So, is a biscuit joiner completely useless?
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- There are much better ways to join boards together. Don't bother with a biscuit joiner.
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#woodworking #joinery #tools - Навчання та стиль
It's fun to watch the first season of The New Yankee Workshop online. Norm was a very different person, with very different tools and techniques back then...
I use both the biscuit joiner and the domino machine at work, and I don't know if ur machine are of any quality or if u have the right sized biscuits cuz I don't get any play at all so it's excellent for levelling a joint.
But it's no fun tho!
Agree, biscuit should have a tight fit with the groove to work.
2:22 The fit here is terrible
Ya, the play in his biscuit joiner is horrible. My biscuits are way tighter.
That's what I was about to say
I usually have to get my rubber mallet out and beat the two pieces together when they are biscuit jointed
Ya, his biscuit jointer is as old as I am.
Mine is crazy tight. Just used it last night to glue up some shelves with my son. Super easy.
@@LowAss720 if mine was that bad I would fix it or get rid of it
That is really bad
My professor in a cabinet making class was very fond of biscuits and we used them all the time for constructing the cases. The glue up was tricky but they have held up well. They swell inside the slots once wet with wood glue and are very hard to pull apart once swollen even without glue.
Right, and Franz Klauzs did a full video on B joinery. This guy is a hack, at least as far as biscuits are concerned.
I used my porter cable plate joiner for may years on cabinet face frames, door frames and a few other projects but very seldom on gluing up table tops of solid wood. Pocket hole joinery is something I did spend money on as it is faster, easier, and very strong, and one can either make or purchase plugs to cover the pocket screw holes. I haven't used my plate joiner in almost 3 years, it is now a dust collector.
your right, mine has be stored away for years , making face frames pocket holes are the way to go and plenty strong enough
Using biscuit joints with pocket holes can be amazingly fast and strong. Biscuits are amazing for alignment with good strength and when used with pocket holes they can be very strong.
I started using a biscuit joiner in 1986 working at a cabinet shop in Wayne NJ called the Woodworker. We used the Biscuit joiner on almost every project and to this day I still use one almost every week. I don't think you need a ton of expensive tools to make a beautiful piece of furniture but I do think a biscuit joiner is a good tool to have in the shop.... Unless you can afford a Festool Domino : ).
I just got one this year. It is crazy helpful.
I bought a biscuit joiner at an auction a few years ago for about $30. It came with a whole bunch of biscuits, too. I build picture frames from live edge boards, which, when mitered, don't always clamp up nicely. The biscuit joiner really does help them get lined up and hold the ends together well, as the faces are not always the same width. The end product looks pretty good, as they frame my own landscape photos. I have also used them to line up edges for table tops, and that was helpful as well. $30 was about the right price, too. Beyond that and I would probably not own one.
You're using the wrong biscuits if they have that much play...or any play at all for that matter. Mine sometimes have to be hammered in.
I gotta say, even my nasty cheap joiner and biscuits fitted snuggly... out of alignment, but snug!
Yeah I usually have to get a rubber mallet and beat the pieces together before clamping them
Always keep the biscuits in a dry place and bag or box sealed as they sell up alot.
Youll be fuckin hammered if you keep carrying on about biscuit joiners.
Biscuit joints are a step above butt joints. No, they don't add strength. But they are great for aligning! I don't have wall full of clamps. And I don't need them when I'm using biscuits.
*also it definitely looks like you picked up the wrong size biscuit. Try a size up.
Speaking of dowels, I just made a small couch tray and tried a trick I saw somewhere online with great success. I used #8 screws in pre-drilled holes during the glue-up, and then after the glue was dry I went back and pulled the screws, drilled out the holes to 5/16ths, and glued/hammered in hardwood dowel from the big box store. Worked really well! I'm definitely going to use it again in cases where I don't mind having the dowels visible (I generally like seeing them, since the endgrain finishes up darker than the facegrain).
