New or used Biscuit Jointer

[promhandicam]

Hi. I'm in the market for a reasonably priced biscuit jointer - but due to a lot of recent expenses my budget is around the £50 mark. I've had a look here at the Ferm and this seems a good option. However has anyone used the SIP or the Silverline? Are they any good? I imagine that as with so many things they may all come from the same factory and are just different colours.

Alternatively, if someone by chance has a jointer they no longer use, I'd be happy to buy a used model - particularly as customs give less hassle if something is used rather than nice and shiny :wink: If you have something you think might suit, that could be posted to a UK address or even taken to the Alexandra Palace show in a couple of weeks send me a PM. Actually, never having been to a WW show before, would this be a good place to pick up something like a jointer?

Thanks,

Steve

 

[Fecn]

I bought myself one of these...

I wouldn't recommend it - The height adjustment is fiddly and didn't lock very well which means that the jointer moves during use and your biscuit slots don't all line up with each other - I added a bit of rubber into the locking mechanism which helps... but it's still not perfect.

In spite of the 'best on test' award, I'd avoid this one.

 

[wizer]

My first reaction would be that if someone was selling a biscuit jointer, it would be because it was no good. They are so useful that you'd always keep a good one.

I have the frued and have had no problems so far.

 

[Colin C]

A few have bought the SIP one and been happy.

 

[Corset]

i have the sip and it has been very good. However my depth set was plastic and pushing to hard i rammed the metal screw through it. Bit of a design flaw but east to fix.
owen

 

[Mike Saville]

I have the ferm one and am reasonably happy with it. Ive had some of thier other tools which have all be very poor. The only thing ferm Ive had that cuts anywhere near accurately has been the biscuit joiner - but I could have just got a good one I suppose . . .

If you can stretch to it I would go for something a bit better quality.

Mike.

 

[Colin C]

I had a ferm one a found that the fence moved but now have a Dewalt one.

Now a happy camper

 

[Paul Chapman]

Hi Steve,

I've had an Elu DS140 for many years. Mine is NOT for sale but if you could find one second hand and in good condition, it is a very high quality and accurate machine. It's a different design compared with other biscuit jointers but has some advantages in that the depth of cut is continuously variable and there is lateral adjustment of the cutter. It does not have a variable angle fence like other machines but has a side fence and a 45 degree attachment for doing corner joints (which I've never used). Here's a picture

It's still made under the DeWalt brand but the new price would be out of your price range of £50 http://www.dewalt.co.uk/products.asp?li ... id=7&sid=1

To my way of thinking, one of the reasons for having a biscuit jointer is their accuracy, so I would go for the best you can afford.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Scrums]

Sorry to temporarily hijack the thread - but Paul - have you ever managed to get the blade off ?

My elu badly needs a regrind/blade change - but I just can't shift it !

Chris.

 

[Paul Chapman]

have you ever managed to get the blade off ?

Not for a long time - are you turning it the right way? Is it a left-handed thread? I'll see if I can dig out my instruction book and see what it says (if anything).

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

have you ever managed to get the blade off ?

Hi Scrums,

Just tried mine (there are two spanners, one fits on the shaft to stop it moving and the other with two prongs fits on the nut - but you probably know that) and it doesn't seem to want to budge either Suggest you PM Scrit - he has one or used to have and I bet he knows how to get it off. Let's know how you get on :wink:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[mambo]

i've got the ferm one!
i use it at work so it takes a bashing and seams to cope well. i've had it about 4-5 years
only thing i`ll say is i've taken the black plastic base gizmo off coz i find it more accurate, but still keep it for thin stock :wink:
another thing on this machine (don't know if others have it) is there is a pretty accurate centre line around the blade guard in both planes, so its easy to put a slot bang on the cross of 2 lines

 

[greggy]

hi steve, i have the atlas copco, had it 2 yrs and used it loads and never had a problem at all, all in all i think its very well made, ps keep looking cos the better quality the more reliable it will be. cheers

 

[mahking51]

promhandicam
PM sent!
Martin

 

[yellow_lamborghini_2406]

i got the ferm one too and have been happy with it

 

[promhandicam]

promhandicam
PM sent!
Martin

. . . and received and reply sent!
Steve

 

[OPJ]

I've also had the Ferm model (I believe Screwfix no longer sell it?), for nearly 18 months.

Initially, I was pretty happy with it. Over time however, I've noticed several flaws with this machine.

For one thing, the blade doesn't seem to cut parallel to the horizontal fence - which means your finish requires extra planing and sanding to get the joints truly flush.

And as someone mentioned earlier, after several cuts the height adjustment tends to move. If you try and tighten it too much, the thread wears away in the lever - trust me! :wink:

If you can afford better, I'd probably say look at the Bosch model - I believe that's the one Good Woodworking recomended sometime last year.

 

[johnnyb]

i have a freud one and it has the same problem. the fence doe not line up and the joint is wrong. any discrepancy in this area is doubled when flat jointing as the tool is turned around. usually nowadays i use the base as a reference as that is accurate, and it puts the biscuit about in the middle of 18mm stock. make a right angle fence to help support corners standing on edge and you can still use the base. or buy a good one with a quality fence................

 

[Scrit]

I think I say this every time a question comes up about biscuit jointers, but I'll say it again - there is no such thing as an accurate, durable, cheap biscuit jointer. There. Said it. The accuracy of the fence to the blade is paramount and cheapo machines are suspect to my mind. They also have very limited lives. The main thing you pay for with a good quality plunging biscuit jointer is a square fence and a plunge mechanism which runs on decent quality rods and bearings. That's the joy of the DS140 design - less to go wrong (providing you dry-lube the plunge/swivel mechanisms), although getting the blade off can be a bit of a b*gg*r with any of them!

Scrit

 

[promhandicam]

thanks everyone for your views. In the end I've decided to go for what seems to be the best of the budget models - the ferm. I fully appreciate the argument that you get what you pay for but having spent rather a lot on various things in recent months, reluctantly I decided that for now I can't justify spending another £150 - or perhaps more truthfully have used up my supply of good excuses with SWMBO for a little while.

Steve