Replies

1. 
   eximreb | Feb 13, 2003 04:22pm | #1

   Polly a biscut cutter is a nice quick way of joining two planks together. Dowl pins are probably a little stronger. How ever your not supposed to let your roo jump on the planks after you join them.

   Good luck Bohiemian

1. 
   Polly | Feb 14, 2003 11:17am | #2

   Hi and thanks for your message. I can keep the roos under control but the emus keep kicking my dunny over(Stone the crows mate).I do not know wether they have dunnies over where you hail from but I shall leave that for you to work out. What I was interested in was whether a stand with lever arrangement to fit an angle grinder works ok as a biscuit joiner. Location would be the main consideration I guess.

   Cheers.

   Polly F.

2. 
   slash | Feb 14, 2003 11:40pm | #3

   Polly,

      Buscuit jointers run about 10,000 rpm. Many grinders run about the same, but some run faster and some run much slower. I would only use a grinder that runs about 10,000 rpm.

      What the heck is a vegamite sandwich? I heard it in a Men at Work song and I've been wondering what it is.

     Brian

1. 
   johnhardy | Feb 15, 2003 01:22am | #4

   Polly,

   If you're looking at using a grinder mounted on a stand I hope you're not suggesting using a grinding wheel. A biscuit jointer has a miniature saw blade inside to cut the slot.

   The hand held biscuit jointer also has three different depths it can cut at, for the three different sized biscuits. And the hand held jointer is extremely useful in cutting slots that could never be cut in a stand mounted device. I'm thinking here of cutting slots in the vertical sides of simple shelving, where the biscuits join the horizontal shelves to the vertical sides. That's fast and simple when slamming a simple bookcase together. (Not fine woodworking, mind you ...)

   John

1. 
   Polly | Feb 16, 2003 12:31am | #6

   Hi there and thank you for your prompt reply. Your name, John Hardy, could not possibly be the same person I went to school with at Warragul High School,Victoria,Australia. Warragul is an aboriginal name for hunting dog,wild dog or in other words dingo as a little bit of australiana tossed in for those interested in vegemite & the like. Pressed for time now but if you are the John who as school monitor in primary days bashed me uo because I would not clean the blackboard please contact me. You may know me as Horrie F.but Garry F will do for now.

   I will use a special cutting wheel which I believe is available now. Unsure of price. Remember.

   Good better best,

   never let it rest til your good is better,

   and your better best.

    courtesy of  Furphy Bros

1. 
   johnhardy | Feb 16, 2003 10:15pm | #7

   Sorry, different John Hardy. My family is originally from England and they came to the U.S. hundreds of years ago. I'm probably related to this guy but couldn't tell you how. His ancestors are also undoubtedly also from England .

   John

1. 
   Polly | Feb 16, 2003 10:46pm | #8

   Thank you John. I thought the chances were a bit slim but the name stuck out a bit on your message. It would not surprise me that he has an English ancestry but I can track him down. We were nearly all convicts or 10 pound immigrants for a while now they do not even pay but seek refugee status. Enough of that.

   As you may have guessed I am trying to get tools to get working with wood as best possible. Have TritonMk3 saw bench.Router,jig saw,sanders(need a belt one) and an assortment of basics,clamps and the like. I guess one never can have everything one needs or wants but a biscuit joiner is to me essential.

   Sorry to be so long winded. Best regards from sunny Frankston.,

   Garry (Polly)F

    

2. 
   Ron | Feb 18, 2003 01:53am | #9

   Polly, You can also get a set up for your router, most of the router bit componies sell them. I met two guys in Alaska in 1972, they were from Down Under, Mary and I gave them a lift from Alaska to Vancuver, They were the two funniest people I ever met. One morning we awoke to snow, They had never seen snow before, but they celebrated by rolling down the hillside in their under pants. It was 10 degees F. I'm sill laughing just thinking about it. Best of luck and don't be a stranger !!! Ron

3. 
   Polly | Feb 18, 2003 11:31am | #10

   Thanks Ron,

   I am still investigating how and whether it is feasible or not. Will check out the router suppliers. Those two guys from down-under would not be on Vegemite which is yeast based but probably on Fosters lager and plenty of it. Try a bit of each not mixed tho.Let,s know the outcome although with a high Vit/B content the vegemite is supposed to be of some help in recovery.

