Plate Joinery Biscuits

Do you have trouble keeping your plate-joint biscuits dry in your shop? One of our Woodworkers Journal readers solved this problem with a common household appliance. Here's what he has to say.

Like most woodworkers, I buy my plate-jointer biscuits in large quantities. Regardless of how I’ve tried to keep them dry, they still seem to absorb moisture in my damp shop until they don’t fit in biscuit slots. But, I've found a solution that drives out the moisture and shrinks them back to the compressed size.

Just pop them in the microwave! In a 1,500-watt oven, #0 biscuits take about 20 to 25 seconds on high heat. Size #10 takes 25 to 35 seconds, and I warm #20 biscuits for 40 seconds. Nuke them right before use for best results. Happy woodworking!