This is a very good video, a video for mortals. That's the reason I love so much your channel, you teach us that woodworking is not for men with very big workshops and sophisticated machines. I hate woodworking videos where they show super expensive machines that I can never buy.
I make 8ft+ tables..
Being a one man operation, I will take what I can get. I love my biscuit joiner, specifically to line up extremely long live edge slabs. It also helps me to keep the wood level, I glue up some pretty gnarly pieces. I think it definitely has it's place in my shop. Everyone has their own opinion, this is true. Any tool that gives woodworkers the confidence to keep alive a slowly dying art, is a necessary tool in my opinion.
well your biscuit joiner probably isn't a complete piece of sh*t...
@@oneoneone7397 without seeing what you mean, it would be hard to answer that question..
I use my router and slot cutter bit and run a continuous slot when laying up table tops...stoping before the ends.
@@oneoneone7397 It's so easy just do it
I use them to eliminate pocket holes in the back of my wood benches...
Try using one for cutting cam lock strike slots when installing locks on doors and in drawers, nothing can surpass its superiority for this task. I've used my Dewalt to scab on and widen doors, replace rotted jamb sections and enhance many assemblies. It's not the only way, but mine paid itself off and is here to stay.
I'm lucky, my neighbor must have watched Norm back in the day and he went out and bought one. Now when I have a project that needs it, I just borrow his.
Hi Steve. Here in Brazil there was not much demand for biscuit joiner. Only stores in major cities, such as São Paulo, could import it. The most common here are mortise and tenon joints, as well as dowels. Thanks for the precious tips in this video.
I love my Porter Cable 557 and I actually use it.
My favorite use is to keep pieces from slipping and moving during glue up. It isn't necessary for panels but I've used it on odd angled pieces and even to attach face frames to carcasses.
The biscuits are not strong enough to be a tenon but they are a good substitute for long tongue and grooves or T&G chest builds.
I'd buy it again.
Hey Steve! I love your videos and find them very useful. I've been woodworking for only about two years now and have very limited space, time and money. I love how you provide tips that are inexpensive and practical. Thank you!
Thanks for this video Steve. I was considering buying a biscuit joiner, but will now reconsider.
Did the biscuits change over the years? The ones I test had to be hit in with a mallet
Teaching woodwork, I used biscuit joints on wooden chests and small tables with the kids: amply strong enough, as good as short dowels and a lot less fiddly . Also half decent biscuit jointers are really cheap.
IM 99% sure, I cant find mine, thats how often I use it. I know there is a yellow plastic container, (used to be clear) full of biscuits. I like many bought into the concept, and i purchased one, used it on a few projects and contrary to the belief, I couldn't keep my boards lined up after running a biscuit joint, in fact it was worse than I could do on my own. so it created more work in the long run.
Every once in a while, I think to myself, I wonder where my biscuit joiner is, and I will think, yeah, your not doing anything go see if you can find it. Then I realize, well, Im not going to use it anyway so where ever it is, its not going to be in my way, so lets sit back down and watch another wood working video. hehehe.
Thanks for sharing, love the creativity you have come up with on finishing up with your left over biscuits as well. Keep up the fun videos and have a blessed week.
Dale
Watched Norm back in the day. Never bought a biscuit joiner but did buy a jig for my router that did the same thing. Haven't used that jig in years.
That's is the cheapest looking biscuit joiner I have ever seen, and I think you missed the point, the biscuits are not there for strength but for alignment during glue up. Lamelo even makes biscuits for knock down furniture, try that with a tenon, dowel or domino. And biscuit joinery is not as fussy as dowels.
Mike King well said mate!
just put a through drawbore in the tenons, or use a wedged tenon if you need a knockdown setup. You can usually drive out the pins if they aren't glued in. Baring that you could go for something like a bed bolt + tenon as well. of course for light duty things (picture frames) a spline might be the best bet. Ohh you could be really fancy with a sliding dovetail, though i'm not so sure about that for something like a table or bed leg.
