I forgot how much I hate my biscuit joiner.

[Curt Harms]

That's a good point Charles. The Porter Cable 557 doesn't have the points. I usually have the fence horizontal and use the fingers on my left hand to block the fence as I plunge. There is a tendency for the machine to move left when plunging. The type 2 Porter Cable machines had a problem with the fence-base intersection due to a patent problem with DeWalt. A company called the fly-by-night copper company made a shim to address this problem. The shim was coated with a coarse grit which also helped prevent the machine moving. That does a pretty good job of preventing the machine moving left as I plunge. Plunging slower would also be helpful.

[Warren Lake]

post 35. You dont need the pins, stick on sandpaper.

[Rick Potter]

OK, I just checked it again.

It is a PC 557, type 1 model. It has the original sandpaper on the slot area, and it is good shape.

I put a straight edge across the blade slot and there is a definite gap on the left 2/3 of the slot area, looking down on it. The right side is better, but you can easily feel that the sandpaper is below the sides of the fence in the folded up position.

No new model is in the works for me, so I will have to remember to put a thin cardboard shim in that area when I use it vertically.

Thanks for all the advice folks.

[Warren Lake]

Rick here is what I meant. 20 years on first lamello sold as I thought it was worn. New one the same, operator technique.

Pins out and think rubber bumpers nd maybe rubber bumpers not looking, then stick on sandpaper. Sandpaper should have been replaced long ago ago but just kept using it that way. had taken more care on the first one slicing it off back at an angle at all edges.

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