More recently, a few others who have been having issues had contacted me to ask me why their biscuit joiners are not working properly … and since I didn’t even have one anymore AND the questions intrigued me, I wanted to see if now … I could go back and see if I could solve the problems that many encounters with biscuit joiners. “When I got to the shop the first thing I did was to measure the thickness of the cutter blade, then test the machine by making a couple of cuts, the machine was already set on #20 biscuit size so I made a couple of cuts. I found that the standard thickness for every biscuit joiner blade is 5/32” or 4mm. The very first thing I noticed was that the biscuit I inserted was high centering, which means the slots I cut were not deep enough. NO.Many years ago when I gave up my old biscuit joiner and started using my dowelmax jig, I was so happy with the joints and the strength of the dowels for joining wood, I will not be reverting back but I will hang on to my new biscuit joiner for now, who knows what will happen in the future …. Copyright Colin Knecht.
Problems with biscuit joinery general derive from misuse or poor application of the technique. A biscuit joint is composed of two slots and a biscuit. Many problems associated with biscuit joints are from user error.
Regardless, remember the best tip for all biscuit applications: Make test cuts on scrap pieces before cutting the real thing. Even though biscuit joints are strong enough to unclamp after a couple of hours, planing or sanding these workpieces right away could result in scooped recesses over the biscuits. A biscuit joiner cuts half-oval slots in mating workpieces; then you glue in a football-shaped “Biscuit” and clamp the joint tightly.
biscuit joiner not working Related Question:
What causes the biscuit joiner to tighten up?
The biscuits themselves are compressed and expand when they come in contact with white or yellow glue, thus fitting more tightly after glue-up than before. I don’t think you are doing anything wrong as long as you are not trying to “free-hand” the cuts without supporting the biscuit joiner on a surface of some sort.
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.
Are biscuit joints strong?
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.”