Anyone here know about Lamello biscuit jointers?

[Lord Kitchener]

I'm interested in buying a good biscuit jointer. Axminster are offering three Lamello units, the Classic C3 at £299, the Classic X at £399, and the TOP21 at £912. I intend to use it in the course of making a living, and am prepared to buy the most expensive one if convinced that it is worth the extra money.

So, does anyone know about any of the models mentioned, and whether the more expensive ones are good value?

 

[WellsWood]

If I had the money to throw around on a top end Lamello I'd probably throw it around on a Domino instead. I doubt you'd find many Domino owners who wouldn't consider it a better investment.

 

[Lord Kitchener]

If I had the money to throw around on a top end Lamello I'd probably throw it around on a Domino instead. I doubt you'd find many Domino owners who wouldn't consider it a better investment.

Actually, and you're going to laugh at this, I do have a Domino, and I use it to. If I ever manage to get a domiplate I might consider giving it a go on cabinets but as it is I leave it bolted to a workshop-made pedal operated arrangement for cutting mortises for doors.

 

[WellsWood]

Ha, no problem then - just buy another one

 

[WellsWood]

... I leave it bolted to a workshop-made pedal operated arrangement for cutting mortises for doors.

That sounds interesting, any pics?

 

[Lord Kitchener]

Ha, no problem then - just buy another one

I've used both biscuit jointers and Domino machines for cabinet assembly, and I find the former to be much easier to use. I think I would be keener on the Domino machine if the first (exact fit) slot was actually that, but it isn't. When I put doors together I need to keep a position adjuster (aka hammer) handy to get everything properly flush. I'm on my second Domino machine now, the first one was just the same. It's not really just the machine, it's the system. If I'm going to have to line stuff up myself during glue up then I might just as well use biscuits. I also find the Dominos tight to insert, and not easy to glue.

As for my pedal arrangement, I'll try for a pic tomorrow.

... I leave it bolted to a workshop-made pedal operated arrangement for cutting mortises for doors.

That sounds interesting, any pics?

 

[No skills]

Interested to see what gets recomended, cant imagine what would be on/in a biscuit jointer to justify a £900 spend v a few hundred for a 'regular' model.

Also interesting to see a pro prefering a biscuit jointer over a domino, my wanderings around the internet find others vote the other way - must have a go with a domino machine see what all the fuss is.

 

[Benchwayze]

If I had the money to throw around on a top end Lamello I'd probably throw it around on a Domino instead. I doubt you'd find many Domino owners who wouldn't consider it a better investment.

Actually, and you're going to laugh at this, I do have a Domino, and I use it to. If I ever manage to get a domiplate I might consider giving it a go on cabinets but as it is I leave it bolted to a workshop-made pedal operated arrangement for cutting mortises for doors.

Then I'd buy the other model Domino if I had the 'drip & splash'. So far I have managed with biscuits for most of the stuff I've done. I use an Elu B/J, but when it needed a new blade it got a bit 'hairy' to use, on edge jointing. Apart from that it served me well for over 20 years.
Yes I would like a Domino, but it would be an indulgence, and I have to save up for such things!


Wells,
I think I saw something on YouTube about bolting down a Domino. I'll see if I can find it.

 

[jasonB]

I use a C3 for all my cabinets and don't really see the need for the other models, ok its nice to be able to dial in the height of the blade but does it really affect the strength of the joint if its off to one side, provided its referenced off the same side.

I also like the fact that there is some movement along the slot, you can work to a quickly placed pencil mark and provided you are not wildly off the joint can be aligned by feel on the front edges, with the Dom locating the holes in the middle of a panel neeeds to be done accurately which takes time.

 

[RogerS]

.....
I also like the fact that there is some movement along the slot, you can work to a quickly placed pencil mark and provided you are not wildly off the joint can be aligned by feel on the front edges, with the Dom locating the holes in the middle of a panel neeeds to be done accurately which takes time.

+1 In my (admittedly limited) experience, the Domino system isn't all it's cracked up to be.

