Biscuit Joiner

[peter gagliardi]

I use my Lamello to attach face frames to cabinetry. There is enough accurate registration (I flush my ff to my cabinet sides and bottom) but also enough play to make attaching a multi cabinet face frame assembly easy. The Domino for this application is too accurate and unforgiving. Otherwise for nearly everything else requiring accurate alignment, I use the Dominos.

This almost implies that a Lamello machine is less accurate than a Domino, which is simply untrue.
The true Lamello machine is easily as accurate as a Domino machine.
Certainly there is probably more movement available longitudinally with the length of the Lamello, than a Domino, but accuracy off an edge or face is equal.
I have both, and they are used for different applications.

[Edwin Santos]

This almost implies that a Lamello machine is less accurate than a Domino, which is simply untrue.
The true Lamello machine is easily as accurate as a Domino machine.
Certainly there is probably more movement available longitudinally with the length of the Lamello, than a Domino, but accuracy off an edge or face is equal.
I have both, and they are used for different applications.

I agree with you. I have a Lamello Top 21 and while I don't own a Domino, I have used one. There is a little overlap between the two machines, but for the most part, they are different animals that excel at different functions. I believe there is a general lack of understanding in the North American market on the applications of a biscuit machine. This is further aggravated by the fact that there are substandard machines out there from certain manufacturers whereas the single Festool offering of the Domino is a high quality tool. I can never understand why so many people think biscuits are primarily for alignment in panel glue ups. Where they really excel is corner joints i.e. drawer boxes, carcases, partitions, shelves, especially in composite materials. Also, attachment of moldings, face frames.

I would never build a mortise and tenon joint with a biscuit joiner, but then I would never build a drawer box with dominos. Especially in 1/2" (12mm) material.

Also, even a mediocre biscuit joiner can become much more accurate if you mount it to a shop made table and use it like a stationary production machine.

[Edwin Santos]

Sometimes I see the comment that biscuits add little or no strength. Try making a box with properly made biscuit joints and once cured, try breaking it apart and you will see just how tenaciously those things hold.

[Sam Murdoch]

This almost implies that a Lamello machine is less accurate than a Domino, which is simply untrue.
The true Lamello machine is easily as accurate as a Domino machine.
Certainly there is probably more movement available longitudinally with the length of the Lamello, than a Domino, but accuracy off an edge or face is equal.
I have both, and they are used for different applications.

Try attaching a complex multi cabinet face frame with biscuits or dominos centered approximately every 8" to 10" on the verticals and horizontals of a ganged up set of cabinets and you will understand that the Domino is unforgiving but the biscuits are excellent for this process. There is no alignment compromise as regards to the edges of the face frame flushing to the inside faces of the boxes with either the Domino or the Lamello (not an inexpensive knock off). Where the dominos are unforgiving however and the biscuits excel is in the side to side play. The dominos are exact fit (unless you elongate the slots). The football shape of the biscuits allows for enough slide on, as they move a bit left to right in their slots, to allow the face frame to slip over with a some block and hammer tapping even if the guy who placed the biscuits and glue into the slots was a bit casual.

I'm not at all suggesting that the biscuits result in less accurate work as regards establishing alignment of faces but if you need to move your pieces left or right to align your registration marks the biscuits (in my experience) are far more forgiving than the dominos - again - unless you elongate the slots - which most time I prefer NOT to do.

[Karl Kaucher]

It's been my experience that deformation of flat surfaces, as you describe, is frequently caused by placing the biscuit cavities too close to the surface - as you observed with your table top. One has to consider the thickness of material and composition of the material when deciding the depth for the biscuit cavities. Too close to the soon-to-be-finished surface, and you'll see it plainly. I believe that's where Edwin Santos was going with his recent post.

[Charles Lent]

Just of curiosity, how close to the top surface would you estimate the biscuit slots were? In other words, how much wood between the top of the biscuit slot and the surface of the table.
Also, what was the table top made from? Solid lumber or some type of composite material? Thanks

The panels were a little less than 2/4, probably closer to 5/8. They started out at just under 3/4. I always center the biscuits as close as I can get them, so 1/4" or so between the biscuit and the surface. It was solid Fir, not a lamination at all. Yeah, I know, soft wood, but the project called for it.

Charley

[Cary Falk]

All the hate for the biscuit jointer seemed to start when Norm went off the air.

[Chris Fournier]

I don't have a Domino but I do have a slot mortiser. I love using it,a Domino is would be redundant for me. I have a biscuit joiner and it is an essential tool in my shop. I have made sure that it is properly set up and it does great work. Quick, inexpensive, effective. Folks who say that biscuits don't make strong joints have not done the destructive testing that I have I guess. Do biscuits make the strongest joints? Nope, but they make joints that are strong enough for many applications.