Biscuit Jointer?

[Calpol]

I'm looking to get a biscuit jointer for working at home and could use some advice. We had the Dewalter at work but it seemed to always have some offset between the boards, BUT could well have only been since we started using the Hafele biscuits, which always had different thicknesses so some would be super tight and some could slide out with no bother at all...

Anyway would you reckon the small amount of misalignment is down to the biscuits or the jointer? I have a few Dewalt tools and couldn't be happier with them, just the one at work I thought could have been better... I would have to say it probably didn't get taken care of before I started either so maybe some bits were loose or something...?

Sooo, £200 would be my limit which includes most of them, or should I hang on for a Lamello or even just suck it up and get the likes of the Mafell LNF20...? (Depth control turret I really like 8) )

Lots of reading there so here's a nice picture... :wink:

 

[dicktimber]

It's a question I keep asking....
Which one??????

Mike

 

[houtslager]

try the MAKITA biscuiter damn good value for money.

hs

 

[JanneKi]

If the Mafell pricerange feels OK, why not give the Festool Domino a thought?

 

[JonnyD]

I have the Mafell which is a good accurate machine. Not as good as the domino though

Jon

 

[OPJ]

I bought a second-hand Makita off eBay about a year ago and have been very happy with it. There are others who've been happy with the much cheaper offerings (thinking of the Ferm from Screwfix...). With these cheaper models, the fences are generally a load of crap. But, you can still get good use and find accuracy when working off the base.

 

[FatFreddysCat]

I have the Mafell which is a good accurate machine. Not as good as the domino though

Yes, but you can get biscuits in B&Q. As Mafell user I'd suggest their BJ is a MUCH cheaper solution than the Domino

 

[Shrubby]

Another recommendation for the Makita. Build quality far above the Dewalt from experience. The design was good enough for Bosch to copy!
Matt

 

[BradNaylor]

should I hang on for a Lamello or even just suck it up and get the likes of the Mafell LNF20...?

If you're looking at this end of the price scale I would forget biscuits altogether and get a Domino.

I can't imagine a Domino owner ever wanting to pick up a biscuit jointer again. I've had mine for a couple of months and it has revolutionised my construction techniques.

It is twice the tool of even the highest end biscuit jointer.

Cheers
Brad

 

[Calpol]

We had the Domino at work (it's still there, just I'm not!) and while it really is fantastic, I do prefer biscuits for laminating. I still have access to a Domino as well which is why I was after a biscuiter... Biscuits are much easier to use for laminating too, I tried 40mm walnut boards with dominoes and it was quite a struggle to get them together. Also it's a fair bit more even than an expensive biscuit jointer...

One day...

 

[p111dom]

If you're looking at this end of the price scale I would forget biscuits altogether and get a Domino.

I can't imagine a Domino owner ever wanting to pick up a biscuit jointer again. I've had mine for a couple of months and it has revolutionised my construction techniques.

It is twice the tool of even the highest end biscuit jointer.

Cheers
Brad

Well I've got a Domino and I still want a good biscuit jointer. Its rather slow the Domino especially if you want or need to do different sizes beacuse you need to take it apart to change the cutters. Great for mini M&T joints but for joining boards a biscuit jointer is still better.

 

[BradNaylor]

Well I've got a Domino and I still want a good biscuit jointer. Its rather slow the Domino especially if you want or need to do different sizes beacuse you need to take it apart to change the cutters. Great for mini M&T joints but for joining boards a biscuit jointer is still better.

I don't understand.

If I'm jointing boards with dominos I simply set the cut wider than a domino on one side of the join so that I still get perfect alignment but the fit is not so tight that it makes assembly dfficult. I find it just as quick as using biscuits.

As for changing cutters, yes it does take a few minutes, but so what? I bet most people, like me, use the same size domino for pretty well eveything.

I see the Domino as a machine which can do everything that a BJ can do, and much more as well.

It is well worth finding the extra money for.

Cheers
Brad

 

[ivan]

I upgraded from a Freud to the Lamello "classic style but no paint" model at just over 200 quid as all lamellos seemed to have least play in the plunge mechanism. Money well spent. I think the Makita which the magazines liked was about £160 at the time.

The freud design really needs you to make spacer blocks to position the fence, and otherwise not quite accurate enough when joints assembled. I think cheaper models sometimes have the blade out of complete alignment with base and/or fence. FW found this with the plunge DW they had.

One or two members have Mafell dowel jointers which offer lateral location unlike biscuits, and either of above much cheaper than Domino, although this looks the B's Knees.

 

[Calpol]

I can see what you're saying Brad, the Domino can be used instead of biscuits just I consider it a bit of a faff. It must be down to personal preference because I certainly prefer to use biscuits for laminating... At three times the cost of you average BJ it's quite an investment as well

 

[woodbloke]

Out of choice now I'd go for the Lamello C3. I have an older C2 which is great. The Domino is probably very good in a pro 'shop, but difficult IMO to justify the cost in an hobbyest setup - Rob

 

[p111dom]

The Domino can do things a biscuit jointer can't that's true but its forte is tennons. Lamello also do biscuit shaped hinges and knock down fixings with a thicker blade meaning it in trun can do things the Domino can't. Both are good machines but neither can do everything which is why I'd like both eventually.

 

[p111dom]

Oh and Lamellos glue dispenser while expensive is excellent. Like it's been said I also tend to set the Domino on the middle setting to make things easier to assemble but when space is limited and the fit needs to be tight, getting glue into the Domino slots without putting too much in can be fiddly. I haven't seen one but do Festools do a Domino glue applicator? That would be helpful. I've actually put too much glue in the slot before trying to do a long board in a hurry and when I hammered the Domino in the pressure built up and split the wood. :roll: No good.

Conversly, another advantage/dissadvantage is when dry fitting the Domino joint is so strong that it can be nearly impossible to get appart even without any glue. I've wrecked countless Dominos pulling them out with pliers after dry fitting. Lamello also do sort of rubber grippy biscuits which help out with a dry fit. Clever!

 

[FatFreddysCat]

The Domino is probably very good in a pro 'shop, but difficult IMO to justify the cost in an hobbyest setup

Possibly, but I've not seen them in any commercial as opposed to bespoke cabinet shop whereas everyone seems to have one or other type of BJ. It's a hard tool to justify simply because of the price when there is always another way to make the end product with existing kit. Perhaps if we didn't have our own static mortiser, etc I'd think differently. For the record we have three BJs between 8 joiners at the moment, a deWalt DW685, a Faithfull and a Mafell. It's the red one (Mafell) that gets used the most

 

[Mr Ed]

I very nearly went for the Mafell, but in the end bought a Lamello. Its not something I use very often, but when I do the quality and precision of the tool impress me.

Cheers, Ed

 

[Calpol]

Another recommendation for the Makita. Build quality far above the Dewalt from experience. The design was good enough for Bosch to copy!
Matt

After a look about I think the Bosch (GFF 22A) is probably the best one around, decided against spending any more money! Has a good 670W motor which appeals to me...

Does anybody have that one and could offer some feedback?

Thanks a'body