Feel like I won a $100

[Kizar_Sozay]

resawed some 4/4 maple to use making drawers.  Some of the drawers are taller than the maple was wide so I will be gluing up to complete the job.  As the material is a nominal 3/8" I'll have some glue-up to do. Broke out the PC biscuit joiner, thinking I would use the small biscuits that use the 2" blade.  The blade wasn't in the case.  WTH, I'll just order a new one, can't be more than $8-10.  Wrong, OEM blade is $95.  The whole biscuit joining machine is $250. 

Started looking in all the places I'd be if I were a joiner blade.  Several drawers later, several toolboxes later, I finally found the missing blade on a pullout shelf of loose tools in a cabinet.  I was getting worried as there isn't a flat surface in my shop that isn't stacked with "stuff".  I just found $100.  Winner Winner. Chicken dinner.

I can't believe PC thinks $95 is a reasonable price for a blade in a $250 tool.  Its like building a car from scratch using parts from the dealer's parts counter.  If you have a 577 joiner, take the spare blade, put it in a safe deposit box and list it in your will.

[paul2004]

My FF blade in my PC biscuit jointer went dull.
I found someone locally selling an entire PC jointer with both blades for $80, and bought it, since it was cheaper than buying the FF blade by itself. His FF blade was still in the original protectant (epoxy?).. So now I don't have to switch blades lol.
I guess PC figured if you really wanted that blade, you'll pay dearly for it.
I did save my dull FF blade, who knows, it might be worth finding someone willing to sharpen it at one point.

[Kizar_Sozay]

My FF blade in my PC biscuit jointer went dull.
I found someone locally selling an entire PC jointer with both blades for $80, and bought it, since it was cheaper than buying the FF blade by itself. His FF blade was still in the original protectant (epoxy?).. So now I don't have to switch blades lol.
I guess PC figured if you really wanted that blade, you'll pay dearly for it.
I did save my dull FF blade, who knows, it might be worth finding someone willing to sharpen it at one point.

A metal fabricating company (not a machine shop) can do that for you.  I sharpened the resaw blade on the bandsaw using a dremel tool with a 5/32" grinding stone

to do the job.  Alternating the angle to accomodate the rake direction I slowly rotated the blade and briefly hit each tooth. Method works well on chain saws.  I use the same to sharpen shovels and other outdoor edges.

[jteneyck]

My FF blade in my PC biscuit jointer went dull.
I found someone locally selling an entire PC jointer with both blades for $80, and bought it, since it was cheaper than buying the FF blade by itself. His FF blade was still in the original protectant (epoxy?).. So now I don't have to switch blades lol.
I guess PC figured if you really wanted that blade, you'll pay dearly for it.
I did save my dull FF blade, who knows, it might be worth finding someone willing to sharpen it at one point.

Any good blade sharpening service should be able to do that for you.  I had the blade for my first-generation Ryobi biscuit joiner sharpened.  Works great.  

John

[paul2004]

Thanks for the info, John and Kizar

[fredhargis]

The price of the FF blade strikes me as blackmail, and i haven't found an aftermarket substitute. I've been very careful to try and keep track of mine and it's still in pretty good shape. Seems like someone here found some in a bargain (quite a few years back) and was selling some of his surplus at a reasonable price, I kind of wish I had bought a spare.