Biscuit joining is the process of lining up and joining two workpieces. One of the most important, and challenging, jobs during the building of a piece of furniture is the lining-up, gluing, and clamping of two workpieces. The biscuit joiner makes this job simple.
A biscuit joiner is used to cut a circular slot into each workpiece that will be joined. Lamello biscuit joiners use a 6-tooth carbide-tipped blade that, when plunged into the workpiece, precisely cuts this circular slot out. This slot is created by the woodworker on both workpieces. The location of the slots are determined by where the woodworker wants the workpieces joined. After the slots are cut, wood glue is appied into the slots. The woodworker then takes a biscuit, which is a small football-shaped joining piece, and joins the two workpieces with it. Because the glue must dry before moving to the next step of the process, clamps are used to hold the pieces in place until the glue is dry. How long this takes depends on the type of wood glue that is being used. There are quick-set wood glues that can be used. The biscuits come in different sizes (#0 biscuits, #10 biscuits, #20 biscuits) so the user has options based on the size of the workpiece and the strength of hold that is needed.
You can find other biscuit joiners on the market besides Lamello, including Porter-Cable, DeWalt, and Freud. If price is a big issue, or if this is just for one project and you won’t be using the tool often, then one of the cheaper models may be for you. But if you prefer the best tool on the market, then the Lamello Top 20 is the way to go. Because many professionals and hobbyists often do not want to invest $700+ in a biscuit joiner, Lamello also sells a lower-level joiner: the Lamello C3 Classic Spliner. This biscuit joiner sells for around $450, and is still a superior product to the Porter-Cable, DeWalt, and Freud products.
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