 

[Lord Kitchener]

.....
I also like the fact that there is some movement along the slot, you can work to a quickly placed pencil mark and provided you are not wildly off the joint can be aligned by feel on the front edges, with the Dom locating the holes in the middle of a panel neeeds to be done accurately which takes time.

+1 In my (admittedly limited) experience, the Domino system isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Indeed. Although my biggest issue in using the Domino system to put together a 5 piece cabinet isn't cutting the holes (though that is quite tricky), it's going to be assembling and gluing the cabinet. I find a four-piece door with four Dominos to be quite fiddly, a cabinet with maybe 30 Dominos doesn't bear thinking about.

 

[djwalsh]

hi,
i have no exerience with the dearer models but my classic c3 has served me well. i dont miss the dial depth stop with cabinet work as i find referencing off the base of the machine and the components quick and easy with minimal marking out.
highly recomend the classic c3, does what it says on the tin.
cheers

 

[Big Gaz]

The Lamello C3 is the standard no frills biscuit jointer, whilst the classic X is its new replacement. The basic operation is the same. The top21 has an oscillating blade for the plastic/metal locking biscuits for knock down furniture etc.

The C3 classic is a bargain at the moment while the stocks last. I bought one from Peter Sefton a few months ago whilst at one of his training courses and I know he has one on his new tool shop web site and with the 10% discount they are offering it comes out at the same price as Axminster £299.00

 

[chippy1970]

.....
I also like the fact that there is some movement along the slot, you can work to a quickly placed pencil mark and provided you are not wildly off the joint can be aligned by feel on the front edges, with the Dom locating the holes in the middle of a panel neeeds to be done accurately which takes time.

+1 In my (admittedly limited) experience, the Domino system isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Just sold my mafell jointer last week and bought a domino . Not had a job to use it on yet. I'm sure it will be a great tool for cabinets etc.

 

[Lord Kitchener]

.....
I also like the fact that there is some movement along the slot, you can work to a quickly placed pencil mark and provided you are not wildly off the joint can be aligned by feel on the front edges, with the Dom locating the holes in the middle of a panel neeeds to be done accurately which takes time.

+1 In my (admittedly limited) experience, the Domino system isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Just sold my mafell jointer last week and bought a domino . Not had a job to use it on yet. I'm sure it will be a great tool for cabinets etc.

Well let's hope you won't be disappointed.

 

[chippy1970]

Made one of these for it already

Like the domiplates from the US

 

[Lord Kitchener]

Made one of these for it already

Like the domiplates from the US

Did you put a step in the other side, or not bother? What did you make it out of?

 

[chippy1970]

I did shave 1mm off one side with a router using my kitchen worktop jig and a bit of faffing lol. It's phenolic plastic that I had lying round. Picked up the festool knob from my dealer on the way home.

 

[Benchwayze]

.....
I also like the fact that there is some movement along the slot, you can work to a quickly placed pencil mark and provided you are not wildly off the joint can be aligned by feel on the front edges, with the Dom locating the holes in the middle of a panel neeeds to be done accurately which takes time.

+1 In my (admittedly limited) experience, the Domino system isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Indeed. Although my biggest issue in using the Domino system to put together a 5 piece cabinet isn't cutting the holes (though that is quite tricky), it's going to be assembling and gluing the cabinet. I find a four-piece door with four Dominos to be quite fiddly, a cabinet with maybe 30 Dominos doesn't bear thinking about.

LK,

I used to have nightmares like that, with using biscuits. But of course there's nothing to say that because we used dominos or biscuits to join the basic carcass, we must use them for partitions, shelving and drawer supports. We can always revert to sliding dovetails or housing joints for these purposes.

I think that as much as I am attracted to a Domino, I can manage quite well with a biscuit jointer, so at this stage I'll stay with it.

 

[jasonB]

The Lamello C3 is the standard no frills biscuit jointer, whilst the classic X is its new replacement. The basic operation is the same. The top21 has an oscillating blade for the plastic/metal locking biscuits for knock down furniture etc.

The Top 21 does not have an oscillating blade that is the Zeta P2 that is needed for the Clampex-P jointers. You can put a thicker blade into the standard machines and cut a plain 6mm slot for the screw fixed Clampex-S jointers

J