I have read posts regarding this tool but it seems that no one likes it.  I purchased one from eBay years ago and I use it sometimes.  Biscuits don't offer much strength, but they are helpful to align the join.  They are made of pieces of wood constructed much like plywood.  But, just in case you own a Shopsmith and don't have the funds to purchase a real biscuit cutter, here is what I do and have done several times.  There is another that you can use, but I don't recommend it as it is not strong.  So, what does this contraption look like?

 

 

You have 3 major components.  The housing, the arbor and blade and the faceplate.  Shown here it is completely assembled as it makes it easy to store and use.  I only dissassemble when I wish to clean it or change the blade.  There are no bearings.  Right behind the faceplate are 3 rings.  When pushed back, when the first ring meets the spring holder, you have cut sufficient depth for a #5 biscuit.  If you push back to the second ring, you have enough cut for a #10 biscuit and the 3rd ring which is the one just behind the faceplate, you have a cut to accomodate the #20 biscuit.  

 

 

 

Inside the housing, you see the arbor.  The common set screw must be tightened on the reverse taper on the quill.  Normally, when you tighten the screw, it is best if you rock the attachment to ensure it is properly seated.  In this case, it is impossible.  

 

 

I strongly suggest that after attaching the arbor that you rotate the housing to bring the faceplate to the top or if you have it in drill press mode, that the face is to the front.  One caution, ensure that you don't push the housing up on the quill too tightly.  It may cause the blade to scrape the bottom of the housing.  It is neither good for the blade or housing.  Just a little clearance on both sides of the blade is what you desire.  Now that you have the cutter mounted, we need to decide if we are going to stay horizontal or shift to drill press mode.  So, now we use the saw table.  

 

 

This is the table from the 500 series but it works much the same for the newer models.  Now, is an excellent time to remove the fence.  

 

 

Table is now at 90 degrees and brought close to the biscuit cutter.  This is a great time to check all the locks.  Don't worry if you don't lock down the headstock.  There is a recovery for that.  Once you set up the machine in drill press mode, you can always use the quill to move the headstock back up the way tubes.  Then you can lock it.  LOL

Edited August 19, 20205 yr by FlGatorwood

Now, we are going to set up the machine in drill press mode.  

 

 

A couple of really neat features of the Shopsmith here.  You can move the table in and out to your desires.  Also, the quill can be moved to fit where you want it in the boards your are about to cut.  That's the next step.  

 

 

Place your board by the faceplate and set your height according to the thickness of your board and lock the quill feed.  On the faceplate there are 2 little points, one on either side.  In addition, there is a center reference and the brown stuff is sandpaper.  It is a very coarse grit.  This helps to hold the board in place while you push it toward the spinning blade.  

 

 

Here you can see the pencil marks where the I want the 2 boards to join.  So the pencil mark is center of where I want the biscuit to be.  These marks will be aligned with the centerline in the faceplate.  

 

 

As you can see, I am making my first cut and my pencil mark is indexed on the index line of the faceplate.  Let's see results.  

 

 

Sorry I forgot to align them, but rest assured they will all work quickly when I begin to glue up.  This is so easy to do.  I did these in about 6 minutes.  That includes installing the biscuit cutter, changing the table, setting up in drill press mode, aligning and making the cuts.  It is just simple procedure and follow through.  

Edited August 19, 20205 yr by FlGatorwood

Now, so you can see what the machine is made of and be able to clean out the chips, here is the bottom after being removed from the headstock of the Shopsmith.  

 

 

4 Phillips screws and a few minutes.  Then  you get to see this.  

 

 

Now you see how simple this contraption is. And, how easy it is to clean and inspect.  Also, you also can see the bottom plate to know how I know that you ensure that the blade does not rub either the top or bottom of the housing.  If you have one, and you need answers, I'll be very happy to give you all that I know and have experienced.  Go make some chips.  LOL

Edited August 19, 20205 yr by FlGatorwood

I have never used biscuits "for alignment only."   I have used them extensively for miter splines and for butt joints like shelves or dividers in case goods.  I've even used them for compound miters.

