No allergy to biscuits here...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick Doyle
hi larry,
well, i'll add my vote for dowels as well!:) but, i'm curious about your statement re biscuits being only good for aligning boards. i have seen biscuits recommended in a lot of woodworking articles and in forum postings as a good joinery method - an easy alternative, in some cases, to dowels. in fact, quite often i've seen biscuits referred to as 'crazy strong'!
i'd be very curious to know what everyone's opinion is on the use of biscuits - i have a dewalt biscuit joiner and would sure like some feedback on use and acceptable applications.
I'm not sure about "crazy strong" but I'm also skeptical of the "they add NO strength" argument. I recall an article in a magazine years ago where a post secondary school did controlled testing on M&T vs Biscuits vs Butt joints etc. in a door type joint, tested to destruction on a testing machine. The double biscuit joint didn't fare badly at all. A problem as I recall was the failure mode, it wasn't gradual but rather abrupt.
The biggest problem I see with biscuits in this application is biscuits need pieces with dimensions larger than the biscuit. I doubt the 2X2 joints would hide a biscuit, so are an appropriate place for dowels. It seems like a case of proper tool (or joint) for the job. There are places where biscuits are appropriate, and places where they aren't
Curt