Mike, I think you missed the point by skipping the video which you are commenting on. Steve talked about alignment.
@@HydraSR I jumped through it rather than watch it end to end (too painful), a lot of waving around of the joiner, etc.
@@HydraSR I'm back to this video, UA-cam erased my cookie. My biscuit joiners (I own two and just bought a third) all cut much tighter slots that that thing Steve is swinging around, in hardwood I often have to tap my biscuits in with a mallet.
I used biscuits to make a wall mounted shelf out of melamine faced chipboard. Doing so means there was no visible fixings. Dowels could have been used, but my experience with those is they are very difficult to align exactly.
I lost almost all of my woodworking tolls in Hurricane Harvey. My joiner survived. Lucky me!
Well at least you can make...
I mean you could build...
Hmm...
Sorry about the hurricane.
I actually bought one a couple of months back and have been using it for edge joining. I was on the fence about it, but I'm hoping I can use it to strengthen some miter joints on a cabinet I'm building.
You can build cabinets with biscuits as well. Small tables and perfect for biscuit joints as well. I use biscuits with pocket hole screws for perfect alignment that produces strong joints.
If you are making cabinets with raised panels you can join the stiles and rails with biscuits. Dining tables in the only thing that you could not use biscuits on their own with but that is were pocket hole even normal screws come in.
What you can do as well with a table is joint it up with biscuits and then drill a dowel though after the glue as cured.
Thanks for keeping the shop modest despite all your UA-cam fame.
It’s cozy to visit unlike some of the others you made a small but very funny jab at. 😂👍🏽
My father passed on a couple of years ago and I've since inherited all of his woodworking tools (almost enough to sign up for your class!). And in those tools was the very same Craftsman Biscuit Joiner. When my father was alive I remember him using this all of 3 times. And I honestly think I heard him curse Norm Arahm once when I was visiting and he was actually using this. All that to say, it collects dust in my gar...I mean shop. It will probably be the first of his tools that I part with.
I inherited my dads Makita handheld power planer, I love it. Other stuff too, but when I use his tools, we are working in the workshop together again. Be cautious with what you part with.
@@briannewton3535 my old man was a Mac Tools distributor for over 30 years. I have more than enough tools to part with lol. I can work on some wood and work on my truck all with stuff that he had.
If you are into laying wooden floor planks, the biscuiter is a great tool for butt joints around stair openings and when you wish to re-orient the direction of the boards to enable better access to the tongue for 45 degree nailing/cleats. Biscuits used simply to help with edge to edge joints give also peace of mind and reduce longitudinal warping when used for table top planking.... sometimes even used in pairs with a 1/2” gap between them.
It is also quick and easy to use.
I bought mine second hand for 40$. They are not totally useless, but most people don't use them properly. They are useful for things like attaching face frames to cabinets, or for something like mitre-corner frame-and-panel doors (which you show). But like you said, dowels or spline joints could also be used instead. I do like having it from time to time.
I prefer my biscuits with gravy.
Is that an American thing? What kind of biscuits? In the UK we like Yorkshire puddings with gravy 😊
@@briannewton3535 American biscuits refer to a specific type of biscuit that are similar to scones.
I'm imagining the wooden ones slathered in chicken flavored wood glue... 😕
@@briannewton3535 I like that way more than black pudding... 😉 👍
@@yaim0310 Ahh. In the uk we have a dish called Beef Cobbler which is essentially a beef stew with a type of cheese scone topping finished in the oven. Dang it, now I'm feeling hungry...
I think those Powertools are very usefull. As an German Woodworker in my opinion are poket holes useless. We dont use them. We mostly use Dovels or a biscuit joiner to build furniture . So i found the very usefull and you ca get one for 50Bucks.
Greetings from Germany and have a wonderfull christmas time 🎁🎂🎄
Ain't no 'r' in Noahm!
