Going to buy myself a DeWalt Biscuit Joiner today! All due to your wonderful tutorial. I really needed this. Getting into carpentry little by little while working on my RV. Built an overhead cabinet, with only butt joints and pocket hole joins, and really missed a biscuit joiner for the face frame. It was so friggin hard to align everything and drill those screws into the tiny space I had in the RV cabinet! You did an exceptional job of explaining the tool, and the technique, esp the mitered join. I had so much trouble with gluing back a vintage oak frame! Too delicate to drive screws in. Should have used a biscuit. I'm deeply grateful, thank you!
+Lass-in Angeles Carpenters often use biscuits and pocket holes together for just the reason you state-- keeping the work pieces aligned. Biscuits can also help keep trim aligned before it is nailed.
What you should have explained was the reason the mark across the 2 timber faces don't have to be precipice is there is meant to be a bit of wiggle room (for alignment) AND the biscuits swell with wood glue (to become firmly embedded). Thicker timbers, you can use 2 biscuits, one above the other.
I think your spell check got the best of you there--"precipice" should say "perfect"? Yes, there is a little wiggle room in the alignment, perhaps an 1/8", though I've never measured it. You can also use multiple biscuits (each in their own slot) if need be. I personally don't like to rely on biscuits if great strength is needed, though. I'll use other methods such as mortise and tenon or tongue and groove if I know the joint will be under a lot of stress.
Just put together the carcass for some shelves I'll put in workbench. I used three biscuits per side, bottom and then 9 on the top. Just glued no screws. Think I'll need to screw it or would the glue hold it all tight enough.
For plywood cabinets that have the back and sides hidden when installed I'll often use air-driven staples in addition to rabbets and glue or, in your case, biscuits and glue. If you don't have that option you can use screws with countersunk holes. Screws don't necessarily hold well in plywood because they tend to split the layers apart. If you used solid wood then that won't be a concern.
Thanks for the great tutorial. Regarding the dust/chip ejection port: what's the size and can you recommend any dust collection tubing to adapt to a standard shop vac?
I believe the newest models sold include a vacuum adapter for standard shop vacs. However, they also include a dust bag, which is probably a better bet. Having a vacuum hose attached to the tool would likely get in the way and potentially cause misalignment with your marks if you aren't careful.
Well that depends on what you are doing. Biscuits can be used for all sorts of purposes. Ultimately it is the strength of the glue you use which holds things together.
Thank you so much. I am just getting started in wood working and am at a point where joinery is becoming important. This video is excellent both in terms of content and presentation. Just what I needed!
It is very helpful to see firsthand examples of how the biscuit joiner can be used. I read the instructions that came with my joiner, and your tutorial nicely complements those instructions.
This is a good vid & helped me out a lot, I'm a metal/auto body guy but I've been trying to work with wood more to set up my home garage. Wood tools are all new to me & I've got a few basic things so I'm just do homework trying to figure out what wood tools I need to have vs what would be cool to have.
That's possible, though the connection will be weak because there won't be much "meat" left on either side of the biscuit. You might consider dadoes instead, if possible.
Wow so that's what all those little pieces of wood are for..I thought previous homeowner just REALLY liked making miniature surfboards for some reason..not kidding.
It's not really that one is overall better than another, it's that each has advantages and disadvantages depending on the application. Biscuits have the advantage of being easy to align and install, for example, but the disadvantage of having a fixed width that may not work well with some applications. It's good to have multiple options available to you so that when faced with a woodworking problem you can say--Ah! This technique would be perfect in this instance.
Maybe I missed what I was looking for, when you're joining 2 pieces, one on the cut edge, the other in the middle of another board, how to get the measuring set up for perfect alignment.
The great thing about biscuit joiners is that they make alignment super easy. Remember, when you make the cut for a biscuit you are cutting a slot for one half, or one side of the biscuit. So it's simply a matter of pushing together the two pieces of wood you are trying to join, making sure they are oriented as you want them, and making a short pencil mark across both boards. Now when you separate the two pieces you'll have a mark on each board for alignment of the tool. No measuring is usually necessary. A quick pencil mark across both boards where you want the biscuit to go and you are done. Now, if you are using biscuits to join, say, a cabinet shelf to the cabinet sides, it's the same procedure. However, you might want to mark the shelf end first, then hold up the shelf end to the cabinet side where it should go and make the corresponding mark. Or, you might choose to temporarily clamp everything in place, make your marks, and then take it all apart to cut the slots.
