{"id":7715,"date":"2025-01-18T19:21:50","date_gmt":"2025-01-18T19:21:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/blog\/uncategorized\/was-norm-abram-wrong-dewalt-tool-new-yankee-workshop\/"},"modified":"2025-01-18T19:25:25","modified_gmt":"2025-01-18T19:25:25","slug":"was-norm-abram-wrong-dewalt-tool-new-yankee-workshop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/blog\/life\/crafts\/woodworking\/was-norm-abram-wrong-dewalt-tool-new-yankee-workshop\/","title":{"rendered":"Was Norm Abram Wrong to Use This DeWalt Tool on the New Yankee Workshop?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Can you believe it\u2019s already been four years since we last talked about biscuit joiners? Time flies, doesn\u2019t it? Now, before you click away thinking this might be the most boring subject on YouTube, give me a chance. After you see what I\u2019m going to show you, I think you might end up fighting over one of these the next time you see one at a yard sale or flea market. Why? Because the biscuit joiner is one of the most misunderstood tools in the shop. It\u2019s much more valuable than you may think\u2014if you know what it can do and, equally as important, what it shouldn\u2019t<\/em> be used for.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s dive into the world of biscuit joiners, inspired by the legendary Stumpy Nubs (James Hamilton)<\/a>, who breaks it all down in his signature no-nonsense style. If you\u2019ve ever wondered whether this tool is a gimmick or a game-changer, you\u2019re in the right place.<\/p>\n

The Biscuit Joiner: A Tool of Legend (and Misuse)<\/h2>\n

I\u2019ll bet 80% of the biscuit joiners sitting in shops and garages today were bought during the run of The New Yankee Workshop<\/em> on PBS. Norm Abram, the show\u2019s host, loved his biscuits. He used them in nearly every project, and he used them for some things that nobody should even attempt to do. But was he wrong? Is the biscuit joiner a useless gimmick, or is it a valuable piece of woodworking equipment that you should consider adding to your shop?<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get one thing straight: I don\u2019t sell biscuit joiners, but I do use them. So, let me give you an unbiased assessment. Biscuits are stronger than some people give them credit for, but they shouldn\u2019t be confused with loose tenons (like those little dominoes) or even a good dowel joint. Biscuits aren\u2019t strong enough to connect legs to tables and chairs, for example. But where they shine is in edge-gluing panels or assembling casework boxes for cabinets and chests.<\/p>\n

What Biscuits Are Great At: Alignment, Not Strength<\/h2>\n

In these applications, the biscuit adds a little bit of strength, but what they\u2019re really<\/em> great at is assisting in your assembly. Well-cut biscuit slots will help your parts go together perfectly flush, preventing them from slipping out of alignment when you add glue and clamps. That can mean faster, stress-free glue-ups and a lot less sanding later.<\/p>\n

Notice I said well-cut<\/em> biscuit slots. If your biscuits fit too loosely and wobble in the slot, they\u2019re not going to help you align anything. Biscuits are meant to absorb glue and swell for a tighter fit, but even without glue, a biscuit should not fit too loosely in the slot. Poorly fitting slots are usually caused by a bad biscuit joiner. The cutter may not run true, or the fence may not remain rigid, creating a slot that\u2019s wider than the thickness of the blade and the biscuit.<\/p>\n

The Biscuit Joiner\u2019s Dirty Little Secret<\/h2>\n

Another problem may be the biscuit itself. These little guys can shrink or expand based on the climate, so you have to keep them in a sealed container or bag. If your biscuits usually fit well but for one project they seem extra loose or dry, spritz them with a little water to swell them up a bit\u2014especially if you don\u2019t intend to use glue to swell them inside the slot. On the flip side, if it\u2019s a humid day and your biscuits have to be hammered into the slots, throw them in the microwave for a minute or two of drying.<\/p>\n

Of course, I\u2019m not saying biscuits should be used in every joint. There are other ways to align your workpieces, and most of the time, you probably don\u2019t need them. But they can be really helpful in a lot of situations, such as large glue-ups like big casework or giant panels for counters and tabletops.<\/p>\n

When Biscuits Save the Day<\/h2>\n

A while back, we were edge-gluing thick walnut planks for some counters, and without the biscuits, it would have been really difficult to force out the bows and get everything together before the glue started to set up. The biscuits didn\u2019t replace clamps to keep the panel flat while it dried, but they made things a lot easier to align and get clamped up.<\/p>\n

Of course, there are also some downsides to using biscuits. For one thing, if you cut a slot too close to the outer surface of a panel, over time, the biscuit can shrink more than the panel itself. If the biscuit was glued in that slot, as it shrinks, it can pull down the wood fibers and create a visible indentation on the finished surface. So, on things like tabletops, you might want to install them closer to the bottom surface than to the top surface.<\/p>\n

The Danger Zone: Safety First!<\/h2>\n

Now, here\u2019s something I see people do from time to time\u2014and yes, even Norm Abram was guilty of this in an early episode of The New Yankee Workshop<\/em>. The cutter in a biscuit joiner is a small saw blade, and just like a table saw, it can bind in the curve and kick that piece of wood out of your hand, leaving nothing between you and the cutter. I know the blade is designed to retract back into the machine, but dirt and corrosion can slow that spring mechanism. Do you really want to see if your hand gets to that blade before it\u2019s fully withdrawn?<\/p>\n

A biscuit joiner is a useful tool, but you must remember: a biscuit is not a tenon. Think of it like a spline. It\u2019ll help you align project parts, but it\u2019s not going to add a lot of strength to the joint. Is that enough to justify buying a biscuit joiner? I don\u2019 think so\u2014at least not at full price. These things are expensive. But it is enough to justify borrowing one from a friend once in a while. Just make sure he has a good one. A cheap biscuit joiner is worse than none at all.<\/p>\n

Should You Buy a Biscuit Joiner?<\/h2>\n

If you find yourself using it a lot, then offer to buy it from your friend because he\u2019s probably not using his at all. Or track down a used one. If you can get a good brand that\u2019s in good shape for under a hundred bucks, jump on it. Eventually, you\u2019re going to be glad you had it.<\/p>\n

Bottom line: a biscuit joiner is a tool that can be very useful if it\u2019s used properly and fits into your workflow. That\u2019s why Norm liked it, and it\u2019s why I do too. Of course, I do use mine a lot less now that I own a domino joiner, but that\u2019s another subject for another day.<\/p>\n

Watch the Original Video<\/h2>\n

Before you go, check out the original video from Stumpy Nubs<\/a> for a deeper dive into the world of biscuit joiners:<\/p>\n\t\t\t

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