OPERATION
BUTT JOINTS
A butt joint is made by mating the end grain of one board with the edge grain of another. The bonding of glue on this type of surface is poor. However, by using biscuits you can create a strong joint that gives a
MAKING BUTT JOINTS
See Figures 11 - 12.
n Unplug the biscuit joiner. |
n Place the two pieces of wood to be joined on a level |
workbench. Align them against each other in the arrange- |
ment in which they will be assembled. |
n Using a square, determine the location of each biscuit |
spline joint and mark the center of each joint by drawing |
a line across the edges of the two boards. |
n Loosen the locking knob and set the fence angle at |
BUTT JOINTS
BISCUIT
SLOT(S) BISCUIT(S)
CENTERLINE
90°. |
n Set the fence height at the desired dimension on the scale |
MULTIPLE
MARK(S)
by rotating the height adjustment knob. |
NOTE: The scale indicates the height of the fence from |
BISCUITS STACKED
Fig. 11
the center of the blade. |
n Tighten the locking knob securely. |
n Select the correct depth of cut setting to match the biscuit |
size you are planning to use. Make a test cut in a scrap |
piece of wood from the same workpiece if possible. |
n Clamp the workpiece securely so that it will not move |
during the cut. |
n Plug the biscuit joiner into a power supply and prepare |
to make your first cut. Grasp and hold the biscuit joiner |
securely with both hands. |
n Place the fence against the board and align the indicator |
marks on the fence with the centerline mark(s) on the |
board. |
n Depress the switch trigger to turn on the biscuit joiner, |
then push it forward to extend the blade into the wood. |
n When the base assembly bottoms out against the depth |
of cut adjustment knob setting, pull back to release pres- |
sure on the spring. The blade will retract from the biscuit |
slot. |
n Repeat this procedure for cutting the slot in the mating |
workpiece. |
n Once all biscuit slots have been cut, place a biscuit in |
each joint and |
each joint lines up and fits. |
n Finally, disassemble the workpieces and place a bead |
of glue in each slot. Also, spread a bead of glue over the |
entire surface of the joint. Reinsert the biscuits and as- |
semble the workpieces as shown in figure 10. |
n Clamp the workpieces together until the glue sets up. |
OFFSET BUTT JOINTS
BISCUIT
SLOT
BISCUIT
CENTERLINE
MARK(S)
Fig. 12
OFFSET BUTT JOINTS
See Figure 12.
The rails of a table or workbench are often offset from the front of the table legs. When offsets are required, it is neces- sary to cut the slots in the rails first, then readjust the fence to cut the slots in the legs.
Keeping this one exception in mind, the procedure for cut- ting offset butt joints is identical to the procedure for cutting butt joints.
For example, if a 1/4 in. offset is desired, you would mark the centerlines for cutting a butt joint as mentioned in the procedures for cutting butt joints, and cut the slots in the ends of the rails. Next you would raise the fence 1/4 in. to the desired offset and cut the slots in the legs.
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