Well this was great timing. I just bought a biscuit joiner about a month ago. Been using it to join boards engrain. Didn't know I didn't need them and glue was enough.
Wait you mean all that time I spent putting pocket screws in the boards I was edge gluing was not needed? You are my go to guru and someone I trust thanks. I loved to watch Norm but because of the amount and expense of the equipment he used I figured woodworking was too high end for me. So I think Norm detered many people from woodowrking as did the wood working magazines. I haven't found anything yiu espouse to be unreasonable. Thx.
Really good video. Like you, watching TNYW with Norm, I bought a biscuit plate joiner, a Porter Cable. I use it for positioning face frames, and occasionally for edge to edge glue ups. I've used it for a long time. If I were new to woodworking, I would not buy one either. The practical use is too limited, and the learning curve is too flat.
You can use them for cabinet carcass, box frames, small table construction, drawer construction and so on.
Try and use your imagination and you will produce strong joints in projects.
All I can say is I have a biscuit joiner and I made a tablesaw cabinet with plans from Wood Magazine using biscuits years ago and the cabinet is still holding and my T.S. is a 1950's era Craftsman cast iron and super heavy, but like Steve said it could be just as good with glue alone
Hello from London !! I still use a biscuit jointer !! modern glues are great and the alignment is good on my jointer, no up and down play if you have it set up right. the domino is far superior but its pricy . you can buy 2000 biscuits here for $30 try that with a domino
Thanks for your videos Steve, wishing you much happiness and good health this holiday season
If you must - the Harbor Freight one isn't too expensive.
At least here in Germany there are "screwable" biscuits available for detachable connections. Pretty rare in hobby shops but very useful in some cases. Other than that I totally agree with your message given in the video
Cool
I'd like to know more about the system
@@garychambers5930 its called Clamex S by Lamello. You need double sized holes for them. In theory you need a special machine for this, but you can also drill 2 holes above each other or use a special router which doesn't fit in all machines
If you buy a good biscuit joiner you would not have all the slop. I've been using them for thirty years with great success. love the chanel
Very well done and insightful video Steve.
When I started woodworking that was one of the first specialized tools I got. I haven't used it for a good few years! Thanks for the great content!
I needed you years ago! I used to watch Norms New Yankee workshop, and yes that is the reason I bought a biscuit jointer! Now it its more used as a decorative piece of historic tool art, (thats my excuse now). Needs dusting though! Keep up great work.
Sorry, Steve.
Some of us think dovetail and box joints extremely ugly.
I have table tops that have been stable for many years joined with biscuits.
When you want invisible help joining edge to edge or miters like in frames, or butt joints on small jewelry/keepsake boxes it is a handy tool!
A cheap one at Harbor Freight costs $50 with their coupon. It is a handy tool to have in one's shop.
Yes.. not great for every job.. neither is Kreg screws.. which more than a few You Tubers have proven to be fairly weak and are ugly as sin.
But it has its uses!
I like all your videos I watch.. and that is almost all of them!
I've wondered why I never see anyone use them. Now I know and knowing is half the battle.
Most hobby wood workers do not rely on speed and precision. They can spend weeks and months on projects.
A person running a business does not have that luxury. They can be used for fast alignment of cabines, small tables, draws, box construction, face frame construction and fitting and about anything your imagination can produced.
I have used them on dinning table construction in conjunction with through dowels and screws.
I got a relatively inexpensive router bit and use it on my router table to make simple biscuit slots when needed. I agree, I don't use it often. But when I make a greenland kayak paddle, it's a good way to attach the paddle tip - which is end-grain to end-grain. I've never had one come apart. Way easier than doing a mortise and tenon.
wow , with my B.J. there isn't any play in the slot "vertically" .... that's why i can use it for alignment purposes ... your seems just wrong man :D But yes , other than that i use it only to mount face frames when i don't paint the wood , otherwise i'll use a pin nailer
I noticed the same thing about his slots and biscuits
Very loose mine are not like that
Totally agree- has a short try out with a biscuit jointer and there was a lot of vertical play which limited its use for alignment
We use a biscuit joiner to help align mitered walls for our cabinets. Never seen one with as much movement in it as in your video however, usually have to tap them into place.