Saw one of these tools and the biscuits in Lowe’s and had no idea what these were. So I looked up a video and you were the first video to pop up. Loved the information and it explained it so well especially to me who knows very minimal amounts of woodworking
i bought this same exact model,i know nothing about this tool,i bought it only because i got a great deal on it,your video is very useful and i think i might be able to use it no problem at all,thanks for sharing your knoledge here 👍
Thanks for this video. I wanted to make sure I got some proper tutorial on miter joints before actually screwing up my wood. As I see in certain manuals, for 15mm they recommend biscuits size 10. Does that depend on if you're using miter joints or not? Or what biscuits should I use for miter joints on a 15mm thick plate?
Well, it depends. You'll see that the important thing is not to drive the joiner blade through the other side of your work piece. Depending on the angle of your miter joint AND depending on where you start the cut relative to the thickness of the work piece, you can use different size biscuits. So, if you have a 45 degree miter on a particular work piece and start in the middle of the board perhaps you could use a #10 biscuit, but if you have a shallower miter angle and start more toward the inside of the miter, perhaps you could use a #20 biscuit. You can unplug your joiner and experiment visually with your work piece or you can just use a piece of scrap and experiment on that with real cuts. A 15mm thick board is around 5/8" and that's not much. You might only be able to use a #0 biscuit for that. If possible I would recommend trying your cuts on some scrap first and see where you land.
@@enduringcharm Yes I figured, probably need some fine tuning. But the advice of placing the joint more on top is great. I always try to put them in the center
Hey man, thank you for your excellent straightforward video. I know this is pushing 5 years old but just wanted to suggest throwing a halogen or LED worklight up near your camera to solve your dark spot woes if you're still making content. Hope you are. Cheers.
Very good info! More information than I needed. But you had exactly what I was looking for since I bought my dewalt used. I do not have a manual. Thanks for showing how to set it up.
Just to be clear, using the biscuit method is not a replacement to using hardware, right? This is purely to keep things aligned or stop wood from warping?
No, that's not entirely accurate. Biscuits and glue can be used as the sole method of assembly, but it has it's place. When biscuits first became popular they were marketed as a replacement for mortise and tenon joinery, or as a means for amateurs to make fine furniture. Over time woodworkers figured out that biscuits are great for alignment and for adding a little strength in edge-joining applications. They are also excellent for quick construction of boxes where quality is not paramount, or for positioning shelves in a box, or for light-duty applications where strength is secondary, such as trim work. But, for heavy duty strength, for fine furniture, or for long term durability there are other traditional joinery methods to recommend, including mortise and tenon, tongue and groove, and cope and stick.
Great video. I'm looking to buy a biscuit jointer... Have you tried the Porter Cable one? The consensus is that The PC or Dewalt is the one to get. Trying to decide.
Never tried or even seen the PC version in person. Lamello and Festool both make (expensive) versions too. The DeWalt is pretty hard to beat for price and performance. I've had mine for at least 20 years, and it still performs as new.
There are three standard sizes, 0 for small, 10 for medium and 20 for large. However, in recent years there have been some other oddball sizes introduced which may require a special blade.
I know such a bit exists. The disadvantages would be accuracy and time. If you want to stick with a router I'd use different joinery techniques such as tongue and groove and mortice and tenon. The advantage of a dedicated biscuit joiner is speed and accurate placement of single biscuits. Using a router to place biscuits would be like using a Ferrari to pick up groceries. You could do it, but why?
Got one and I will start using it again, it served me very well in the past, and it's time I resurrected it again. Your videos are always clear and helpful, thanks.
ok, I'm sold :) I just want to know: is this a tool where I would be saying "where have you been all my life and how did I survive this long without you?" or is this something that once I complete the closet shelving project, I won't be using again for years???
If you do a lot of woodworking as a hobby or if you install a lot of interior trim in your home this is a tool you'll want to own. Aside from creating glue joints it's also very handy for aligning workpieces, even if you are using screws or nails. If you only do occasional woodworking or trim you may be able to do without it. You might also consider pocket hole joinery instead, which is a cheaper means of joining wood, assuming only one side will show. Here's my video on that: ua-cam.com/video/GnN9Ff_taeo/v-deo.html
Excellent tutorial. Just started making picture frames and had no idea what a biscuit joiner was until viewing your tutorial.
bought one 2 years ago but never used it, after watching this video i will start doing biscuit joins, many thanks
Going to buy myself a DeWalt Biscuit Joiner today! All due to your wonderful tutorial.
