Need a biscuit joiner

[Joe Shinall]

So I have beaten around the bush and have worked my way around a biscuit joiner and now I really need one. I saw a Bosch b1650 on ebay and a porter cable 556. Bosch was 125 and porter cable was under a hundred bucks.

I have also been eyeing the Freud at Lowes for 129. Anybody have any insight on any of these 3 models? Or any others that don't cost over 200 bucks? I'm on a budget (ie, wife is spending too much of my money).:eek:

[John M Wilson]

I think the best bang for the buck is the Porter Cable 557 Type 3. There are usually 3 or 4 going on eBay at any one time. Make sure it is a type 3 -- this has the best fence (type 2 were problematic, type 1 are good, but since they are several years old, are usually 'used up', type 4 are newer & I think have a smaller motor). Type 3's tend to run a few bucks higher than the others, so if the type isn't listed, ask the seller to look on the nameplate for the type listing. If they pass along to you that it is a type 3, but that info doesn't make it into the listing, you can pick one up under market price. I did this a few months ago & am very pleased with the tool I got. Have patience -- often the newbs will bid the price up over market, so you got to be willing to pass on a few that get over priced. Good Luck!

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Take a look at the DeWalt. I like it. The dust collection sucks, but I played with it and the PC in the store, I picked up the DeWalt. It seemed easier to use. I'm sure I paid less than 200 bucks new.

[Stuart Gardner]

Love my Porter Cable 557!

[Joe Chritz]

I really like the ability to use FF size biscuits. As long as the unit has that ability (the PC changes cutters to do so) then they are all about the same, just a slot in wood.

The dust collection on the PC I have is great. Attached to a shop vac there is nothing escaping. I use biscuits for aligning face frame attachments and sometimes cases. I just made about 100 slots in melamine and didn't get any of that fine nasty dust.

Joe

[Larry Fox]

Have you tried a 5/32 slot cutter in the router table? I suspect you have but thought I would throw it out anyway. I got away without a biscuit cutter for a good while by doing this. When I did get one it was the PC 557 and agree with other posters that it is a great little machine for what it is.

[Dave Gaul]

I have the DeWalt one, and I have no complaints. Just make sure your fence is square before you use it (and that goes for any model)!

I have not tried any other brands though, but I don't think you could go wrong with any you have listed...

[Nathan Palenski]

The dewalt can be had for ~$135 at lowes with the 10% off moving coupon. I went back and forth between the dewalt and porter cable and then Lowes dropped their price.

Dust collection sucks but its not a deal breaker. I made a hood that makes it a nonissue.

[Dave Gaul]

Dust collection sucks but its not a deal breaker. I made a hood that makes it a nonissue.

Nathan, which one are saying dust collection sucks on? When I first started using my DeWalt, I had it hooked up to a 2.5" shop vac with a reducer to the dust port... DC was horrible! Then, my big shop vac died, so I had to use my little one... with the DeWalt hooked up to the smaller shop vac, DC is excellent!!! More static lift with the smaller vac I guess!

[Phil Thien]

I have the 557 with the Porter Cable hose for my shop vac. Works great. Use it all the time.

[Nathan Palenski]

Nathan, which one are saying dust collection sucks on? When I first started using my DeWalt, I had it hooked up to a 2.5" shop vac with a reducer to the dust port... DC was horrible! Then, my big shop vac died, so I had to use my little one... with the DeWalt hooked up to the smaller shop vac, DC is excellent!!! More static lift with the smaller vac I guess!


Sorry, the dewalt. I dont use any of the adapters on the DC port and it frequently gets clogged. Especially so with brazillian cherry for some reason. BC chips come out stringier than most other wood I've run through it though.

[Neil Brooks]

+whatever on the 557.

I do NOT have a ton of miles on mine, yet, but ... the miles I DO have on it ... were just tool joy....

