How do you sense when a tool purchase might not have been worth the investment?

[Bob Borzelleri]

My biscuit joiner had a couple of hours out of the box within the first day after I brought it home. I recall joining all manner of scraps to other scraps and then I put it back in the box to await a project to biscuit join.

I can't even recall how many years have passed since those first trial biscuits, but this morning, I decided to start thinking about gluing up a new top for my workbench and it occurred to me that the biscuit joiner might be an option to consider.

While browsing for information on biscuit joiners to refresh my memory on how and where to use them, I stumbled upon several references to problems getting the P-C 557 to register. Upon further reading I discovered that the problem apparently came about because of a patent dispute and P-C had to change the fence from the original Type I setup and Type 2 was the response to the patent case. Problem was that the Type 2 change made the tool less than accurate for some rarely used joints. I didn't recall the "Type" of my biscuit joiner (the problem was apparently fixed for Type 3 and beyond), but since I was on the web site, I read about a fix for the Type 2 registering problem.

It took a while to finally track down down the shim fix, but I did and with that information in hand, I set out to determine whether my biscuit joiner was Type 2 or either the earlier or later models without the registering problem.

Out to the shop and up the attic stairs I went to retrieve my joiner. As it turned out, it wasn't a type 1,2, 3 or 4. If fact, it is a Dewalt 682K. Not remembering what you bought seems to break new ground for minimal useage.

[Bill Huber]

When I can't remember the brand of it.

[Jerome Hanby]

My PC is a Dewalt too:D

[Bill Huber]

My PC is a Dewalt too:D

I don't remember what brand mine is... or do I even have on?:D

[Jerome Hanby]

Funny I recall using mine, but darned if I can recall what the project was.

[John TenEyck]

I don't know how I'd get along without my bisquit joiner. I've made dozens of kitchen type cabinets with it, and all manner of other joints. For joining plywood, partical board, etc. type boxes it's the go to tool.

[Phil Thien]

I don't know how I'd get along without my bisquit joiner. I've made dozens of kitchen type cabinets with it, and all manner of other joints. For joining plywood, partical board, etc. type boxes it's the go to tool.

What he said.

[glenn bradley]

Not remembering what you bought seems to break new ground for minimal useage.

We have a winner :D:D:D:D

[Dave Lehnert]

How about buying a tool, fast forward 6 or 8 years and buy another one (forgot about the first purchase) Go to put it away in the tool chest only to find the first one. :-)

[Jerome Hanby]

How about buying a tool, fast forward 6 or 8 years and buy another one (forgot about the first purchase) Go to put it away in the tool chest only to find the first one. :-)

That never ever happens...and if my wife says otherwise, who you gonna believe?

[Chip Lindley]

How about buying a tool, fast forward 6 or 8 years and buy another one (forgot about the first purchase) Go to put it away in the tool chest only to find the first one. :-)

But, but...I'm not THAAT BAAAD yet! Seriously! ...I'm Not!

To OP Bob, I call the fact that you have a DeWalt rather than a troublesome Porter Cable -- "Beginner's Luck!" Either that....or, Murphy took the day off!

I picked up a used DeWalt biscuit jointer off eBay and I love it. It does exactly what it is supposed to do. IF you do any manner of cabinetry, I have no doubt you will find a good use for it.

Last time I used mine, I joined corners and partitions of a 3/4" plywood carcass that is to be a drawer bank beneath my table saw extension table. Other than for that purpose, I use my BJ mostly for registering faceframes on cabinetry.

[Chris Fournier]

It would seem that you have found an ROI threshold and then some. Your story will keep accounts up at night!

[ray hampton]

some tools are easy to misplaced, I am the proud owner of 5 tubing cutters and probably will hide them before I need them

[Paul Ryan]

I used my biscuit joiner for all sorts of things as well. But have never used it to make panels like Norm did. It really comes in handy for all sorts of odd joints.

I bought one of those roto zip things years ago because it was the greatest thing since sliced bread when they came out. It sat and collected dust for years. I finally went out to the shop to retrieve it for some dry wall cutting a couple months back. After looking and cursing for a good half hour I realized I sold it at a garage sale for a couple of bucks about 2 years ago.

[Van Huskey]

When I come upon a tool 4-5 years after I bought it and the zip ties are still on the cord...

[Peter Quinn]

How about buying a tool, fast forward 6 or 8 years and buy another one (forgot about the first purchase) Go to put it away in the tool chest only to find the first one. :-)

I have been that guy. A couple of times. Probably will be again. But not on the biscuit jointer front. I have a makita, and I actually know where it is. I'd probably use it more if I remembered where I put the biscuits. I'd buy more biscuits but I'm sure I have a lot already, and should I buy more the ones I already have are likely to fall on my head the next time I am looking for something else.

I do love finding a tool I bought and forgot about though, its such a pleasant surprise, like getting a gift you have always wanted. Of course the corollary of not being able to find a tool you know you have bought is very unpleasant like being robbed, so that is best avoided. Its better to just forget you bought something and wait for it to come back to you!

[keith ouellette]

I have gone through 2 full containers of biscuits and I don't even think my PC joiner works all that well. There have been times I didn't use it just because it was a pain to set up. Now that I bought the dewalt I just purchased today I am sure I will use it much more.

As to wether or not a tool is a worth while investment.... When it pisses you off more often than being useful is a pretty good clue.