BJ is usefull to reinforce MDF or chipboard joints. If you have no grain at all - every additional strength is helpfull and we use them a lot in specialty parts like columns, hood ranges and so on.
Steve I agree with everything you said, and just finished using my biscuit jointer on a glue up for the first time in easily 5 years. It’s super slick and easy, but yeah, I didn’t need them. I think it’s mostly so I’ll cringe a little less when I knock the piece off the bench next week and it torques on a corner.
Steve you're are such an awesome person and I cant even tell you how much you've taught me thanks for all the videos I hope many sponsors come your way this year!!!
I hear a lot of people have biscuits with their tea.
A big thing in the UK. I like 'digestive' biscuits to dunk in mine, or 'Hob Nobs'.
Interesting. I was just starting to look into biscuit joints for an upcoming project. This being the first video on the topic, for me
I already looked into some machines. And noticed that there are at least 3 sizes of biscuits. And the machines generally have 6 depth settings. And can angle from 0 to 90 deg. And, from memory, Norm's biscuits fit a bit more snug, but he did mention them swelling up.
I just don't like the fiberous spongey look of these biscuits. They seem to frail, compared to the dowels..
Good stuff. Thanks for saving me the purchase.
I bought one to install an oak wood floor in my house and make joints in place.It worked well that one time and .... It hasn't be used sense that job.
Do you not use them to make boxes, carcass, rails, raised panels, tables and so on.
Mine is solely used to cut slots in table aprons for the z-clips to hold table tops down. Fastest/easiest way I’ve found to do it!
bought a harbor freight bj about oh 5 years ago. Used it a lot. No slop, tight fits usually. Made a lot of plywood drawers for built ins, so not exactly fine furniture. Probably made 40 drawers. And I think it worked well and saved time. Though quite noisy and messy. That said, I use good old dowels most often now. Hah, I bought one of those notorious dowel jigs, a cheap one also from HF that doesn't align, ugh. Instead, a simple set of dowel center inserts is now probably my favorite method, and also lo-tech and super cheap. Probably a bit slower than the biscuit joiner, but stronger, better alignment. Yeah I use cauls on table tops but a few dowels I find helps hold the whole thing together while I get the cauls set up. And yeah I have a pocket screw jig too! but don't really use it that much. I would advise any noob to get a set of dowel centers and a good brad point drill bit. So cheap, easy, versatile, strong, simple.
Not sure what your biscuit jointer is, but use mine often in the shop to help with glue ups. My biscuits are so tight that the majority of them have to be per swayed with a dead blow hammer to get them in the slot, maybe this is one of those times that spending a little more at the store pays off.
This is off current topic, but I have no idea how to email you. Could you ever go over or do you have a list of clamps (essential for beginners)? I am overwhelmed with the amount of clamps out there, and have no clue where to start.
OMG. SO FUNNY.
Right when you said it comes down to two words I yelled NORM ABRAM! I used to watch New Yankee Workshop religiously!
Hello! Do you have a video on making the wooden Cali on the wall behind you?
Great info. Thanks for warning me 👍
Thanks, Steve! I wasn't really looking for a biscuit jointer, so I guess I'm still not? 😆 I did, however, learn what biscuit joints might be used for, beyond edge-gluing planks. I am still considering a doweling jig, partially since there are plans for diy. I'm a sucker for diy tools.
Thanks again, and happy holidays!
Something wrong there. Your biscuits are way loose. You should almost have to tap them in. The point of the biscuit is alignment, not strength. I distinctly remember Abrahms tapping his biscuits in with a rubber mallet.