I really needed this. Getting into carpentry little by little while working on my RV. Built an overhead cabinet, with only butt joints and pocket hole joins, and really missed a biscuit joiner for the face frame. It was so friggin hard to align everything and drill those screws into the tiny space I had in the RV cabinet!
You did an exceptional job of explaining the tool, and the technique, esp the mitered join. I had so much trouble with gluing back a vintage oak frame! Too delicate to drive screws in. Should have used a biscuit. I'm deeply grateful, thank you!
+Lass-in Angeles Carpenters often use biscuits and pocket holes together for just the reason you state-- keeping the work pieces aligned. Biscuits can also help keep trim aligned before it is nailed.
Thank you very much for explaining this so simply and clearly.
Thanks man, this is the most helpful tutorial I've found.
Thans for the great video. Very well done! Very clear and concise instructions which are eadily understood by a novice like me. Thanks again.
Excellent tutorial of all the different uses of this tool.
super helpful. very clear and concise. I'm basically a pro now
Very easy to understand and helpful video! Thank you for this.
Nice overview, I have one but, wanted some insight to it's uses before firing it up. Thanks for taking the time!!
Thanks for a great tutorial. I just bought the Dewalt and feel ready to use it now.
Excellent in explaining!
Thank you
Very clear and very helpful. Thank you so much.
Great tutorial. Very clear. Thanks for sharing it!
You have a very good, clear way of explaining things. Thanks for sharing these videos!
Awesome video and tutorial. Great job! Thank you very much.
I just bought a dewalt 18v plate joiner. Its a awesome tool, especialy wireless with battery.
Thanks for sharing. This was very useful.
Well done and much appreciated. Thank you!
Thanks man now I’m ready to buy one
Great video!
Nice job.....Going to now buy one THANKS
Yes, echoing the comments below. Thorough. Didn't know what a biscuit joiner was. Thought mine needed to be whole wheat.
Perfect intro, I'm putting in a wide pine floor now
Oh, be sure and check out my video on finishing pine floors too:
ua-cam.com/users/edit?o=U&video_id=fVJLzYqyZqw
What you should have explained was the reason the mark across the 2 timber faces don't have to be precipice is there is meant to be a bit of wiggle room (for alignment) AND the biscuits swell with wood glue (to become firmly embedded). Thicker timbers, you can use 2 biscuits, one above the other.
I think your spell check got the best of you there--"precipice" should say "perfect"? Yes, there is a little wiggle room in the alignment, perhaps an 1/8", though I've never measured it. You can also use multiple biscuits (each in their own slot) if need be. I personally don't like to rely on biscuits if great strength is needed, though. I'll use other methods such as mortise and tenon or tongue and groove if I know the joint will be under a lot of stress.
@@enduringcharm I actually meant precise.
Great video thank you
Very helpful. Thanks.
Thank you sir!
Appreciate the video!!
Just put together the carcass for some shelves I'll put in workbench. I used three biscuits per side, bottom and then 9 on the top. Just glued no screws. Think I'll need to screw it or would the glue hold it all tight enough.
For plywood cabinets that have the back and sides hidden when installed I'll often use air-driven staples in addition to rabbets and glue or, in your case, biscuits and glue. If you don't have that option you can use screws with countersunk holes. Screws don't necessarily hold well in plywood because they tend to split the layers apart. If you used solid wood then that won't be a concern.
can the buscuit machine cut into ceramic tiles???
No, strictly for wood or similarly soft materials such as PVC or MDF.
What model of Dewalt jointer are you using?
My biscuit joiner is ancient, but as far as I know DeWalt only made one corded model, the DW682K.
Thanks for the great tutorial. Regarding the dust/chip ejection port: what's the size and can you recommend any dust collection tubing to adapt to a standard shop vac?
I believe the newest models sold include a vacuum adapter for standard shop vacs. However, they also include a dust bag, which is probably a better bet. Having a vacuum hose attached to the tool would likely get in the way and potentially cause misalignment with your marks if you aren't careful.
What dealt model jointer is that
Dewalt only makes one, as far as I know--DW682.
Do you still need nails
Well that depends on what you are doing. Biscuits can be used for all sorts of purposes. Ultimately it is the strength of the glue you use which holds things together.
Thank you so much. I am just getting started in wood working and am at a point where joinery is becoming important. This video is excellent both in terms of content and presentation. Just what I needed!
This was so helpful and wonderfully done. Thank you so much for doing it.
Are biscuits stronger than dowels for the join you made?
It is very helpful to see firsthand examples of how the biscuit joiner can be used. I read the instructions that came with my joiner, and your tutorial nicely complements those instructions.
the best one I've seen yet
Echoing all the others, thank you. Very clear and you've covered a few applications. Well done!
