Buying Buscuit Joiner - Suggestions???

[Matthew Poeller]

Well I have it narrowed down to two. Either the DeWalt DW682K or the PC557K. I compared the specs and they look very similar. I am not sure what I should choose. Does anyone have any opinions??

The price difference is not that great. After all is said and done it will be about 12 dollars more for the PC.

Thanks.

Matt

[John Gregory]

I have the DeWalt and it works well. I have not used the PC. With such a small price difference and if the PC will cut FF biscuits, I would go with the PC. Otherwise it is probably a wash.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Matthew I have the PC557 and am satisfied with it.

[Ted Shrader]

Matt -

I have the PC. (1) It will do FF biscuits. (2) I like the way the fence adjusts. Two separate channels for different ranges with positive stops at 90°. (3) The top hande is fixed. ie You hold that and the fence steady against the work and push the motor body into the work.

Have you had a chance to hold both? Which "feels" best to you? Go with that.

Regards,
Ted

[Mark Singer]

I used to have the Dewalt and when PC came out with their model...I made a switch...sold the Dewalt. They are both good...the PC has the ability to do small biscuits and cones with a special blade for that. The 2 fences are good and very similar.

[Bill White]

the DeWalt. Love it. Would buy it again.

[Dave Moran]

Matt,

My PC 557 is in the UPS system on it's way to me. I chose that one for the FF ability and the 135° to be able to index from the outside of a mitered corner. Not to mention that amazon has a free shipping special, $25.00 off and until Friday PC has a $30.00 rebate

[Josh Kandiko]

This is kinda against the grain, but I ended up getting the Makita. I like it. It doesn't cut FF but for my general cabinet making, it works well.

Thanks
Josh

[Jerry Baldwin]

Cast my vote for the PC557. It does what it's supposed to do and well.

[Christian Aufreiter]

I took me more than 6 months to decide which biscuit joiner to get. Finally, I ended up buying the Lamello C2 Classic. It's a fine tool and I'd get it again. The PC is not available here and I disliked the Dewalt's switch.

Regards,

Christian

[Dave Brandt]

Matt,

I went through this several years ago and wound up with the PC. I had borrowed a friend's DeWalt for a mantel project and liked it, but I really liked the extra features of the PC (FF size). Now I've had it for at least 2 or 3 years and besides testing to make sure it worked, have never used it! Guess I just don't glue up many large panels. Now that I'm thinking about it, you may be seeing it on eBay real soon! ;) Maybe I'll start a thread on what everyone used their's for.

[Chris Padilla]

Let's see, Festool doesn't make a biscuit cutter so....PC it is! I have had mine for a few years and it does just fine. I think the extra money is worth the little more versatility....

[Bruce Page]

Another vote for the PC557, it's a great tool.

[Steve Beadle]

I got a real good deal on my PC 557 a little over a year ago at the Woodworking Show. With the show discount on top of a rebate, it was only $155.00--so that price made my decision for me. I also liked the ability to cut slots for FF biscuits, and also that it can operate through a range up to 135 degrees (I believe it is), which most of the others cannot.

[Steve Cox]

PC557 for me. The deciding factor was th FF biscuits which I have used frequently enough to make this the right decision for me.

[Lou Morrissette]

I've had my PC557 for about 2 years and I love it. It's ability to do FF and the 135 degree feature is very useful.


Lou

[Ron Jones near Indy]

Well satisfied with my PC 557.

[Charlie Plesums]

Love my PC 557, especially the 135 degree fence for cutting from the outside of a miter. The FF biscuit size was a factor in my decision, but I don't remember ever actually using it.

[Matthew Poeller]

Well the overwhelming response was PC so that is what I have purchased.

There is a little story behind this though so let me elaborate.

I got a $50 gift to an orange store for X-Mas. I wondered around last night for about a half hour and there was nothing that I really wanted. $50 worth of Tung oil and crappy norton snading discs was not how I wanted to spend it. The joiner is at the top of my list right now for things that are not Veritas.

So Tyler Tool has this thing for $180. Orange Store $197. HMMMM Price Match.

Called this morning and they said that they would match it. Stopped in after work and they said no. A little angry and trying to figure out what to do do with the $50 gift card I call customer service.

Call 1: Yes they will match it plus the 10%. But you have to include the cost of shipping. Did not get the guys name and knew that this would not fly so I called back.

Call 2: Get the girls name first and she says yes they will match it but not at with the extra 10% for internet deals.

Thought this was interesting that I have talked to people 4 times and got 4 different answers. Call agian.

Call 3: No. Will not match unless it is local. Will not even match a Lowes printout from the internet.

Call 4: No internet company but will match a Lowes internet printout(183.00).

Call 5(local store asking about a Lowes printout): Nope. Shipping is not included on that site so they can't.

