bb

basilisk

08/01/2011 8:19 AM

Biscuit joiners

Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?

What say the wizards of woodworking?

basilisk


This topic has 19 replies

Rr

RonB

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

11/01/2011 5:41 AM

On Jan 8, 8:19=A0am, basilisk <[email protected]> wrote:
> Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
>
> What say the wizards of woodworking?
>
> basilisk

I have had a DeWalt for 10 years or more. Good machine

Rc

Robatoy

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

08/01/2011 7:34 AM

On Jan 8, 10:09=A0am, Nova <[email protected]> wrote:
> basilisk wrote:
> > Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
>
> > What say the wizards of woodworking?
>
> > basilisk
>
> I went with the Porter-Cable 557 as it comes with the 2" blade allowing
> use of the "FF" biscuits.
>
> --
> Jack Novak
> Buffalo, NY - USA
> [email protected]

I bought a Lamello (Now called the Top) in the '80's as there was
nothing else around at that time. That one was stolen. Later I ended
up with a PC 557 (Type3) and a Lamello Classic. I have used other ones
and they all do the job to a certain extent.
Awesome as the Lamello is, it just isn't worth the money as the PC 557
is all *I* ever needed.
I did not like the ELU or the DeWalt (don't know anything about the
latest incarnation), the Craftsman and Ryobi and many HF-like are
usually sloppy in the cradle, awful motors, inferior blades and noisy.
So... after all that, buy the PC, you'll be happy.

bb

basilisk

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

08/01/2011 11:03 AM

On Sat, 8 Jan 2011 07:34:57 -0800 (PST), Robatoy wrote:

> On Jan 8, 10:09 am, Nova <[email protected]> wrote:
>> basilisk wrote:
>>> Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
>>
>>> What say the wizards of woodworking?
>>
>>> basilisk
>>
>> I went with the Porter-Cable 557 as it comes with the 2" blade allowing
>> use of the "FF" biscuits.
>>
>> --
>> Jack Novak
>> Buffalo, NY - USA
>> [email protected]
>
> I bought a Lamello (Now called the Top) in the '80's as there was
> nothing else around at that time. That one was stolen. Later I ended
> up with a PC 557 (Type3) and a Lamello Classic. I have used other ones
> and they all do the job to a certain extent.
> Awesome as the Lamello is, it just isn't worth the money as the PC 557
> is all *I* ever needed.
> I did not like the ELU or the DeWalt (don't know anything about the
> latest incarnation), the Craftsman and Ryobi and many HF-like are
> usually sloppy in the cradle, awful motors, inferior blades and noisy.
> So... after all that, buy the PC, you'll be happy.

That was my first choice as well, PC it is.

basilisk

bb

basilisk

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

11/01/2011 9:05 AM

On Tue, 11 Jan 2011 05:41:51 -0800 (PST), RonB wrote:

> On Jan 8, 8:19 am, basilisk <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
>>
>> What say the wizards of woodworking?
>>
>> basilisk
>
> I have had a DeWalt for 10 years or more. Good machine

Thanks,

I've already ordered the PC, seems the consensus is that the
PC is a good machine, the tipping point for me was the ability
to use the ff biscuit out of the box.

Have you used your PB series planer yet?
I purchased one of these as well, still sitting in the crate
on my porch :(

basilisk

Rc

Robatoy

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

08/01/2011 3:41 PM

On Jan 8, 1:26=A0pm, -MIKE- <[email protected]> wrote:
> On 1/8/11 9:41 AM, Robatoy wrote:
>
> > On Jan 8, 10:37 am, "Lew Hodgett"<[email protected]> =A0wrote:
> >> "basilisk" wrote:
> >>> Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
>
> >>> What say the wizards of woodworking?
>
> >> --------------------------------------
> >> I started with a slot cutter and my router and just never got around
> >> to getting a biscuit joiner.
>
> >> Lew
>
> > Butt joints in the middle of a panel are a bit more difficult. Edge to
> > edge, no prob.... but then you might as well run a full spline.
>
> I was talking to a guy at woodcraft who does a combination.
> He routes a full length groove and spaces out biscuits in the groove.
>
> --
>
> =A0 -MIKE-
>
> =A0 "Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
> =A0 =A0 =A0--Elvin Jones =A0(1927-2004)
> =A0 --
> =A0http://mikedrums.com
> =A0 [email protected]
> =A0 ---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

