Freud JS102 6.5 Amp Plate Joiner with Tilting Fence
The Freud JS102 Plate Joiner is the tool of your dreams! With 3-way angle plate for cutting 0, 45, 90, and 135 degrees, you can do almost anything you can think of! This joiner is a reconditioned tool, yet comes with Freud's strong 90 Day Warranty (not
Freud's biscuit joiner is a solid tool that costs remarkably less than its competitors' models. The all-metal construction of this compact joiner gives it a high-quality, very balanced feel. The carbide-tipped blade cuts the three standard 0, 10, and 20 biscuit sizes--plus A, B, and max. You can switch easily between the six settings with a convenient thumb wheel. The joiner also gives you the choice of using a dust bag or hooking it up to a vacuum for even simpler cleanup. The joiner features a new variable-angle fence system for adjustments from 0 to 90 degrees. Making fence adjustments, admittedly, isn't as easy as it is on DeWalt's or Porter-Cable's more expensive models--but this was the only notable difference we could find with Freud's joiner. (It's also not much of a concern for the casual woodworker or for anyone who uses a biscuit cutter primarily to make repetitive cuts.) All in all, this is a quality tool at a really attractive price. --Jon Groebner
Freud JS102 6.5 Amp Plate Joiner with Tilting Fence Accessories
 Freud 900-XX Biscuit Spline Assortment - Bulk Pack
Porter Cable 5562 No. 20 Plate Joiner Biscuits - 100 Per Tube
Porter-Cable 5554 1000 Assorted Biscuits
Mirka 23-615-AP 5-Inch 8-Hole Assorted Grits (10 Each Of 80/100/120/150/220) Dustless Hook-and-Loop Sanding Disks
Bosch T5002 10-Piece Assorted T-Shank Jig Saw Blade Set
Bosch 1587AVSK 5 Amp Top-Handle Jig Saw Kit
Freud SD208 8-Inch Professional Dado
Big Horn 19119 Glue Spreader Kit
Jet JW1044 4-Inch to 2-1/2-Inch Reducer
Bosch T234X Progressor Wood Blade (5-Pack)
Freud JS102 6.5 Amp Plate Joiner with Tilting Fence Reviews
I shopped around and this was the best deal going. Moderately priced, good quality and got the job done. This was perfect. I am not a pro and I may only use this 1 or 2 times, but I wanted one that would do a good job and was not a peice of junk.
Since I do the kind of work that requires more precision, I will be moving up to the Porter Cable 557 in a few months. The fence slips when you rest it upon your work (when you measure the biscuit slot from the top of the fence plate). The solution for this tool is to only use it resting flat and then to only use the fence as a guide. I have used this tool for over a year now to do a wide variety of projects. I first noticed that the fence 'slipped' when I was doing some fine work. Pros should start with a better model. This tools is good for a novice that is not sure whether they will use biscuits or not. This happens no matter how hard I tighten the fence.
It is easy to setup, all the important parts are solid cast metal and no flimsy fit here. The noise level is high but that is the case with almost every machine in a woodworking shop so you better be wearing your ear plugs. the issue with the fence slipping is one minor annoyance but can be dealt with easily by either replacing the rubber washer that gets pinched between the fence and the body or by tightening (ever so slightly) with pliers. This joiner cuts extremely accurate and consistent slots but biscuits can vary in thickness if they are of poor quality or if they have been exposed to the air and have absorbed some moisture. If you are doing woodworking and using a plate joiner, you must have a few tools around to take care of minor adjustments.
You will end up throwing some biscuits (maybe 5%-10%) but that is not bad considering the price difference. The placement of the switch could be better as one reviewer pointed out but you get used to it after a while. Adjustment is very easy and cuts are very accurate. The best biscuits I used have been the Bosch ones but they are usually significantly more expensive than the Porter Cable ones. Dust collection is practically non existent unless you connect a shop vacuum to the unit in which case you will not get any external dust.
I don't know what was the issue encountered by the person who could not adjust the blade but all the tools that came with the joiner fit fine on mine but I would use my higher quality tools when I work on machinery rather than the inferior ones that come with the machines with very few exceptions. If you use the lower quality biscuits, make sure you check them for fit before assembly time. The quality, fit and finish of this joiner are excellent. If you are having fit problems with the thickness of the slots, look at the biscuits you are using and not at this machine. Bottom line, you can not beat what this joiner gives you for the money and you can get excellent results if you use it right.
All the biscuit joiners (and for that matter all woodworking machinery) will have dust problems if you decide to use the built-in collection mechanisms. However, if you are doing some fine work, go with the high quality biscuits because the difference may show then.
This is a very good quality item. This is a versatile tool that is built to last. I wasn't disappointed. I originally bought Freud because I trust the name.
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