I’ve had a number of Ryobi tools in the past, they fill a nice gap in the market for those on a leaner budget. This Ryobi biscuit joiner is a handsome machine with adequate capabilities and priced at $159 CDN, it fit the budget nicely. I had considered a number of other models but went with the Ryobi due to price, the design, and the amount of usage the tool would see in my shop.
This machine provides a 10000 rpm no load speed from a 6 amp motor. I haven’t run it on the hardwood but softwood was a breeze. An equipped 8 tooth carbide blade tucks away nicely and appears to be an easy swap out when dull.
This Ryobi tool comes packaged with a soft-sided carrying bag, a small amount of #10 biscuits, and a dust bag. Be sure to set yourself up with enough biscuits in the appropriate size for your project, these are easily accessible from most retailers. There are positive stops at most common angles, a depth adjustment, as well as 3 biscuit depth, stops all of which are easy to adjust.
The dust bag has proven to be effective with collecting the debris but in larger projects, I’ve gone without it in place to prevent clogging. Some reviews have noted a concern with clogging. Which is something I haven’t seen with my solution.
The ergonomic, molded grip is comfortable but gives an odd angle of attack and care should be taken to make sure the machine stays seated during the cut. The gauge is clear and provides excellent visibility to align the work.
I don’t anticipate requiring biscuit joints often so getting the cheapest biscuit joiner works just fine for me. I’m also not as particular with shop cleanliness, so I’ll continue to run this without a bag to prevent clogging.
