Freud JS102 6.5 amp Plate Joiner with Tilting Fence
(Click here)
Product Details
Manufacturer: FreudModel: JS102
Product features:
- 6.5 amps; 10,000 rpm
- Adjustable fence system
- Six cutting depths
- Anti-slip rubber pins
- One-year warranty
- Freud FI102 Replacement 4-Inch 8 Tooth Blade For Freud And Other Biscuit Joiners
- Freud C400 6-1/8-by-11/16-by-1/8-Inch Jointer Knives, 3-Pack
- Freud C460 8-Inch x 3/4-Inch x 1/8-Inch Jointer Knives - 3-Piece Set
- Freud C390 6-1/16-Inch x 3/4-Inch x 1/8-Inch Jointer Knives - 3-Piece Set
- Freud C350 6-by-5/8-by-1/8-Inch Jointer Knives, 3-Pack
Tools and Hardware Reviews of Freud JS102 6.5 amp Plate Joiner with Tilting Fence
Customer Review: Excellent Joiner With Very Minor Issues
Summary: 5 Stars
The quality, fit and finish of this joiner are excellent. It is easy to setup, all the important parts are solid cast metal and no flimsy fit here. the issue with the fence slipping is one minor annoyance but can be dealt with easily by either replacing the rubber washer that gets pinched between the fence and the body or by tightening (ever so slightly) with pliers.
If you are having fit problems with the thickness of the slots, look at the biscuits you are using and not at this machine. This joiner cuts extremely accurate and consistent slots but biscuits can vary in thickness if they are of poor quality or if they have been exposed to the air and have absorbed some moisture. The best biscuits I used have been the Bosch ones but they are usually significantly more expensive than the Porter Cable ones. If you use the lower quality biscuits, make sure you check them for fit before assembly time. You will end up throwing some biscuits (maybe 5%-10%) but that is not bad considering the price difference. However, if you are doing some fine work, go with the high quality biscuits because the difference may show then.
Adjustment is very easy and cuts are very accurate. I don't know what was the issue encountered by the person who could not adjust the blade but all the tools that came with the joiner fit fine on mine but I would use my higher quality tools when I work on machinery rather than the inferior ones that come with the machines with very few exceptions. If you are doing woodworking and using a plate joiner, you must have a few tools around to take care of minor adjustments.
Dust collection is practically non existent unless you connect a shop vacuum to the unit in which case you will not get any external dust. All the biscuit joiners (and for that matter all woodworking machinery) will have dust problems if you decide to use the built-in collection mechanisms.
The noise level is high but that is the case with almost every machine in a woodworking shop so you better be wearing your ear plugs. The placement of the switch could be better as one reviewer pointed out but you get used to it after a while.
Bottom line, you can not beat what this joiner gives you for the money and you can get excellent results if you use it right.
Description of Freud JS102 6.5 amp Plate Joiner with Tilting Fence
The Freud JS102 Plate Joiner is the tool of your dreams! With 3-way angle plate for cutting 0, 45, 90, and 135 degrees, you can do almost anything you can think of! This joiner is a reconditioned tool, yet comes with Freud's strong 90 Day Warranty (notFreud's biscuit joiner is a solid tool that costs remarkably less than its competitors' models. The all-metal construction of this compact joiner gives it a high-quality, very balanced feel. The carbide-tipped blade cuts the three standard 0, 10, and 20 biscuit sizes--plus A, B, and max. You can switch easily between the six settings with a convenient thumb wheel. The joiner also gives you the choice of using a dust bag or hooking it up to a vacuum for even simpler cleanup. The joiner features a new variable-angle fence system for adjustments from 0 to 90 degrees. Making fence adjustments, admittedly, isn't as easy as it is on DeWalt's or Porter-Cable's more expensive models--but this was the only notable difference we could find with Freud's joiner. (It's also not much of a concern for the casual woodworker or for anyone who uses a biscuit cutter primarily to make repetitive cuts.) All in all, this is a quality tool at a really attractive price. --Jon Groebner
Power Tools
Tools and Hardware
Bestsellers in Precision Woodworking Dreams 2
Powermatic 1610077K Model 60B 8-Inch 2-Horsepower Jointer, 208/ 230-Volt 1-PhasePowermatic; Tools
Best price: $1,609.99
Price in other shops:
Freud JS102 6.5 amp Plate Joiner with Tilting FenceFreud; Tools
Best price: $135.95
Price in other shops:
Porter-Cable 362VS 4-Inch x 24-Inch Variable Speed SanderPorter-Cable; Tools
Price in other shops:
Porter-Cable 7310 5.6 Amp 3/ 4-Horsepower Laminate Trim RouterPorter-Cable; Tools
Best price: $59.99
Price in other shops:
Milwaukee 5378-21 7.5 Amp 1/ 2-Inch Hammer Drill with Pistol GripMilwaukee; Tools
Best price: $132.99
Price in other shops:
Porter-Cable 7216 24-Inch OmnijigPorter Cable; Tools
Price in other shops:
Powermatic 1660760K Model 66 10-Inch Left Tilt 3 Horsepower Cabinet Saw with 50-Inch Accu-Fence and 2 Cast Iron Extension Wings, 230-Volt 1 PhasePowermatic; Tools
Price in other shops:
Similar Tools and Hardware
Box-Making Basics: Design, Technique, Projectsby David Freedman
Taunton Press; Published: 1997-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.52
Price in other shops:
Mirka 23-615-AP 5-Inch 8-Hole Assorted Grits (10 Each Of 80/ 100/ 120/ 150/ 220) Dustless Hook-and-Loop Sanding DisksMirka; Tools
Best price: $14.36
Price in other shops:
Bosch T5002 10-Piece Assorted T-Shank Jig Saw Blade SetBosch; Tools
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
50-Piece Premium-Grade 1/ 2" Tungsten Carbide 3-Blade Router Bit Set - 3 and 2 Blade - Aluminum CaseNeiko Tools USA; Tools
Best price: $56.89
Price in other shops:
Stanley 16-050 Sharpening SystemStanley Hand Tools; Tools
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops:
Freud FI102 Replacement 4-Inch 8 Tooth Blade For Freud And Other Biscuit JoinersFreud; Tools
Best price: $21.53
Price in other shops:
The Big Book of Weekend Woodworking: 150 Easy Projects (Big Book of ... Series)by John Nelson, Joyce Nelson
Lark Books; Published: 2005-05-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $13.97
Price in other shops:
Porter-Cable 5554 1000 Assorted BiscuitsPorter-Cable; Tools
Best price: $24.95
Price in other shops:
Porter Cable 5562 No. 20 Plate Joiner Biscuits - 100 Per TubePorter Cable; Tools
Best price: $6.95
Price in other shops:
Freud 900-XX Biscuit Spline Assortment - Bulk PackFreud; Tools
Best price: $24.00
Price in other shops: