Router for biscuit joining.

[Mar_mite]

Personally, I'd stay away from biscuit jointing all together on a router table. Too much chance of error if there is any wind in the timber or the piece is long and awkward. I like to make things as easy as possible. Adding a few biscuits takes minutes and takes the hassle out of alignment. Also means if you haven't got hundreds if clamps you can glue as many boards as the width of your sash claims allow in one hit.

 

[RobinBHM]

The advantage of a biscuit jointer is that the bearing surface of the fence is close to the cut, so the distance will be accurate at that position whatever the shape of the board. A groover in a hand held router also achieves the same. A router table is likely to be inconsistent unless the board is dead flat

 

[Jacob]

Personally, I'd stay away from biscuit jointing all together on a router table. Too much chance of error if there is any wind in the timber or the piece is long and awkward. I like to make things as easy as possible. Adding a few biscuits takes minutes and takes the hassle out of alignment. Also means if you haven't got hundreds if clamps you can glue as many boards as the width of your sash claims allow in one hit.

I do it as I described above and there are no biscuits or hassle. Biscuits etc would be pointless and add an unnecessary level of complexity.

 

[Mar_mite]

Personally, I'd stay away from biscuit jointing all together on a router table. Too much chance of error if there is any wind in the timber or the piece is long and awkward. I like to make things as easy as possible. Adding a few biscuits takes minutes and takes the hassle out of alignment. Also means if you haven't got hundreds if clamps you can glue as many boards as the width of your sash claims allow in one hit.

I do it as I described above and there are no biscuits or hassle. Biscuits etc would be pointless and add an unnecessary level of complexity.

If you used a few biscuits, you wouldn't have to only glue up in pairs of boards and wouldn't have to perform a trick with the clamp to pull the joint level. To mind that is the unnecessary level of complexity.
But In this industry there could be 101 ways to do something. At the end of the day its just personal preference.

 

[Jacob]

Personally, I'd stay away from biscuit jointing all together on a router table. Too much chance of error if there is any wind in the timber or the piece is long and awkward. I like to make things as easy as possible. Adding a few biscuits takes minutes and takes the hassle out of alignment. Also means if you haven't got hundreds if clamps you can glue as many boards as the width of your sash claims allow in one hit.

I do it as I described above and there are no biscuits or hassle. Biscuits etc would be pointless and add an unnecessary level of complexity.

If you used a few biscuits, you wouldn't have to only glue up in pairs of boards and wouldn't have to perform a trick with the clamp to pull the joint level. To mind that is the unnecessary level of complexity.
But In this industry there could be 101 ways to do something. At the end of the day its just personal preference.

The trick with the clamps is easy and the work of seconds. Biscuits take longer and involve expensive kit.
Biscuits and similar systems can be a point of weakness when things are stressed.
Joining boards in pairs makes life a lot easier as one of the probs with more boards is that one slips out whilst the others are being dealt with etc. Just doing a pair at a time takes no longer it's just a different sequence of work - there may be gaps but you do other things. But the main thing is you get a very good joint doing one at a time.
Yes you do need a lot of clamps - but shorter ones, so cramp heads and pieces of wood are handy (and cheaper)

 

[blackrodd]

I have never fancied using a router to biscuit groove, seems a mighty large cutter for a much smaller shaft, in the collet.
I do like mine, almost like an angle grinder.
I worked a stint in the coffin shop, when an apprentice, joining japanese oak for the lids and sides, and elm for the bottoms. we joined about 20 high, each stack using metal cramps designed to fit on top of each other, 60 or 80, at a time.
This would have been very much easier if biscuits had been around then, as I have found jointing far, far, easier using biscuits to get a better, smooth joint and stop the slidy glue syndrome.
The tapered cuts to sides, tops and bottoms were then made before the drum sanding finish.
Regards Rodders