I am about to do open shelving in kitchens with 1x12 in a couple hundred units. Many of them will have an L shape (1x12 at 8’ with a 3’ L). Would this be one of those situations where a $189 biscuit joiner would be worth it? It’s certainly within my budget to purchase.
Furniture carpenter here. We use our lamello every day in the shop on lots of projects. We work with 90% chipboard though
I'm a professional furniture maker and I use it almost every day I use a Lamello and it works great so I think it's your machine that creates the problems
As always a very informative video! Thanks Steve.
I have a Porter Cable tool and use name brand biscuits. I have yet to experience a loose biscuit in a slot similar to what is indicated in this video.
Maybe not so much for a 1x2 but try gluing up a pair of slightly wavy 5/4 eight footers and you’ll be glad for the alignment help. The biscuits swell in the slots for tight fits, and a little 80 grit sanding smoothes out any leftover irregularities. I use mine when it makes sense. BTW, there are smaller biscuits for those miters.
Thanks for the video. Good info on the differences on glue and the long grain vs. edge.
I used to watch norm's show - love it (you can see it on you tube) but true, no a lot of people could afford his level of shop.
If I owned that cheap biscuit joiner I wouldn't use it either. There are also metal biscuits, plastic bisuits that snap together as well as some metal ones that are epoxied in place for knock down. The porter cable biscuiter has an extra small blade for face frames which I have used and it can do double biscuit slots. Then there is the Lamello the inventor of biscuits that rival the domino in usefulness in cabinet assembly.
Dowels or Dominoes, the rest is a waste of time.
IMO, I got a pretty cheap and efficient biscuit jointer for 50$. It's quick, tight. and invisible. For smaller projects. I put dowels but , I like the fact that with biscuit you don't have to be very precise when you establish the center of the hole(a simple straight line on both pieces, it's time save). You can move the pieces from left to right during glue up. floating tenon methode(all of them) are great because you don't have to calculate the extra length to make tenon, rabet, tongue, etc. When I have time, or if I need extra strength, I'll choose true tenons. But I would say that biscuit jointer can do 90% of the work quicker with all the strength that I need. Normal is always right! But kinda dangerous with power tools ahahaha
ever work with BeadLock?
It's basically a doweling jig that 'racks' to make overlapping holes for special floating tenons
Less convenient than dominoes but claims to be stronger!
I own the basic model. I plan to use it, along with pocket holes, on a farm table build.
I tried the beadlock, but the accuracy just wasn't there. I splurged and bought the Dowelmax and couldn't be happier. Downside is it's quite expensive.
I had this whole diatribe ready to unleash on the keyboard as I sat fuming while you disparaged and discounted biscuit joiners. The tool I convinced my dad that we HAD to have for the shop he refused for a long time. I mean we head a horizontal boring machine and 10 bazillion dowels.
When he acquiesced I was a biscuit joining fool...I bought 2 cans of biscuits. I got it down to use the other day (end grain to end grain) and I still haven't used all the biscuits from one container. So... Umm... Yeah, good video.
Thanks for the video. I was considering buying one today!
I use the dowelmax, and if used properly, using multiple dowels for joints, I can get an extremely strong joint. I had tried other dowel jigs, but none have the accuracy of dowelmax, and it is very easy to setup. The only downside is that it is not cheap, but I have no regrets.
I saw your latest video about biscuit joiners, where you relent a bit on your opinion. Personally, I would agree that for alignment purposes, a biscuit joiner can be useful. Question: How would you rate a biscuit joiner against dowelling?
Ive built speaker enclosures using 3/4" stock cut 45 degrees with only glue. No issues.
Is this weaker than I realize?
Rubbish ,never any play in my biscuit slots, boards always line up perfectly
What about making a panel door for a press? Would a biscuit joint be fast?
Honest, to the point and also giving in depth reasoning for your conclusions - perfect!
always great watching your videos Steve. Keep it up!
