An easy way to do this is to position the joint together then arrange one or more biscuits on top. In this case, biscuits are very useful because they are adding reinforcement to otherwise weak end-grain joints. THE END-TO-EDGE AND MITERED BISCUIT JOINTSīiscuits are also an easy way to build mitered and end-to-edge frames that you would use for picture frames or for a cabinet’s face frame. To cut the face grooves in the side, you’ll balance the fence on the panel’s edge as shown in Photo B. Adjust the fence so that the blade cuts a slot roughly through the center of your work. To cut the grooves in the edge of the end panel, place the work flat on the workbench, as shown in Photo A. (As a rule of thumb, place the biscuits about 6" apart.) When you pull the panels apart, you should see marks on the edges and ends. Box-making uses both.įirst, position the side and end panels together and draw lines across the joint to mark where you want a biscuit. Sometimes, you’ll have the freedom to choose the method, but sometimes the decision is made for you. A biscuit joiner can cut the needed joints to assemble a cabinet in about as much time as it takes to drag a heavy sheet of MDF to your table saw.īuilding a simple box provides a good opportunity to explore the advantages and disadvantages of fence- or base-guided slot cutting. Following are some common joints that you can practice making to familiarize yourself with a new tool or get better reacquainted with your old workhorse.įace-to-edge joints are the bread-and-butter joint for biscuit joiners. You can master basic biscuit joiner use in five minutes, but you will continue to learn new tricks with each project. However, once glued, the biscuits swell and lock the parts in place. The oversized slot lets the biscuit move slightly, enabling you to tweak parts into perfect alignment. What makes biscuits better than dowels? The size and shape of the slot. (Unlike the router/biscuit-cutting bit combo, the biscuit joiner’s cutter retracts inside the tool as you pull it away from your work.) From there, a flat, football-shaped piece of compressed wood, called a biscuit, fits into a pair of matching slots. This tool is designed to do nothing but plunge-cut arc-shaped slots. The safest way to cut biscuit slots is with a biscuit joiner. The easiest way to appreciate their versatility and strengths is by putting them to use. Woodworkers and carpenters have been employing biscuits to successfully solve all sorts of assembly and alignment problems for over two decades. In truth, biscuits may not be as strong as some traditional types of joinery and may not be suitable for heavy-duty loads, but they’re perfect for plenty of projects. Because biscuit joints are easy to mark out and quick to cut, using one almost seems like cheating.
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