........

[MikeJhn]

I think that there is a perfectly valid third option - put a biscuit cutter with a 1/4" shank in a small handheld router and bring the tool to the work.

Claymore cites the problem he has because of reduced hand grip due to medical conditions. having a similar but luckily milder problem myself I empathise with him. A hand held router (when your hands no longer grip) is a very scary thing indeed.

That's the main reason I bought the Draper Expert router: http://www.toolstop.co.uk/draper-45368- ... kit-p47981 with the fixed base this is a very stable unit to work with, the twin grips are low down and make using it with hands the have a reduced grip much better than any other type of handle, I bought two of them to use with my Leigh Dovetail jig use both with the fixed base, I doubt I could do this with any other router, not too heavy, very manoeuvrable and with the clear polycarbonate base and three LED lights built in I can't think of anything better designed for a jig.

Mike

 

[Claymore]

.........

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Another way of stopping slipping is to use veneer pins or brass pins if they are likely to get hit by a cutter of any kind - nail a few into one board and nip the heads off about 2mm or 3mm proud - once you start to close the clamps the ends of the pins will sink into the other side and the boards won't slip. I've done it on 13' boards. I have read of a bit of sand being sprinkled into the glue having the same effect. You could of course use dowels instead of biscuits - probably a cheaper option.

 

[MikeJhn]

OK I will stick my head above the parapet, IMO biscuits do provide strength to a joint in shear which is what stops strips from displacing one from another vertically, in tension they would provide a modicum of strength due to the expansion of the biscuit once wetted out by the glue, but probably no strength at all in bending where they would pull out due to the lack of penetration into the adjacent timber and the lever arm effect from the rest of the panel.

There I'v said it, ready to repel boarders. :wink:

Mike