[Dave MacArthur]

I bought that DeWalt biscuit joiner about 10 years ago... went to use it recently and discovered I've either misplaced it or it's been stolen. I'm going with stolen. It just LOOKS like it should be so useful, and they were all the rage in the 90s...

[Larry Edgerton]

I have a Dewalt and a Lamello. The Lamello never goes on the job site, and the Dewalt never gets used in the shop. I biscuit all of the trim in the houses that I build, so have probably gone through 25 cases of #20's, worn out one Dewalt.

Now, there is that PC 444 that sat around for 10 years, the tabletop tablesaw that I thought would be handy, and..........

My problem is not so much remembering I have it, as remembering to put it in the truck. Thats why I have 4 sawzalls, six chop saws, 3 portable air compressors, twenty some drills............

[Jerry Olexa]

I love and use regularly my PC 557...Great for gluing up panels!!!

[John Almberg]

Simple, I never buy a tool unless I absolutely need it -- i.e., unless I can't figure out how to make do with what I already have.

If I can justify buying it for that one project, then it was worth buying, by definition. And it likely fills an essential hole in my tool box that will come in handy on some other project.

[Kent A Bathurst]

My indication is when it moves to the list titled "if I sold that, I could raise a few bucks to put toward a _______"

My 557 left a week ago for exactly that reason. I had kept it just in case I had to do another round of kitchen cabinets with face frames, but have successfuly avoided that for 10 yrs, so.................

Tools never actually leave the shop, they just go through Calvin + Hobbes' Transmogrifier. Restatement of the basic "neither created nor destroyed" mass principle : "Tools can not be eliminated. They just change into more expensive tools."

[kevin loftus]

When I come upon a tool 4-5 years after I bought it and the zip ties are still on the cord...

+1 And, it is a biscuit joiner too.:o Oh! just remembered I have an
un-used Roto-Zip somewhere too.:o:o Mebbe the start of Alzhiemers :confused::eek:

[Bill White]

Buyer's remorse usually sets in when the buyer gets all tangled up in too many details without the application of practicality relative to the circumstance involving type 1, type 2, or type 1a with modified designs.
Pheww! I just gave myself a headache. I'm gonna get my biscuit joiner (a DeWalt) and build a tabletop.
Bill

[David Larsen]

I have both the Dewalt and PC. Just buy one of each and that way you don't get confused with which one you have!

I use both of them quite often and find them very useful. I haven't had any problems with them and they work like they should.

Part of the reason for having both is because I mainly use the PC for FF biscuits and use the Dewalt for 0,10,20.

I did find that using dust collection on the cutter vs. the bag made it more user friendly rather than plugging up, but this is minor.

I plan on keeping both and if one dies, I will buy another.

Another thing I found that helps is take a 12" x 12" board and attach a 3/4"x2"x8" somewhere in the middle upper half. Now, use that to help you hold your smaller boards against it while you cut the biscuit. It keeps the board secure and keeps the biscuit cutter and the stock on the same level. Sometimes the momentum of the blade wants to jerk the stock, so this jig gives you some stability. Works fine for me.

[Dar Lounsbury]

Almost don't want to confess to this. Moved from one house to another. Needed my cordless drill, looked for an entire weekend and nada. Bought another, used the drill and when I put it away, moved a box and set the new one on the old one. Hmmm..............now I have two.

Dar

[John Sanford]

I bought one of those roto zip things years ago because it was the greatest thing since sliced bread when they came out. It sat and collected dust for years. I finally went out to the shop to retrieve it for some dry wall cutting a couple months back. After looking and cursing for a good half hour I realized I sold it at a garage sale for a couple of bucks about 2 years ago.

Rotozips can be used as trim routers on things that aren't critical, like shop furniture and such. Great for rounding stuff over. Now, would I get a Rotozip rather than a true trim router if trim routing was the only application? Heck no, the base on the RZ is too flexible and the thing howls louder than anything in my shop, including the lunchbox planer with the DC running! But until I manage to score a good trim router, it's going to do the utility duty for such, and stand by for the remodeling work that the RZ is actually pretty nifty at. If I ever get out of this rented townhouse....


Almost don't want to confess to this. Moved from one house to another. Needed my cordless drill, looked for an entire weekend and nada. Bought another, used the drill and when I put it away, moved a box and set the new one on the old one. Hmmm..............now I have two. Dar LOL!! Look on the bright side. Not only do you have two cordless drills, but you have four batteries! Hopefully, they're all the same.

Me, I have a DeWalt 12v Cordless (the old 972 w/ dead Nicads), and a small herd of Bosch 10.8/12v Lithium-Ion tools. (2 drivers, 1 impact driver, 1 drill/driver, and 1 Multi-X OS tool). If I hit the lottery, I'm gonna get the whole DeWalt 12v Compact Lithium-Ion line just to compare 'em. DeWalt took so long to come out with their Li-Ion tools that I was heavily invested in Bosch.

And yes, even with my lit'l herd, I still find myself saying, "where the heck is that driver?"

[Hugh MacDonald]

I might be happy that it's just a biscuit joiner, and not something big like a table saw, jointer, planer, etc. That's when it really gets frustrating.

[Mike Schuch]

My indication is when it moves to the list titled "if I sold that, I could raise a few bucks to put toward a _______"

My 557 left a week ago for exactly that reason. I had kept it just in case I had to do another round of kitchen cabinets with face frames, but have successfuly avoided that for 10 yrs, so.................


so.............. you will be starting the new cabinets next Monday?