 

The major problem I see with this is that it is difficult to cut joints in the face of a board that's more than a few inches from an end.  I'm not sure it can easily handle miters, either.

 

When I want to do a shelf, I mark one side of where the shelf will be.  I lay the shelf down, aligned on that line, clamp in place and mark the center of where I want the biscuit joints.  Then use my portable cutter to cut the upright and the shelf using the machine's base and the two pieces as reference surfaces.

 

So a separate tool just works way better for me.

Edited August 19, 20205 yr by kmealy

I like biscuit joints.  I use them for picture frames, and others.  But I wouldn't go three sides of the barn for them.

 

Abraham Maslow said in 1966, "I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.

Bought the SS biscuit joiner. Used it on one project. Sold it soon after. 

Making slotx for biscuits is easy with a slot cutter in a router. Handy forr panel glue ups. But, as long as the router is ready to go, it's nearly as easy to cut a long slot for a hardboard strip. 

11 hours ago, PeteM said:

I like biscuit joints.  I use them for picture frames, and others.  But I wouldn't go three sides of the barn for them.

Yes, they have their place, more moderate stress joints.    The most stress a picture frame normally gets is putting one together and hanging it.

This is one thing that I would never  do.  

https://www.shopsmith.com/ssacademy/Tips_Archives/TP107_Midboard_Biscuits.htm

 

To make a joint in linear or perpendicular with a biscuit is asking for failure.  IF you depend on biscuits to hold a divider or shelf in place, you are asking for a very short life.  There is very little strength to biscuits.  They are good for aligning but for strength, nadda.  If I want to insert a shelf into a bookcase, the wall of the bookcase will be rabbeted.  If I am going to insert dividers vertically, it would be either tongue and groove or rabbeted.  Biscuits would not even get a nod.  

 

Another way that Nick didn't show is to put your board on the table, move out the quill feed and raise the tailer to the cutter to make your cut.  Not for me.  

 

Gene, I may have been the one who purchased your biscuit jointer.  I got it from eBay about 10 years ago.  

 

Edited August 20, 20205 yr by FlGatorwood

42 minutes ago, FlGatorwood said:

This is one thing that I would never  do.  

https://www.shopsmith.com/ssacademy/Tips_Archives/TP107_Midboard_Biscuits.htm

 

To make a joint in linear or perpendicular with a biscuit is asking for failure.  IF you depend on biscuits to hold a divider or shelf in place, you are asking for a very short life.  There is very little strength to biscuits.  They are good for aligning but for strength, nadda.  If I want to insert a shelf into a bookcase, the wall of the bookcase will be rabbeted.  If I am going to insert dividers vertically, it would be either tongue and groove or rabbeted.  Biscuits would not even get a nod.  

 

Another way that Nick didn't show is to put your board on the table, move out the quill feed and raise the tailer to the cutter to make your cut.  Not for me.  

 

Gene, I may have been the one who purchased your biscuit jointer.  I got it from eBay about 10 years ago.  

 

I am not too keen on Nick's way.  Just too many things to go wrong and totally mess up.

 

I have made close to 50 bookcases and cabinets with internal shelves using biscuits only.   Zero failures in 25 years.  When I did my first one, I was shocked at how rigid it was right off the clamps.  I never got that with dados until the back got nailed on.  

Argg.  I cannot seem to get "Edit" function to work.  Save has no effect.

I will admit that rigidity and shear strength are two different things, but I have never had a problem.   I built this bed using double biscuits only on the end frames the right side is used as an access ladder.

 

I am glad it works for you, but I would never consider owning or purchasing it.  No strength and subject to fail at a whim.  

Steven, another great tutorial on the Shopsmith, with wonderful images, thanks so much! Great content! I think you just pushed me over the edge for the Shopsmith Forum, this weekend? Hmmm.

I'm adding an SS biscuit cutter to my machine, personally I am not a big fan of the hand helds, just don't like em, I like this though.