Dewalt Biscuit Joiner - Blade Slip

[Brian Dormer]

Has anyone ever heard of this problem? I dug out my Dewalt Biscuit Joiner (DW682) the other day to cut some slots - to tell the truth - it's been sitting in its box for a while. Last time I used it - I was putting slots in some Melamine shelf boards (I made a stand for the schools LCD projector to sit on out of some gray melamine shelf boards). I had a little bit of trouble getting the first slots to full depth - until I let the tool spin up for a few seconds before plunging. It's been a couple years and the stand is holding together just fine - the computer teacher still shows it off whenever parents stop in her room. Well - over the weekend, I tried to cut slots in some 50+ year old fir (at least I think it's fir - I'm recycling some pieces of my uncles old workbench). Its REALLY HARD stuff. Even letting the blade spin up for a good 3-5 seconds, I couldn't get a full depth (20mm) cut. I took the tool apart and found that the blade is VERY loose between the arbor nuts. The nuts are TIGHT - but the blade is almost free spinning. Just for grins, I flipped the blade over and found that it was nice and tight. (of course, it's unusable like this, but this proved my hypothesis) It appears that the arbor hole in the blade is very badly worn. Before it was mine, this was my fathers tool - and all he tells me is that he had some problems with it and was never able to figure out what was wrong. No help there - but even if he jammed the blade and ran the motor - it would take a lot (I would think) to chew up the arbor hole that bad. The teeth on the blade, by the way, look almost brand new. It's not like the tools been abused. I ordered a new blade and new upper and lower arbor nuts - hoping that this will fix it. I've googled all over the 'net and can't find any mention of this problem. Anyone else seen this? bd

[Peter Stahl]

Never had that problem with mine. The hardest wood I ever cut is red oak though. Might just have been a factory defect. Hope the new blade and nuts will fix it for you.

[Steve Clardy]

No problem with mine

[Brian Dormer]

This evening, I received a pair of arbor nuts. After fiddling around with combinations of old and new nuts for a few minutes, I determined that the original LOWER arbor nut appears to have a defect - the center is too "thick", which keeps the upper nut from exerting much, if any pressure on the blade. I put a new set of upper and lower nuts on the old blade (I'm still waiting on a new blade) and it cuts "like buddah!" Just a rough guess, but it's probably been wrong since the day my father bought it. Fixed now! YAY! bd

[Peter Stahl]

Way to go Brian, now where did ya put those biscuit!

[Brian Dormer]

The biscuits? Oh crap! Where did I put them.... They must be here somewhere.... Seriously, I've spent the last year rebuilding my shop (as if that's unique) - believe it or not - everything is well organized and I have a baggie of #20 biscuits in the case with the biscuit joiner. I'm all set. I should have new breadboard edges on my countertops by Sunday - unless a "honey-do" takes priority. Of course, after this project, I'm going to need more biscuits for the next one....