"krw" wrote in message
...

A while back I bought a PC biscuit jointer and have just gotten an
excuse to use it. I broke it out today, planning to add an Ash edge
some plywood for a cabinet I'm making and have run into some
questions:

1. The biscuits seem pretty loose in the slot. I can move the boards
laterally a 64th or so. Is this normal?

Yes

I thought they'd be more
like dowels and be quite tight.

Absolutely not.



I know the idea is that they expand
when glued but the slop isn't giving me much confidence. My plywood
is somewhat warped so there is no way the biscuits are going to hold
the two pieces laterally.

Correct

It seems I'm going to have to make some
cauls this weekend.




2. Is the PC jointer supposed to sound like a coffee grinder?

Probably not but they do.



I would have expected the sound from HF, but not a "high end" jointer like
the
PC.

These days PC is middle of the road. I have 2 PC plate joiners. If you
want "high end" look at Lamello. Lamello is about the only "high end" plate
joiner.

http://www.lamello.com/en/products/w...ng-system.html


I can't feel any slop in the bearings so I don't think this
accounts for any slop, but thought I'd ask.

Biscuits tend to be extremely inconsistent in thickness.