FYI:
- The last few weeks, the German youtuber/carpenter "Heiko Rech" (see his channel for more) made a video series about biscuit joinery systems and their dis- and advantages. He recommends a biscuit joiner for every wood worker, especially when you often build own furniture.
- Pask Makes builds an own Domino joiner out of a router. Just look at his channel.
I came frome Europa where basically every cabinetmaker uses biscuits joiner somewhere called lamello for more than 20 years now without any strength or durability issues.
You just saved me a few hundred bucks..thanks!
I used it a lot for counter tops when you needed to make a seam somewhere, but that is about it.
I've inherited a biscuit jointer, which I use for chopping boards and such, but otherwise I wouldn't have bought one.
I wish there were doweling machines with the same layout as a biscuit jointer, as the ergonomics are nice, and most dowelling jigs are awkward, but I've never found one at a sensible price point.
Imagine an end mill that exposes as you push, like a biscuit jointer cutter, which you then put standard dowels into.
Also, my biscuits don't have anywhere near that amount of slop in the fit top and bottom - it almost looks like your cutting blade in your machine is a bit thick!
Thanks for the heads up!
Steve, I guess I am not as negative on biscuit joiners as you are. I'll admit to being a long-time devotee of Norm's show and This Old House. I've done a lot of New Yankee workshop projects including; the greenhouse, the tall bookcase with the crown molded top, sharpening station and likely a dozen custom cabinets adapted from Norm's cabinets. I particularly like biscuits for making and attaching face frames to plywood carcasses without a lot of pesky nail holes that require filling. I admit that I use pocket joinery these days to make the face frames but I don't care for them much for attaching the face frames or the case parts together. The biscuits are helpful in aligning a complicated face frame to the carcass as I often work by myself and extra hands can be helpful. I've two joiners a Royobi like the one you showed and a Freud. I have a stationary mortiser and a Leigh dovetail joinery system but I am kind of a traditionalist and like to use those techniques where they were historically used. I like to use double biscuits where there is a wide board in a face frame of when using a piece of 1 X as a cap on a stair rail for a deck or over a partial drywall that forms one edge of a staircase.
I would never have a shop without one!!! Also, that biscuit joint has problems as I have NEVER had one that sloppy so I'm calling BS on that part of your video... sorry. I love your channel and have not disagreed until this one... so my woodworking friend, thanks for all the pointers you offer. This one....???
Like a boat, It is better to have a friend who has one.
On narrow board miters the plunge can be made into the back faces across the joint and then chisel off the half of biscuit that was sticking out.
Thanks. Biscuits are out of my plans. Will start woodworking with just glue joint.
I don't use mine often but I think its good for joining edging to plywood shelves
#1) You mentioned they add zero strength. Biscuit joinery isn't for strength but rather for alignment.
#2) You mentioned gluing boards edge to edge is super strong on its own. Butt joints are the weakest of all joints, and I would think (and I could be wrong on this) that biscuit joints are stronger than butt joints, just for having more gluing surfaces involved (this is taking into consideration the biscuits themselves). The Wood Whisperer once mentioned that he visited a wood working furniture maker and was surprised to see that the guy used biscuit joinery quite heavily. While it is admittedly a very specialized tool and probably doesn't get much use in peoples' shops, I wouldn't go so far as to call it useless, at least not my opinion. Sure there are other options out there (like the Festool Domino for example), but joiners are not super expensive and when used properly, they really do make alignment quite a nice task.
Pocket screws suck, too, because as the wood moves with humidity changes, the screws supertighten and loosen. Every time they supertighten they strip just a little bit.
Steve, you have a bad bering pr something. Biscuit joints should be tight enough to use for alignment. We use them at work all the time to align glue ups for tops.
Thanks for the video Steve! Oh wait...so this is a UA-cam woodworking video that doesn’t end with me ordering something from Amazon? Hopefully nobody has a biscuit jointer under the Christmas tree already!