I find that a PITA. Take the board (shelf?) clamp it on the gable and
up/down the biscuit cutter. Never fails, fast.
By the time you change bits, I'm done.
Yes you CAN do it with a router, but the room for error multiplies by
a factor of eleventeen.

bb

basilisk

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

08/01/2011 11:07 AM

On Sat, 8 Jan 2011 08:52:18 -0700, Max wrote:

> "basilisk" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
>>
>> What say the wizards of woodworking?
>>
>> basilisk
>
>
> I'm no wizard but I vote for the PC 557.
>
> Max

Thanks,

I'm going to go with the PC.

basilisk

rr

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

09/01/2011 9:09 PM

On Jan 8, 8:19=A0am, basilisk <[email protected]> wrote:
> Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
>
> What say the wizards of woodworking?
>
> basilisk

I have the DeWalt. It came out long ago when Porter Cable had its
original biscuit joiner that Norm used. The one with the upright
handle in back. After the DeWalt ate PC's lunch in biscuit joiners,
PC decided to copy everything about the DeWalt joiner. And finally
came out with the 557 model. Based on pictures it appears as if the
PC 557 is a good biscuit joiner. And it should be since its a 100%
copy of the very good DeWalt biscuit joiner.

If I had to do it over again, I might not get a biscuit joiner. I use
it sometimes and its handy sometimes. But I could live without it.
With the Festool Domino out, I'd look at it. Its about 4 times more
expensive than a good biscuit joiner, but might be 4 times more useful
too.

Hg

Hoosierpopi

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

08/01/2011 5:11 PM

On Jan 8, 9:19=A0am, basilisk <[email protected]> wrote:
> Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
>
> What say the wizards of woodworking?
>
> basilisk

I bought one from HFT or similar outlet. Cheap model. The kerf of the
blade (thickness of cut) seems too wide and biscuits do not fit
tightly into the slots as (I) expected.

Are they supposed to fit tightly into the biscuit slots? Or are they
supposed to swell up after gluing?

If I took the blade to a sharpener fellow, might he reduce the kerf by
grinding down the teeth?

Nn

Nova

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

08/01/2011 10:09 AM

basilisk wrote:
> Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
>
> What say the wizards of woodworking?
>
> basilisk

I went with the Porter-Cable 557 as it comes with the 2" blade allowing
use of the "FF" biscuits.

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA
[email protected]

LH

"Lew Hodgett"

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

08/01/2011 7:37 AM


"basilisk" wrote:

> Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
>
> What say the wizards of woodworking?
--------------------------------------
I started with a slot cutter and my router and just never got around
to getting a biscuit joiner.

Lew

Mt

"Max"

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

08/01/2011 8:52 AM

"basilisk" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
>
> What say the wizards of woodworking?
>
> basilisk


I'm no wizard but I vote for the PC 557.

Max

Cw

"ChairMan"

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

08/01/2011 1:16 PM

In news:[email protected],
basilisk <[email protected]> spewed forth:
> Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
>
> What say the wizards of woodworking?
>
> basilisk

I have both, but i like my PC better because it has an additional plastic
plate that allows you to stack(double) biscuit without changing yer settings
Pretty handy

JC

"J. Clarke"

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

08/01/2011 5:25 PM

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
>
> basilisk wrote:
> > Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
> >
> > What say the wizards of woodworking?
> >
> > basilisk
>
> I went with the Porter-Cable 557 as it comes with the 2" blade allowing
> use of the "FF" biscuits.

Works fine for me. On the other hand if you really need small biscuits
Ryobi used to make one for biscuits about half the size of an FF. I
think I got one of the last ones a few years back though.

