Biscuit Users....

[George Bokros]

How do you decide on what size to use and how far apart to space them.

Thanks


George

[Bill White]

Since I use the biscuits for alignment, I set a #20 about 10" to 12" apart. If wood is thicker the 1.75", I'll stack 'em. Smaller sizes of biscuits for smaller jobs/thinner woods.
Bill

[Paul Demetropoulos]

George,
Here's some basic info:

http://woodworking.about.com/od/joinery/p/BiscuitJoinery.htm

and scroll down to read the related articles

[Chris Kennedy]

I think the manual for my joiner said to put a biscuit every 4 to 6 inches for long joints. As for which size -- the largest that will fit.

Cheers,

Chris

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Largest size you can fit and about every 4-6 inches. Just remember to avoid putting them where they might be exposed while cutting a piece down to size etc.

[Peter Quinn]

Again, the largest size that will fit, spaced 4-6 inches where appropriate. I know several cabinet makers that use #20 for face frames where applied beads will be added. Simply center the #20 on the rails, let the extra run proud, cut them out with a hand saw and flush with a chisel. The applied bead will cover the exposed biscuits and it makes a stronger connection than FF biscuits. A similar approach can be used for top and bottom rails on face frames without applied beads if the biscuits are skewed either up or down so they don't project into the opening.

[Doug Shepard]

One thing I found very helpful is to make a biscuit story stick. I made mine from a scrap piece of hardwood about 3/4" x 2" and about 2' long, drew center lines then plunged the biscuit jointer at the marks once for every biscuit size that it makes. Then resaw the strip on the TS or BS to expose the cuts. Extend the center marks though the cuts and across to the other side, and put a square across the ends of the cuts and mark lines all the way across. You can then hold this up against whatever you need to put slots in and see center, starting, and ending marks as well as how deep it's going to cut for that size. It's real handy for avoiding putting them in places you wish you hadn't. Once you decide where you want them, just transfer the center line mark from the stick to the project and you dont need to really measure anything.

[Bill Keehn]

I like a couple of 3" biscuits. I space them right next to eachother. I find this helps soak up the most gravy. And don't skip your grits! :D

[Tom Cross]

My Lamello Top 20 book said to space biscuits about evry 6". I do that beginning the first biscut 3" from end to center line of biscuit. I use the Lamello biscuit joiner a whole lot. It is a marvelous tool.

[Charles Lent]

Spacing biscuits every 6" is overkill. I started out following advice like that and discovered that I was spending an awful lot on biscuits and my joints weren't any straighter than when I spaced them 8-12 inches apart. I now only use enough biscuits to keep the boards aligned (while the glue dries).

I've also learned not to glue the biscuits if they will be less than 1/2" from the surface in pine or other soft woods, as the moisture in the glue will swell the biscuits, and the board, making a bump on the board surfaces. If you glue them in and then sand the panel flat before this glue moisture leaves the boards you will have biscuit shaped dents in the surface of your finished project. I now just put glue on the board joints and then insert the biscuits dry.

Charley