Plate joiners, which are also commonly called biscuit joiners, have become very popular lately. It is a tool capable of creating a strong connection between two boards. Compared to a professional domino joiner, it is relatively more budget-friendly. In this article, we will discuss about two plate joiners from renowned manufacturers, Dewalt DW682K vs Makita PJ7000. Which one is better?
Continue reading below to find out further about:
– The power rating and speed of each model
– Which model that is easier and more convenient to use
– The fence quality of each model
– The comparison of their blade quality
– The performance of Dewalt DW682K vs Makita PJ7000
– Which model that is generally more recommended
Power and Speed
The first thing to compare between these two plate joiners is their power ratings and speeds. With a more powerful motor, you can make a cleaner and neater cut. In essence, you need a high-powered plate joiner in order to work on soft woods and hard woods. See also: Makita LS1216L vs DeWalt DWS780.
Dewalt DW682K is armed with a 6.5-amp motor which is capable of delivering up to 10,000 RPM. It is able to cut deep to produce #20 biscuits and 20mm tenons. It is quite impressive. It can classify as a heavy-duty plate joiner that is suitable for professional use. The great power is accompanied with an excellent build quality, as it features a metal gearbox as well as a magnesium fence assembly and gear housing.
This plate joiner has plenty of power, more than enough to get through even the densest hardwood. It has a single-speed trigger which is equipped with a lock-on button to allow easy operation. Just like the typical plate joiner, Dewalt DW682K consists of two parts: the motor unit which houses and powers the blade, and the fence assembly for positioning the blade. To make a cut, you move the motor unit along the fence assembly.
Makita PJ7000 comes with a 5.6-amp motor that has a maximum speed of 11,000 RPM. If we compare the power rating of Dewalt DW682K vs Makita PJ7000, it is obvious that Makita PJ7000 actually has a lower power despite having a slightly higher maximum speed. This model is also capable of creating maximum cut depth of 20mm.
Due to the lower power, Makita PJ7000 may work a little bit more slowly when dealing withthe densest material. However, the higher speed will allow you to make cleaner cuts when working on a material that is not too dense or hard. That said, the differences between Dewalt DW682K and Makita PJ7000 in terms of power won’t be really noticeable. Both are great.
Makita PJ7000 has a single-speed trigger with a lock-on switch. It has a traditional design which consists of the motor unit and the fence assembly. The build quality is good, so it is also viable for professional use. The fence assembly is made of cast aluminum. Unfortunately, it only has rubber patches instead of metal claws or grit-covered faces to stabilize the fence. The plastic levers also feel somewhat cheap.
Dust Collection System
Now, let’s take a look at the dust collection system of Dewalt DW682K vs Makita PJ7000. Both systems generally work well. However, there are some design differences that make Makita PJ7000 a bit more convenient to use.
Dewalt DW682K is able to manage dust quite well. The blade is completely enclosed, and the cut is covered by the unit. As the effect, nearly all dust from the operation is ejected through the dust port. A minor issue is about the placement of the exhaust port vent which faces the user – if there is some airborne dust in the environment, this vent will give you the full portion of it.
Just make sure that you plunge slowly when working on a softwood. This is to produce finer dust, which will prevent the dust port from clogging. The included dust bag works quite well, but is not really spacious. You can attach a shop vacuum to replace the dust bag to solve all clogging and capacity problems.
Makita PJ7000 works very well in managing dust. The blade is surrounded by a casing which funnels all dust right towards the dust port. The included dust bag is quite handy when you are working on a small project.
However, the dust bag uses a plastic crimp bar rather than a zipper, and this plastic crimp can be very hard to open once some dust gets into the teeth. Also, the plastic crimp bar has a loose fit which may leave the bag partially open during the operation. Using an external dust collector or shop vacuum will be a lot more convenient, especially when working on a large project.
Fence
Dewalt DW682K’s fence assembly has a vertical adjustment with two racks and one pinion which can go across the entire width of the fence. This design is very useful, as it will allow both sides of the fence to move together, hence keeping the fence in parallel with the cutter.
The angle adjustment is found on the fence’s left side. The fence can be locked by a thumb screw at any position along the 90-degree range. The angle gauge on the corner bracket is very nice, as it has an accuracy of plus/minus 0.25 degrees. You can zero the mechanism at the 90-degree setting to ensure precise, dead-on cuts.
Makita PJ7000, on the other hand, comes with an adjustable horizontal fence which is held by a lever. It moves up and down, with a dovetail track on each side to guide the movement. It has a knob that is connected to the pinion for fine adjustment. There is a depth scale which provides accurate distance measurements between the fence and the blade’s edge.
The accuracy is flawless for depths up to ¾ inches. However, the accuracy decreases gradually as the blade goes deeper and the contact between the fence and the dovetail guides gets smaller. You may end up bumping the fence out from the alignment when cutting at a depth above ¾ inches. Although the fence can be extended to nearly 2.0 inches, you will need to align it manually using a machinist square.
Blade
The next difference between Dewalt DW682K vs Makita PJ7000 is the blade changing mechanism. They come with similar high-quality blades. But changing the blade on Dewalt DW682K is quite more difficult than on Makita PJ7000.
Dewalt DW682K comes with a 4-inch carbide blade for making deep cuts and a 2-inch blade for making shallow biscuits. The nice thing about the blade attachment is that it is secured by four screws and a spindle lock, so there is no way for the blade to get loose at all. Unfortunately, the downside of this design is that blade changes will take a lot of time and effort.
First, you need to remove the four screws using a Torx head screwdriver. A key is included in the kit, but it is too small to unscrew quickly. Once the screws are removed, the base plate will pivot away. Then, release the spindle lock. From here, you need to release the lock nut using a special wrench. The whole process takes about 10 minutes or so.
Makita PJ7000 will allow you to perform blade changes much more quickly and easily. You only need to loosen a single thumb screw and press the spindle lock button. You don’t need to use any screwdriver at all! This is incredibly convenient. Besides, it is already able to secure the blade properly. The whole process takes only 2 – 3 minutes to complete.
In Use
Dewalt DW682K is a perfect choice if you don’t want to compromise on accuracy. It is capable of making flawless biscuit slots that are aligned properly according to the fence positions. It does not make any tear-out, and the slots’ walls are smooth and nice.
However, when making a cut, make sure that you plunge the blade straight into the material. Any other direction may cause the fence to go out of the alignment. Well, with Dewalt DW682K, you can easily make perfect cuts, but it also doesn’t require much to make a bad result. By the way, Dewalt DW682K is really loud, so hearing protection is a must when working with this plate joiner.
Makita PJ7000 is easy to use, and it can deliver excellent results when making ordinary cuts. The accuracy is great as long as you are not cutting too deeply. However, things become more difficult when you are cutting something that is not ordinary. In this situation, you need to make sure that the fence doesn’t move at all. You can put your left hand on the free space on the fence while using your right hand to plunge the blade.
Dewalt DW682K vs Makita PJ7000
Conclusion
In general, Dewalt DW682K is more recommended. Although the blade changes are not easy, it still has the best accuracy and overall performance. The fence is very reliable. It also has more power, so it can cut through any soft or hard wood without any problem.