What We Hear Most & Agree With Is This …. Biscuits joints serve best as a quick and easy way to keep glue-up parts in alignment, and that they add appreciable pull-apart to strength joints that would be otherwise too weak to stand on their own – like butt joints and miter joints. We’re guessing that most woodworkers will find more use for a biscuit joiner, with its ability to invisibly align and secure joints so quickly. Doweling also makes for a stronger joint, and if you own a drill, it’s less of an initial investment: You just need a doweling jig and a few drill bits.
For exposed joinery on the bottom or back side of projects, a pocket screw system is on my list. For hidden joinery I am considering doweling, splines, biscuits, and dominos. My project list includes a wide variety, cabinets, counter tops, furniture, tables, book cases, and smaller things like picture frames and jewelry boxes.
You might consider pocket hole joints for the face frames. Wayne – Plymouth MN. Derek,You can use the pocket screws to attach the face frame – with a small caveat. “We have the Kreg Master Kit and I just checked some pocket screws I did today and they are all well below the surface. Check the drill guide to make sure it is set to material thickness you are using and also check the depth stop on the drill bit for same. We mounted the jig to a large piece of MDF, for stability and portability. Used the Kreg jig and pocket screws to install some 23 3/4″ x 33 1/2” plywood shelves today into a miter saw station we are building.
biscuit joiner or dowel jig Related Question:
Is a biscuit joint stronger than a dowel?
When done correctly, a biscuit joint is at least as strong as a similar size mortise and tenon joint, and decidedly stronger than a dowel joint.”
What are the disadvantages of a biscuit joint?
Biscuit joints do not stand up well against other joinery methods. We won’t spend any time comparing with mortise and tenon joints because all other joinery methods pale in comparison when measuring strength. But, as an example, the use of dowels as opposed to biscuits is a step up in strength.
What is the difference between a dowel joint and a biscuit joint?
The dowel: Cylindrical pieces of wood are used to join two workpieces. The biscuit: A thin football-shaped disk is used to join two workpieces. Dowels are wooden cylinders that fit into holes that are drilled into both workpieces. When the parts are assembled, they form a strong joint.
What can I use instead of a biscuit joiner?
Some tests suggest a dowel joint will provide stronger joinery than biscuits. Tests also indicate that dowel joints are not as strong as tenon joints or dovetail joints. They do make solid and accurate joints, though. A dowel joint will be a better method than nails or screws and are much less susceptible to breakage.
Do dowels make strong joints?
Dowel joints are the strongest type of joints when it comes to woodworking, especially when using multiple rows of dowels. Dowels help to create strong joints that are easy to make at home.
Do biscuit joints add strength?
Some folks (including me) may use biscuits for alignment or “reinforcement”, but the truth is they do very little to strengthen the joint. In this long-grain situation, its really the glue that’s doing all the work. As you have heard me and others say many times, the glue joint is stronger than the wood itself.
Can a router be used as a biscuit joiner?
If you want to make biscuit joints, you don’t have to buy a biscuit joiner. In most cases, a router equipped with a 5/32-in. slot bit can cut perfect slots to fit the biscuits. Mark the biscuit positions on both adjoining boards as you would with a biscuit joiner.
Is a plate joiner the same as a biscuit joiner?
A plate joiner is the same as a biscuit joiner and are used to create an oblong hole in two matching pieces of wood. After the joiners have created the hole, a biscuit is glued, inserted and typically clamped until the wood is dried.
Can you join plywood with biscuits?
However, with a biscuit joiner, clean, unobtrusive joints can be made in plywood, with no visible hardware and clean edges coming together. Whether joined together at 0 degrees, 45 degrees or 90 degrees, all joints are clean and tight, as well as being strong.
How far apart should biscuit joints be?
Biscuit Spacing Once you’ve determined the positions for the edge biscuits, you can calculate even spacing for the biscuits between the edges. Anywhere from 6 to 12 inches apart, measured on-center is usually sufficient.
Which is stronger dowels or pocket holes?
The dowel joints were 1.5x stronger than the pocket hole joints. I could have made the dowel joints stronger by using four dowels instead of two. Earlier tests indicate that such a joint should be nearly as strong as a mortise and tenon joint.
Why are dowels often used in making an edge joint?
End-grain joints require reinforcing, usually with dowels or splines, so the glue joins the pieces through adequate long-grain contact. As it turns out, dowels and splines are also handy for aligning and reinforcing ordinary edge-to-edge joints.
What is a domino joint?
Description. The DOMINO wood jointing system can be used easily and quickly to create frame joints frequently required by joiners and carpenters. The DOMINO combines the properties of a biscuit dowel (flexible and non-twisting) with those of a regular round dowel (can be fixed, high strength).
What is the strongest woodworking joint?
Mortise and Tenon Woodworking Joints One of the strongest woodworking joints is the mortise and tenon joint. This joint is simple and strong. Woodworkers have used it for many years. Normally you use it to join two pieces of wood at 90-degrees.
How much weight can a dowel joint hold?
Test results show that dowels are the strongest method for creating this type of joint. The dowel joint in solid oak failed at an average of 650 pounds pressure, mortise and tenon joints failed at 500 pounds and biscuits failed at 325 pounds.