Expecting too much from a cheap biscuit jointer?

[custard]

The draper landfill range seems to fit the bill on this occasion

Very funny!

The trick to using not so great biscuit jointers is to reference exclusively off the base as much as possible, and with a bit of ingenuity it's surprising how far you can go in this respect.

-an accurately made plywood "L" shaped jig will effectively allow vertical plunge cuts to be made off the machine's base
-use packing pieces to raise or lower the cutter instead of using the fence height adjustment
-for mitre joints cramp two mitred workpieces together to form a "birdsmouth" and drop the biscuit jointer into that rather than trusting the fence to adjust to 45/135 degrees.

 

[graduate_owner]

Has anyone any experience of the Erbauer version from Screwfix? I was bought one of these a few years ago, but I don't have any experience of other makes so I don't know if it's a 'tidy piece of kit' or a SIP lookalike. It cost about £50 apparently.

K

 

[deserter]

I use an Erbauer at home and have used making and bosch in workshops, they are.pretty similar to use, not certain the Erbauer would stand upto constant workshop use but at home it's accurate and smooth.
One thing that's always useful withbiscuit jointers of any make is knowing how to manipulate your biscuits, no matter which brand they always differ in size a little. So if they are too loose a quick dip in water will swell them for you, and if they are tight a good old belt with a hammer on a strong surface will reduce them.

Sent from my D5503 using Tapatalk

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

dewalt for me....very robust....cost IRO £160 (5 years ago)

 

[Grahamshed]

I have the dewalt as well, good bit of kit, I just wish they had made the case a touch bigger

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

yes...me too......its rubbish isn't it, forever trapping the dam cable in it. That's one thing I really like about Festool systainers....the cable actually fits!

 

[Grahamshed]

The festool systainer my 1400 router came in looks just about the right size for a stray cat.