Pondering, Pondering, hmmmm I remember hearing something on the customer service line about reporting a bad (or good) customer service experience.

Call 6(to report bad customer service): I explained to the lady on the line that I have talked to people 7 different times now and have recieved 7 different answers. Explain to her the problem. She called the store got everything straightened out for me.

Call 7: To report good customer service from the lady that set this up for me.

I went back to the store and got the price match without the extra 10%.

The reason for doing this since you think that after tax the savings is nill:

1. All these calls only lasted about 15 minutes total. Not bad. There was no hold time on the orange store customer service line.

2. Got to use the $50 gift card on something I needed. (Very important)

3. To prove a point and maybe they will get it straight next time.

So total out of pocket expense once the rebate clears is:
190.00(with tax) - 50.00 (gift card) - 30.00 (rebate) = $110.00

I have posted pics to satisfy the pics police!!!

[Greg Mann]

Mattew,

Please don't take offense but I think I would have spent 20 or so dollars more and bought it at a real woodworker's store. That way, if I had a question or two (maybe you're ahead of me on that one) I would have an appreciative retailer ready to help, and, if I needed some real tung oil, which you probably can't get at the borg, you would still have a place that carried it, since he was able to make a reasonable profit off the biscut jointer and could afford to carry the more obscure things us woodworkers are always looking for. It would have saved me about 7 phone calls too.;)

Greg

[Jerry Olexa]

I have the PC and love it!! More options and flexibility w the PC. The 135 degree use is a big one. They are both good but I prefer the Porter C...

[Matthew Poeller]

Greg,

Point well taken. Unforntunately I had this gift card that I wanted to get rid of, and that seemed like the best way. I live in an apartment and do not pay for the household repairs although I do most of them. (Yes I have a full basement shop in an apartment.)

More unfortunately is that there is no real woodworking store around me. The closest is Rockler in Buffalo NY that I visit almost every time I am up visiting my parents.

I always try to buy from the little guy. There is a Mom and Pop hardware store here that I am in all of the time.

The most fortunate part of where I live though is West Penn Hardwoods. They are located 5 minutes from my house and that is where I buy ALL of my wood except on the occasion that I use MDF. (No affiliation except I spend my paycheck there.)

I understand your point and usually try to follow the same practices, although in this case there were some circumstances beyond my control. (I did not buy a $50 gift card for myself!) :eek: :eek:

[aurelio alarcon]

I too have the PC.

[Richard McComas]

I have the Elu/ Dewalt and have used the PC, both are good tools. For what I do I prefer the Dewalt for the following in order of importance.


The Dewalt fits my hands better, is smaller and more comfortable to use.

I use biscuits mostly to index face frames to cabinet boxes, have no need for the small FF biscuits. I have a Kreg Jig , easier faster and strong enough.

I have never needed the range the fence on the PC will adjust to.

Would like to have the Lamellow but jsut don't use a BJ that much.

[Dan Mages]

Let's see, Festool doesn't make a biscuit cutter so....PC it is! I have had mine for a few years and it does just fine. I think the extra money is worth the little more versatility....

Darn, Chris! You beat me to the Festool comment ;). I have the PC unit and it does a mighty fine job.

[Greg Mann]

Greg,

Point well taken. Unforntunately I had this gift card that I wanted to get rid of, and that seemed like the best way. I live in an apartment and do not pay for the household repairs although I do most of them. (Yes I have a full basement shop in an apartment.)

More unfortunately is that there is no real woodworking store around me. The closest is Rockler in Buffalo NY that I visit almost every time I am up visiting my parents.

I always try to buy from the little guy. There is a Mom and Pop hardware store here that I am in all of the time.

The most fortunate part of where I live though is West Penn Hardwoods. They are located 5 minutes from my house and that is where I buy ALL of my wood except on the occasion that I use MDF. (No affiliation except I spend my paycheck there.)

I understand your point and usually try to follow the same practices, although in this case there were some circumstances beyond my control. (I did not buy a $50 gift card for myself!) :eek: :eek:
Matthew,

After my polemic I went back and realized you had a gift card, so I understand. I just think that we sometimes get seduced by the Borg/amazon/internet sales in general concept and forget about the added value that comes along with the tools and products when we patronize the specialty shops or the independants like our own Uncle Bob. We might get good prices but are then on our own if we have problems.

I think most of us would be surprised to find out how rural most of New York State actually is. And, how beautiful. IIRC, Olean is the home of a major Dressor Ind. plant. This is an American company that still makes world-class products.

Greg

[Kevin Arceneaux]

I have the Dewalt. I got a heck of a deal last year after the Christmas display things were taken down. 100 bucks for both it and a ROS. The only problem was no case for the ROS (since taken clear of) and no manuals. The manuals were easy to get. I emailed Dewalt, since the hadn't included the PDF files on their website yet. They mailed me both of them. Very happy about that.