   No snow here and still no rain. Our worst drought ever. About 78f here at 7.30 pm.

   Catch you later.

   Polly F

2. 
   AJinNZ | Feb 15, 2003 01:26pm | #5

   LOL, vegemite is a yeast extract spread that is used in all kinda things, like as a flavouring sorta thing in stews, on toast with butter, in a sandwich ( sammy ) with cheese etc. Whatever you like.

   It does however taste damn awful.

   Vegemite on the other hand is very tasty.

   Just remember, Vegemite bad, marmite good. <G> 

   Wood Hoon

3. 
   Polly | Feb 18, 2003 11:47am | #11

   G,Day Slash

   Thanks for your info. Am getting somewhere with my project but one cannot rush into things. Great song,great win in the americas cup which brought the song back into the public eye. I just accepted the words Vegemite sandwich as par for the course without thinking what all you foreignours would make of it.

   Basically as you may have picked up in a reply is that is is a fairly bitey dark yeast extract spread patented in Melbourne about 1932 and now distributed by Kraft foods, If you cannot beat us at sailing you take over all our successes. Good luck to you. You want to try our underground mutton some time. Great tucker but getting a liitle bit over the top price wise.

   All the best and don,t let the emus kick your dunny down

   Polly F.

3. 
   Clay | Feb 18, 2003 05:18pm | #12

   Polly; I have been a woodworker and high end carpenter for many years and have owned a biscuit joiner for about two years.  My point is that it is definitely not a tool that you need to have to start out with.  I would doubt whether it is wise use of your time or money to try to work out a way to use the biscuits without buying a dedicated tool specifically designed for the purpose.  I don't doubt that it can be done but there are many other ways to do what the biscuit joiner does so that it really only has value as a convenience for those who must often do types of joinery where it is helpful.  An edge-glued panel is quite strong enough without any doweling, biscuits, or other reinforcement.  When I use them the biscuits are mainly an alignment aid.  My advice is to get along without them until it is cheaper to have the equipment than it is to do without it; that may be a very long time.

1. 
   Polly | Feb 19, 2003 04:18am | #13

   Thank you Clay for your reply. That is the problem for me, aligning my work.Seems I just miss by a smidgeon which is pretty small I think. Looks bloody awful pardon the language and tried to rectify it by using a dowelling jig,(Cheap) with similar results. The problem with is I think that my Father had very little in the ways of tools and no skills at all in using the ones he had. Over the years I have accumulated lods of basics and in later life am gradually learning. Might have to strectch the budget & pay a little more.

   Thank for your reply,

   From drought stricken, bush fire stricken, downunder regards to all and may there be some sort of relief from all this global strife we are in at the moment. Shove all the blokes in a shed, with a few tools & that will keep them occupied and the girls can watch their soapies or do whatever

1. 
   Clay | Feb 19, 2003 07:05am | #14

   If you are getting within a smidgeon you may find that the biscuit joiner will not improve things for you.  They don't solve all alignment problems either.  It is normal to have to do some planing or scraping and sanding to even everything up that last smidgeon.  Do you know anyone that you might borrow one from to see if it will do what you want?  I used several borrowed ones before I bought mine.  I often use a large woodscrew clamp (or several) to even up the ends of my glued up panels (even with the biscuits) and then do a bit of tapping with a hammer and wood block to refine the alignment in the center areas of the panels.  I also might mention that at the time I bought mine the Porter Cable unit seemed to offer the most advanced performance, I believe that is still true.

1. 
   Polly | Feb 19, 2003 11:51am | #15

   Thanks again for your help. am gleening heaps from all of this and if I do not get off this silly thing I wiil never put anything into action. Thanks again and will let you know jhow things go.

   Regards Polly