Operation – Ryobi JM82 User Manual
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OPERATION
BUTT JOINTS
A butt joint is made by mating the end grain of one board
with the edge grain of another. The bonding of glue on this
type of surface is poor. However, by using biscuits you can
create a strong joint that gives a mortise-and-tenon effect.
MAKING BUTT JOINTS
See Figures 11 - 12.
n
Unplug the biscuit joiner.
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Place the two pieces of wood to be joined on a level
workbench. Align them against each other in the arrange-
ment in which they will be assembled.
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Using a square, determine the location of each biscuit
spline joint and mark the center of each joint by drawing
a line across the edges of the two boards.
n
Loosen the locking knob and set the fence angle at
90°.
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Set the fence height at the desired dimension on the scale
by rotating the height adjustment knob.
NOTE: The scale indicates the height of the fence from
the center of the blade.
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Tighten the locking knob securely.
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Select the correct depth of cut setting to match the biscuit
size you are planning to use. Make a test cut in a scrap
piece of wood from the same workpiece if possible.
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Clamp the workpiece securely so that it will not move
during the cut.
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Plug the biscuit joiner into a power supply and prepare
to make your first cut. Grasp and hold the biscuit joiner
securely with both hands.
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Place the fence against the board and align the indicator
marks on the fence with the centerline mark(s) on the
board.
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Depress the switch trigger to turn on the biscuit joiner,
then push it forward to extend the blade into the wood.
n
When the base assembly bottoms out against the depth
of cut adjustment knob setting, pull back to release pres-
sure on the spring. The blade will retract from the biscuit
slot.
n
Repeat this procedure for cutting the slot in the mating
workpiece.
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Once all biscuit slots have been cut, place a biscuit in
each joint and dry-assemble the workpieces. Make sure
each joint lines up and fits.
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Finally, disassemble the workpieces and place a bead
of glue in each slot. Also, spread a bead of glue over the
entire surface of the joint. Reinsert the biscuits and as-
semble the workpieces as shown in figure 10.
n
Clamp the workpieces together until the glue sets up.
Fig. 11
OFFSET BUTT JOINTS
See Figure 12.
The rails of a table or workbench are often offset from the
front of the table legs. When offsets are required, it is neces-
sary to cut the slots in the rails first, then readjust the fence
to cut the slots in the legs.
Keeping this one exception in mind, the procedure for cut-
ting offset butt joints is identical to the procedure for cutting
butt joints.
For example, if a 1/4 in. offset is desired, you would mark
the centerlines for cutting a butt joint as mentioned in the
procedures for cutting butt joints, and cut the slots in the
ends of the rails. Next you would raise the fence 1/4 in. to
the desired offset and cut the slots in the legs.
Fig. 12
BUTT JOINTS
MULTIPLE
BISCUITS STACKED
BISCUIT(S)
BISCUIT
SLOT(S)
CENTERLINE
MARK(S)
CENTERLINE
MARK(S)
BISCUIT
SLOT
BISCUIT
OFFSET BUTT JOINTS