EP

"Ed Pawlowski"

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

08/01/2011 10:32 AM

?
"basilisk" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
>
> What say the wizards of woodworking?
>
> basilisk

DeWalt is acceptable, the PC just a tad nicer and can take the FF biscuit. I
had my DeWalt stolen and just replaced it with a PC, but I've not used it
yet.

Uu

"Upscale"

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

08/01/2011 11:13 AM


----- Original Message -----
> Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
> What say the wizards of woodworking?

You might consider going to the Festool Owners Group and advertise in the
classified section for a used biscuit joiner. The people who have bought a
Domino will have no more use for their biscuit joiners. You'd get a good
price on a joiner and might even snag a Lamello. Who knows?

I've got a Freud joiner and a box of 2000 biscuits. I'll be selling them off

Rc

Robatoy

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

08/01/2011 7:41 AM

On Jan 8, 10:37=A0am, "Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "basilisk" wrote:
> > Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
>
> > What say the wizards of woodworking?
>
> --------------------------------------
> I started with a slot cutter and my router and just never got around
> to getting a biscuit joiner.
>
> Lew

Butt joints in the middle of a panel are a bit more difficult. Edge to
edge, no prob.... but then you might as well run a full spline.

bb

basilisk

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

08/01/2011 11:01 AM

On Sat, 8 Jan 2011 11:13:19 -0500, Upscale wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
>> Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
>> What say the wizards of woodworking?
>
> You might consider going to the Festool Owners Group and advertise in the
> classified section for a used biscuit joiner. The people who have bought a
> Domino will have no more use for their biscuit joiners. You'd get a good
> price on a joiner and might even snag a Lamello. Who knows?
>
> I've got a Freud joiner and a box of 2000 biscuits. I'll be selling them off

I considered a domino as well and it would be a good purchase for me,
but I have outstripped my tool budget and have to concentrate on
making a few bucks before I go down that road.

I hadn't considered your suggestion but it makes sense, I'll look
into the forums and see if anything comes up.

basilisk

Mm

-MIKE-

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

08/01/2011 12:26 PM

On 1/8/11 9:41 AM, Robatoy wrote:
> On Jan 8, 10:37 am, "Lew Hodgett"<[email protected]> wrote:
>> "basilisk" wrote:
>>> Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
>>
>>> What say the wizards of woodworking?
>>
>> --------------------------------------
>> I started with a slot cutter and my router and just never got around
>> to getting a biscuit joiner.
>>
>> Lew
>
> Butt joints in the middle of a panel are a bit more difficult. Edge to
> edge, no prob.... but then you might as well run a full spline.

I was talking to a guy at woodcraft who does a combination.
He routes a full length groove and spaces out biscuits in the groove.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com
[email protected]
---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

LJ

Larry Jaques

in reply to basilisk on 08/01/2011 8:19 AM

08/01/2011 5:28 PM

On Sat, 8 Jan 2011 17:11:22 -0800 (PST), Hoosierpopi
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Jan 8, 9:19 am, basilisk <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Porter-Cable or Dewalt, Lamello is out of the question?
>>
>> What say the wizards of woodworking?
>>
>> basilisk
>
>I bought one from HFT or similar outlet. Cheap model. The kerf of the
>blade (thickness of cut) seems too wide and biscuits do not fit
>tightly into the slots as (I) expected.
>
>Are they supposed to fit tightly into the biscuit slots? Or are they
>supposed to swell up after gluing?
>
>If I took the blade to a sharpener fellow, might he reduce the kerf by
>grinding down the teeth?

Yeah, you could have that done. Also, look at the play in the shaft
which allows the blade to move up and down. Shimming with very thin
washers is the fix. I should do that to mine HF bisquicker, too.

--
You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will
preserve for our children this, the last best hope
of man on Earth, or we will sentence them to take
the last step into a thousand years of darkness.?
-- Ronald Reagan


You’ve reached the end of replies