What biscuit joiner should I buy?

I have a PC557 that seems to work pretty well. I imagine you will get a lot of different opinions. Festool's Domino seems to be the most beloved at the moment!
 
I've had the DeWalt, pretty much ever since it first came out. It's been great. No problems with it at all. I've been through a couple thousand biscuits - at least - over the years.
 
I've also got the DeWalt, and like it a lot. I've only used it a few times, but it's done what I've needed it to do.
 
I would suggest looking at a doweling jig or some other option.

I just don't get good alignment with mine, I get better alignment with the dowel jig. It may be me and my technique? I can't find a thing wrong with the machine. I just get a lot better alignment using dowels and rarely use biscuits anymore. Had it to do over I wouldn't buy one. A recent discussion on Woodnet, I found I was not the only one that felt that way.
 
i`m like jeff, when p/c came out with the first lamello copy i just had to have one so off i went to the local store and got one, big box of biscuits too....6-7 yrs later i sold it and most of the box of biscuits for pennys on the dollar and i`m not one to sell a tool.....i prefer to cut joints or use splines not a big dowel fan either...
but if you`ve just gotta have one the lamello holds its value better than any of the others...
tod
 
Jeff
Which doweling jig would you recommend?

Thats a loaded question! :) I will say I use a old Stanley 59 I picked up off Ebay complete will all the bushings. I like the fact that it indexes off one surface, I use the top. There are others that center on the board and who knows what other styles. I am well pleased with my Stanley though.
 
I sold my biscuit jointer, too. Haven't looked back.

On the other hand, its a little misleading to look at the Domino as a biscuit joiner. I know it looks like one, and you push it in like a biscuit joiner, but that's where the similarity ends.

When you put the "domino" - the piece of wood you use instead of a biscuit in the hole cut by the machine, the fit is so tight you have to use a claw hammer or pliers on about half of them just to get them loose.

The other day I dry fitted a 30 inch wide panel with Dominoes. No glue. I could lift the panel by the edge and it would stay as tight and flat as when it was on the bench. Try that with biscuits.:eek:

And here comes another true confession, unless the pieces I'm joining are really long (e.g. longer than 5 feet), I don't use anything for alignment, except my thumb and maybe a mallet at glueup.:eek::rofl:
 
[size=+1]As an addendum to my DeWalt recommendation, above, I guess I should explain that the bulk of my usage for biscuits is installing face frames on cabinets. For panel glue-ups, etc., I seldom use anything for alignment. The glue joint is generally stronger than the woods being joined, and if the panels are flat, then no 'alignment aid' is needed. YMMV...[/size]
 
At the risk of being a kill-joy, I'd say don't bother. I've never found that I needed biscuits, I either use a spline for real re-inforcement, or just use a caul with packing tape on it for alignment.

Doesn't help I guess that the DeWalt in the last shop I worked for chewed off a coupla fingernails :eek: My fault not its, but that kinda made me think I'd only use it when I needed to, and then found out I never needed to anyway :doh:

Luckily, fingernails grew back.
 
I have a Freud, it doesn't have the bells and whistles of the fancy ones but for $100 it does a great job...
 
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