfectly still or there is a bit of saw dust left over compromising the position.
Hi Matt, I too have both Domino machines and a biscuit jointer (Bosch in my case) I find them all accurate (once the Festools are calibrated in properly). As you indicate it's more to do with taking your time and making sure each cut is precisely set up if you want perfect alignment at all times.
Steve James Exactly. In my case it's definitely been a case of more speed less haste - which is wrong! Makita for the biscuit jointer for me, but they are much the same. I doubt the aluminium casting is inaccurate. All of these sorts of devices are amazing time savers, so I'm happy for a bit of hand planing after the fact.
Don't have a domino - still very tempted to get one but think I'd struggle to see the payback. Still 50/50. 👍
What model dewalt is that
Link in description 👍