[Jeff Dunlap]

I have the Porter Cable type 4 Have only used in Red Oak so far but if it has a smaller motor than the type 3 I don t think you would notice. It plunges into the oak as it plunges when there is no wood there, I love the fence and it's a quality tool. My father has the dewalt and I have used it as well, and again it is a quality tool, I think you would be happy with both. I would stay away from the cheaper joiner I bought one and it was terrible, I thought hey Im just making slots how good of a tool does if have to be, learn from my mistake buy a quality dewalt or Porter cable you will not regret it I haven't.

[Will Rowland]

I just purchased the Porter Cable and used it extensively with poplar on a kitchen island project.

It worked great, and I couldn't be happier. However, I found hooking it up to my vac a requirement...without the vac the chute for the bag would clog after a couple cuts. With the vac I had virtually zero dust anywhere.

BTW I have a Fein Turbo II...I had to use one of the "rubbery" Fein adapters to fit the hose up to the joiner (no surprise, of course).

[Richard M. Wolfe]

I have the DeWalt and it works fine. In our other shop we have a Craftsman, which, except for the switch and color seems to be the same machine, and it works well also. Whatever you use make sure the slot is 90 degrees to the face or you have problems. And in all the joiners I've used a vacuum collection is a must as you are making chips and not dust and the chips clogged the outlet on all I've tried without a vacuum.

[Bill White]

Ya ain't gettin' my DeWalt.
Bill

[Cary Falk]

I have the DeWalt and like it. If I were buying again I would probably get the PC. I think it has some extra features including the FF biscuits.

[Joel Goodman]

+1 on the router table option. If you're making joints where it easy to take the work to the table it works well. I have a bit and slightly thicker biscuits from Woodhaven -- I think the bit and 100 biscuits was $40.

[Joe Shinall]

Thanks for all the opinions guys. Looks like I'm looking into the 557. I thought about the slot cutter on the router table but some of the pieces are too big to lug around the shop. I'd rather just leave em on the assembly table and do it all there.

[Vijay Kumar]

Thanks for all the opinions guys. Looks like I'm looking into the 557. I thought about the slot cutter on the router table but some of the pieces are too big to lug around the shop. I'd rather just leave em on the assembly table and do it all there.

I have a PC 557 Type 3 that I have hardly used since getting the Domino. PM me if you are interested.

Vijay

[Roger Pozzi]

It seems pretty apparent that the Freud at Lowe's isn't anybody's choice.
I had one, the JS100, from Lowe's, and the key word is HAD.
I'll offer a +1 on all the other choices though. The P-C see3ms to be the best bang for the buck though IMO.

[Steve Griffin]

Makita knows how to make a biscuit jointer too.

I like the brand though. With the exception a small drill with 10 years and a million miles on it, it's about the only brand of tool I have never worn out a motor on. -Steve

[Jesse Wilson]

I just went through the same exact process as you did. I ended up with the 557 #3 and thought I lucked out pretty good when I snagged this one on Ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380232950271&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR4 0%26_trksid%3Dm570%26_nkw%3D380232950271%26_fvi%3D 1&_rdc=1

[Tom Rick]

557 type 3

Solid quality tool.

[Dennis Lopeman]

I too have the PC 557... and got is used $50... Love it! Go check CL

[Joe Shinall]

Yeah, PC 557 it is, got a few people offer their old ones up so I'm working on a deal. I was really hoping someone could offer some insight on the Bosch B1650. I'm a big Bosch fan and found one on ebay brand new that I would like to have but cannot find any reviews on it.

Can't buy anything this second anyways, going out of town and gotta put new tires on the truck, but for a good enough deal I would sacrafice that $125 and eat dollar menu for 2 weeks!

[Don Dorn]

Makita knows how to make a biscuit jointer too.

Yep - I love mine too and had the DW prior to it. Fence is simple, substantial and easy to set, no chip clogging (like the DW did) and the motor seems very powerful. Takes me as long to get it out and put it away as it takes to do the job (and it does it well)

All these choices aren't going to do the OP much good I'm afraid, but it's good to know that so many people are happy with thier choices. Seems the concensious is that if you buy one of the major brands, you'll probably be happy with it.