When it comes to woodworking, the use of joints is predominant, whether we talk about wooden boxes, plywood, or fiberboard. That is where a biscuit joiner comes into play.
A biscuit joiner is essentially a woodworking tool, that is used to join two pieces of wood together. It utilizes a small circular saw blade to cut a crescent-shaped hole in the opposite edges of the concerned wood pieces.
Our guide below takes a dig into everything that you need to know about a biscuit joiner, including how to use it and make a biscuit joint.
So, let’s begin!
How to Make a Biscuit Joint
Making a biscuit joint involves various steps, below we have streamlined each one of those steps for you.
Required Supplies
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Biscuit Joiner
- Biscuits
- Pieces of wood
Step 1: Set up the Biscuit Joiner
Before you can make biscuit joints, it is important for you to correctly set up your biscuit joiner.
Accordingly, set your biscuit joiner to the correct size and height. And for that, you can refer to the manual of your biscuit joiner’s manufacturer.
It is worth mentioning that biscuit joiners allow you to make both mitered and angled cuts and again, for making the desired adjustment, you can check out the instructions on your manufacturer’s manual.
If you own a high-quality biscuit joiner, the chances of some type of dust extraction will be quite high so be sure to utilize this dust extraction mechanism before you go on and make the desired cuts.
Step 2: Align the Wood Pieces With Each Other
Now, with the grains of the wood pieces facing the same way, align them with each other. Ensure that the tree rings on the edges of the wood settle in the shape of an arc, with the open ends of the curve facing downward.
The wood pieces are positioned this way so that there is a minimal curve in highly humid conditions.
Step 3: Draw a Triangle
Place the wood pieces adjacent to each other so that there is no space between them.
Then, using a pencil, draw a triangle across the widths of these pieces. This triangle will help you to set these pieces back in their correct positions.
Step 4: Mark the Joints
With the wood pieces held together, mark the joints using a pencil; be sure that the joints are around 6 inches apart.
Having done that, spread out the wood pieces.
Step 5: Make the Desired Cuts
Now, it is time to put your biscuit joiner to some use; use it to cut a slot at each of the marks while making sure that the cuts are centered with respect to those marks.
Also, apply a tiny amount of wood glue inside the slots as well as along the length of the edge to be joined.
Step 6: Place the Biscuits
With the desired cuts made, it is time for you to make the desired joint.
Accordingly, insert the biscuits into the slots of one of the wood pieces and then slide the other ends of those biscuits into the slots, available in the second piece of wood.
Press the wood pieces together and leave them to dry.
Note that if you want to make perpendicular joints, you need to hold the two wood pieces together and then, make the marks for indicating the right place for the biscuit joints. Place those two wood pieces such that they are parallel on top of each other, with the top of the horizontal piece in line with marks.
Tips
Now that you have gone over the entire process involved in making a biscuit joint, here is a couple of tips that you can keep in mind for better results:
- Be sure to measure the thickness of wood pieces you want to join and then choose the depth of the biscuit joiner’s cut to be half this thickness. As a result, the joint will be made right in the middle of the wood pieces.
- During the cutting process, be sure to press down on the thumb rest ahead of the joiner to prevent the tool from wobbling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do You Have to Biscuit Joint Worktops?
With biscuit joints, you can line up the worktops and make your life a whole lot easier.
What Size Biscuit Do I Need?
There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to the size of biscuits in a biscuit joint. However, generally, for maximum strength, you would want to use the largest available biscuit.
Conclusion
So, there you have it – a complete guide on a biscuit joiner.
To reiterate, a biscuit joiner is basically a handy woodworking tool for both professionals and DIYers, that makes the joining between two or more wood pieces possible. Making a biscuit joint is quite straightforward and involves setting up the tool, aligning the wood pieces, marking the joints, and making the desired cuts.