I thought they were cookies
No nonsense, straight forward, well done sir. Well done! In the short time used, I learned all I need to know about the tool and its uses.
Very helpful and well presented. Thank you sir from South Africa.
Thanks, very useful video, now off to make a picture frame!
thanks man 👌👌👌👌👌👌👌❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
This is a good vid & helped me out a lot, I'm a metal/auto body guy but I've been trying to work with wood more to set up my home garage. Wood tools are all new to me & I've got a few basic things so I'm just do homework trying to figure out what wood tools I need to have vs what would be cool to have.
Great Video !! Very helpful, thanks.
Very informative and helpful, Thank you!!
Excellent Tutorial
Thanks
What is the minimum thickness that can be biscuited? I have half inch thick plywood.
That's possible, though the connection will be weak because there won't be much "meat" left on either side of the biscuit. You might consider dadoes instead, if possible.
Excellent video! Thanks for the great info!
Thanks for the video.
Use something else for anything bigger than 3/4"
Thank you,very good explanation 👍
Great job oh showing how it all works. Thanks You
Wow so that's what all those little pieces of wood are for..I thought previous homeowner just REALLY liked making miniature surfboards for some reason..not kidding.
You learn something new every day!
I did this last week and the timber went flying over to the right like a bullet 🤣
Maybe you should clamp the workpiece to a bench first.
Excellent video. How is biscuit joinery better/worse than doweling (face frames) or splining (miters)? Thank you.
It's not really that one is overall better than another, it's that each has advantages and disadvantages depending on the application. Biscuits have the advantage of being easy to align and install, for example, but the disadvantage of having a fixed width that may not work well with some applications. It's good to have multiple options available to you so that when faced with a woodworking problem you can say--Ah! This technique would be perfect in this instance.
Maybe I missed what I was looking for, when you're joining 2 pieces, one on the cut edge, the other in the middle of another board, how to get the measuring set up for perfect alignment.
The great thing about biscuit joiners is that they make alignment super easy. Remember, when you make the cut for a biscuit you are cutting a slot for one half, or one side of the biscuit. So it's simply a matter of pushing together the two pieces of wood you are trying to join, making sure they are oriented as you want them, and making a short pencil mark across both boards. Now when you separate the two pieces you'll have a mark on each board for alignment of the tool. No measuring is usually necessary. A quick pencil mark across both boards where you want the biscuit to go and you are done.
Now, if you are using biscuits to join, say, a cabinet shelf to the cabinet sides, it's the same procedure. However, you might want to mark the shelf end first, then hold up the shelf end to the cabinet side where it should go and make the corresponding mark. Or, you might choose to temporarily clamp everything in place, make your marks, and then take it all apart to cut the slots.
Nice explanation, do all joiners have a dial to dig the slot right @ the center of the board ?
.....'cause I dont see one in mine........thnks
All biscuit joiners should have some mechanism to adjust the height of the slot. However, it may look different than the one in this video.
Very good tutorial you shod be a teacher !
How dumb do you have to be to dislike this video - so straightforward and well spoken! thanks for video
veey helpful
Great explanation. Thank you
great explanation!!! thanks a lot!!
Saw one of these tools and the biscuits in Lowe’s and had no idea what these were. So I looked up a video and you were the first video to pop up. Loved the information and it explained it so well especially to me who knows very minimal amounts of woodworking
i bought this same exact model,i know nothing about this tool,i bought it only because i got a great deal on it,your video is very useful and i think i might be able to use it no problem at all,thanks for sharing your knoledge here 👍
Thank you for a very instructive, easy-to-understand video. I just bought mine and thought I should get instruction to have some success.
Loved your video, very prosfessional & informative, I learned a lot what it is about, thanks a bunch !
Thanks for this video. I wanted to make sure I got some proper tutorial on miter joints before actually screwing up my wood. As I see in certain manuals, for 15mm they recommend biscuits size 10. Does that depend on if you're using miter joints or not? Or what biscuits should I use for miter joints on a 15mm thick plate?
Well, it depends. You'll see that the important thing is not to drive the joiner blade through the other side of your work piece. Depending on the angle of your miter joint AND depending on where you start the cut relative to the thickness of the work piece, you can use different size biscuits. So, if you have a 45 degree miter on a particular work piece and start in the middle of the board perhaps you could use a #10 biscuit, but if you have a shallower miter angle and start more toward the inside of the miter, perhaps you could use a #20 biscuit. You can unplug your joiner and experiment visually with your work piece or you can just use a piece of scrap and experiment on that with real cuts. A 15mm thick board is around 5/8" and that's not much. You might only be able to use a #0 biscuit for that. If possible I would recommend trying your cuts on some scrap first and see where you land.
