Biscuit joiner
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A biscuit joiner or sometimes plate joiner is a woodworking tool used to join two pieces of wood together. A biscuit joiner uses a small (4" - 100mm) circular saw blade to cut a crescent shaped hole in the opposite edges of two pieces of wood or wood composite panels. An oval shaped compressed wooden biscuit is covered with glue, or glue is applied in the slot. The biscuit is immediately placed in the slot, and the two boards are clamped together. The wet glue expands the biscuit, further improving a bond that is generally stronger than the wood itself.
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[edit] History
The biscuit joining system is a recent development, having been invented in 1956 in Liestal Switzerland by Hermann Steiner. Steiner opened his carpenters shop in 1944 and in the middle of the 50’s, whilst looking for a simple means of joining the recently introduced chipboard, invented almost by accident the now world-famous Lamello Joining System. In the succeeding years there followed further developments such as the circular saw and the first stationary biscuit (plate) joining machine in 1956 followed by the first portable biscuit joiner for Lamello grooves in 1968. In 1969 the family operation was incorporated by the name of Lamello AG.
[edit] Production
Biscuits are predominantly used in joining sheet goods such as plywood, particle board and medium-density fibreboard. They are sometimes used with solid wood, replacing mortise and tenon joints as they are easier to make and almost as strong. They are also used to align pieces of wood when joined edge-to-edge in making wider panels.
The 3 sizes of standard biscuits:
| Size | Dimensions |
|---|---|
| #0 | ⅝" wide X 1¾" long |
| #10 | ¾" wide X 2⅛" long |
| #20 | 1" wide X 2⅜" long |
[edit] External links
[edit] Reference
- Bruce Gray, "Testing Joints to the Breaking Point", Fine Woodworking magazine, No.148, April 2001.
