Biscuit jointer

[jb94]

Hi,
I’m working on the crib for my son to be and am looking to pick up a biscuit jointer for forming the joints between the bars and horizontal sections.

Originally I was planing on doing dowel joints for this but as a weekend woodworker, doing hundreds of these joints accurately might just finish me off!

I’ll be using it for this project (prototype attached below) and also for some cabinet joinery for little one’s room.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a decent machine without going crazy. Budget ~£100 new or used.

 

[deema]

Lamello, you can pickup a secondhand one for about your proposed budget. Nice thing if you decide to splash out a little more is that they keep their value, so once done you can sell it and recover your outlay.

 

[jb94]

Lamello, you can pickup a secondhand one for about your proposed budget. Nice thing if you decide to splash out a little more is that they keep their value, so once done you can sell it and recover your outlay.

Any particular model you’d go for?

I’ve seen a ‘top’ for £130 that looks to have an adjustment knob for different sized biscuits.

 

[deema]

I would say any, however, the Top 10, which is I believe the first they brought out that allowed you to adjust the cutter height by rotating a dial / knob on top of the head is a good all rounder. Do you need this feature? No, not really.

 

[Essex Barn Workshop]

I had, and used with success, the erbauer biscuit jointer from screwfix for years:
https://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-ebj860-860w-electric-biscuit-jointer-220-240v/341fx
I have now upgraded, but only because a really nice, clean and little used bosch pro one came up on facebook marketplace about 2 miles from me. I wasn't looking for a change, but couldn't resist for under £100.
I sold the erbauer for about £35 I think.

 

[jb94]

I had, and used with success, the erbauer biscuit jointer from screwfix for years:
https://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-ebj860-860w-electric-biscuit-jointer-220-240v/341fx
I have now upgraded, but only because a really nice, clean and little used bosch pro one came up on facebook marketplace about 2 miles from me. I wasn't looking for a change, but couldn't resist for under £100.
I sold the erbauer for about £35 I think.

I’ve seen a Bosch pro come up on marketplace also for around that money. Would you recommend it?

 

[sneggysteve]

I have an Elu I am going to sell - see same one sold recently on E Bay - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/196335744941

If you are interested, I will take some photos later today. £50 plus postage (it is heavy) Also has 3 bags of Trend biscuits.



Steve

 

[Phil Pascoe]

^^^^^^^^ take it!

 

[TimV]

If you have a router and this is the only job you're likely to do then you could consider a biscuit jointer router bit ...

 

[Stevekane]

Ive no knowledge of the Lamello, but it looks like a regular biscuit jointer to me(?) and if so it wouldnt be the tool I would reach for if I was making your cot for two reasons, first the biscuits do not go very deep into the wood and as I recall our old cot took quite a bashing from the kids rocking it, and secondly the narrowness of the bars means using very small biscuits which you would find hard to fit without breaking out the sides as well. Why not dowel the bars using a jig of any kind?
Steve.

 

[jb94]

If you have a router and this is the only job you're likely to do then you could consider a biscuit jointer router bit ...

I did try this in the past about 10 years ago and really didn’t get on with it.
I found it difficult to line up accurately, plus I can’t do joints on the middle of the board for cabinets with that.

 

[jb94]

Ive no knowledge of the Lamello, but it looks like a regular biscuit jointer to me(?) and if so it wouldnt be the tool I would reach for if I was making your cot for two reasons, first the biscuits do not go very deep into the wood and as I recall our old cot took quite a bashing from the kids rocking it, and secondly the narrowness of the bars means using very small biscuits which you would find hard to fit without breaking out the sides as well. Why not dowel the bars using a jig of any kind?
Steve.

Yeah it’s a fair point, it would have to be the smaller biscuits to avoid side tear out.

You’re right dowels would engage deeper than biscuits, but I can’t imagine it needing more than a biscuit. I’ll test out the joints on my prototype and report back.

 

[recipio]

If you can find a Lamello Top 10 for £100 then grab it. The adjusting knob is very handy. All joiners should be used with dust extraction and the Lamello needs a plastic gizmo to attach to it's oval shaped outlet. As for strength they should be fine but I would buy the Sliverline plywood biscuits off Amazon. Check the width of the slats to get the correct size.

 

[okeydokey]

A slightly different approach and as you're fitting a capping rail why not drill through the top rail into the vertical slats and tap some dowels through the top rail into the slats with a smear of pva and job done. When the capping is fitted you won't see the top edge of the dowels

 

[jb94]

A slightly different approach and as you're fitting a capping rail why not drill through the top rail into the vertical slats and tap some dowels through the top rail into the slats with a smear of pva and job done. When the capping is fitted you won't see the top edge of the dowels

Another good solution thanks.

 

[Essex Barn Workshop]

I’ve seen a Bosch pro come up on marketplace also for around that money. Would you recommend it?

100%. I enjoy using mine, which came in a metal box.

 

[Roysy]

Biscuit joints are for aligning only and add no strength to your joints. If you are using but joints I would be concerned of stability. Your original plan for using dowels seems a far more robust method. Maybe spend the money on a decent dowelling jig or change your style of joint. Kreg screws may be a better alternative.

 

[deema]

Biscuit joints are for aligning only and add no strength to your joints. If you are using but joints I would be concerned of stability. Your original plan for using dowels seems a far more robust method. Maybe spend the money on a decent dowelling jig or change your style of joint. Kreg screws may be a better alternative.

I wouldn’t agree. Not sure where this myth came from, but it’s just that. The strength is dependant like every other joint on the quality of the biscuit.

 

[Roysy]

I wouldn’t agree. Not sure where this myth came from, but it’s just that. The strength is dependant like every other joint on the quality of the biscuit.

I agree in part and attach a video that demonstrates this very well. The problem is that over the counter biscuits are generally of poor quality adding little if any strength as they have a tendency to break up. Home made hardwood biscuits however would indeed add some strength if they have longitudinal grain perpendicular to the joint surface as a combination of increased glue surface and hardwood strength. I am not sure if you can purchase hardwood biscuits of that nature and if so; then I would advise that. All biscuits I have encountered are of the nature shown in the video.

 

[pe2dave]

I've a Makita, worked solidly over its lifetime.