@@enduringcharm Yes I figured, probably need some fine tuning. But the advice of placing the joint more on top is great. I always try to put them in the center
Great video and 14 minutes of valuable information! Thank you!
Hey man, thank you for your excellent straightforward video. I know this is pushing 5 years old but just wanted to suggest throwing a halogen or LED worklight up near your camera to solve your dark spot woes if you're still making content. Hope you are. Cheers.
I finally bought a biscuit joiner and have a feeling it will be one of those tools I wish I had bought long ago.
Very good info! More information than I needed. But you had exactly what I was looking for since I bought my dewalt used. I do not have a manual. Thanks for showing how to set it up.
Just to be clear, using the biscuit method is not a replacement to using hardware, right? This is purely to keep things aligned or stop wood from warping?
No, that's not entirely accurate. Biscuits and glue can be used as the sole method of assembly, but it has it's place. When biscuits first became popular they were marketed as a replacement for mortise and tenon joinery, or as a means for amateurs to make fine furniture. Over time woodworkers figured out that biscuits are great for alignment and for adding a little strength in edge-joining applications. They are also excellent for quick construction of boxes where quality is not paramount, or for positioning shelves in a box, or for light-duty applications where strength is secondary, such as trim work. But, for heavy duty strength, for fine furniture, or for long term durability there are other traditional joinery methods to recommend, including mortise and tenon, tongue and groove, and cope and stick.
@@enduringcharm Thank you for the response, working on getting items together to start into wood working. Beginning with furniture restoration.
Thank you , this is very useful for a beginner like myself on a joint biscuits !
Great video. I'm looking to buy a biscuit jointer... Have you tried the Porter Cable one? The consensus is that The PC or Dewalt is the one to get. Trying to decide.
Never tried or even seen the PC version in person. Lamello and Festool both make (expensive) versions too. The DeWalt is pretty hard to beat for price and performance. I've had mine for at least 20 years, and it still performs as new.
Mmmmmm.. biscuits
what is the meaning of the number shown on the biscuit ? for example 0 or 10? pls advise. thks
There are three standard sizes, 0 for small, 10 for medium and 20 for large. However, in recent years there have been some other oddball sizes introduced which may require a special blade.
@@enduringcharm thank you so much
Great video! Thank you very much for the tutorial! I've subscribed and will certainly check out your other videos.
A simple and clear explanation. Very useful
Very well done! Thank you! Now I know how I should use it! :-)
Thank you for publishing this video. Very helpful and easy to follow.
This was so helpful. I was just given this tool and am now ready to use it.
Great Video. So helpful and well done. Thank you.
Can I use a router equipped with a biscuit cutter
I know such a bit exists. The disadvantages would be accuracy and time. If you want to stick with a router I'd use different joinery techniques such as tongue and groove and mortice and tenon. The advantage of a dedicated biscuit joiner is speed and accurate placement of single biscuits. Using a router to place biscuits would be like using a Ferrari to pick up groceries. You could do it, but why?
Got one and I will start using it again, it served me very well in the past, and it's time I resurrected it again. Your videos are always clear and helpful, thanks.
I just bought the same one, thanks for the vid. I hate reading instructions.
Thank you, that was very informative and a nice explanation.
Bravo...
thanks
Well I learned something new today. Thank you
ok, I'm sold :) I just want to know: is this a tool where I would be saying "where have you been all my life and how did I survive this long without you?" or is this something that once I complete the closet shelving project, I won't be using again for years???
If you do a lot of woodworking as a hobby or if you install a lot of interior trim in your home this is a tool you'll want to own. Aside from creating glue joints it's also very handy for aligning workpieces, even if you are using screws or nails. If you only do occasional woodworking or trim you may be able to do without it. You might also consider pocket hole joinery instead, which is a cheaper means of joining wood, assuming only one side will show. Here's my video on that:
ua-cam.com/video/GnN9Ff_taeo/v-deo.html
Thank you for a superb tutorial on the use of this tool.
Your tutorial is very helpful for the beginner.
That was excellent video well explain great job sir..
Outstanding presentation. Clear and very informative. Thanks!
great video, thanks for sharing this info.
Thank you for demonstrating the tool, very helpful. I am about to embark on my first joinery and this helped make the decision to proceed!
Glad it was helpful!
What a great video. Thank you!