Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8312 in Home Improvement
• Brand: Porter-Cable
• Model: 557
• Dimensions: 14.44" h x 16.00" w x 18.22" l, 13.95 pounds

Features

• Plate joiner kit handles a variety of wood and offers seven different cutting settings
• Industry-leading, super powerful 7.5 Amp motor rotates blade at 10,000 RPM
• Four-inch blade makes standard-size cuts; two-inch blade easily handles cuts as fine as 1-1/2 inches
• Measures seven inches in height and weighs 7.5 pounds; 1-year warranty
• Comes with two blades, centering plate, spanner wrench, dust bag, and chip deflector

Amazon.com Product Description
Whether you're a professional or weekend warrior, the Porter-Cable 557 uses carbide blades, offers a host of cutting options, and delivers precise, reliable results. No matter what type of wood you're working with, this high-performance joiner kit gives you optimum control. Perhaps the most important feature of the 557 is its 7.5 Amp motor--an industry leader--which rotates the blade at 10,000 RPM. There's also an innovative fence system with a pivot point that provides accurate height readings, and a fencing plate for stabilization, centering, and spacing; a keyhole-slotted blade cover and spindle lock for quick and easy blade removal and changing; and seven different cutting settings for a range of fasteners. Additionally, the 557 offers a technologically advanced biscuit for the construction of cabinet face frames. An included four-inch blade makes standard-size cuts, while a two-inch blade easily handles cuts as minute as 1-1/2 inches. Finally, a micro height-adjust knob enables proper biscuit positioning, and a tilting system gives you the freedom to place the fence from zero to 135 degrees. The 557 comes with a 1-year warranty, 30-day performance certification, and the following: joiner, four-inch carbide blade #5558, two-inch blade #5559, spanner wrench #886041, dust bag #883175, chip deflector #886490, carrying case, and instruction manual.

Customer Reviews

Excellent; still, a little room for improvement
The tool itself is well-made, easy to use, arrived perfectly adjusted, and has all the features I could want and then some for plate joining. Amazon now offers this tool at a much lower price than I paid at the local dealer, so it's hard to imagine buying anything less. I'm very happy with mine and expect to make good use of it.

My complaints are minor. I might have given 4 1/2 stars if that was an option. From having used it some, here are my comments:

1. The dust bag doesn't work well for me. It seems like after the first few goes the 1" pipe got plugged and the scraps went everywhere but in the bag from then on. I had to clean out the freshly-cut grooves, which were full of the cutting debris. I would guess that using a dust-collector or shopvac with this unit would resolve these problems.

2. The manual tells you how to cut grooves, but it doesn't tell you how to use plates to join wood. How far apart should the bisquits be? Pictures show then line up one next to another, yet I think that about every 8-16" is enough for most applications. How big are the grooves? For example, can I use a #20 bisquit with 1/2" plywood? How far from the edge should I put the center line? Answers are: just short of 1/2" per surface, yes, and at least 1 1/2". Sure, you can measure, you can figure it out, but if you've never seen a plate joiner being used, the manual doesn't give all the practical info you might like.

But: the unit gives you a second (smaller) blade for cutting tiny plate grooves (handy for making small things using FF bisquit). It is very easy to adjust the depth of the cut, and a knob allows you to adjust it incrementally without the whole thing going out of whack (like the Freud does when you loosen the fence). The depth gauge works well. It's set up to be fast and easy to use. Mine came perfectly adjusted for use the first time (the Freud I tried first did not). The fence is very flexible to use. The sandpaper on the machine helps keep it exactly where you set it on the work.

TIP 1: be careful that you don't press down at all when you power it on. If it is down even a 1/8", the blade tip will snag the work and move away from the line. You can recover easily by repositioning the cutter and trying again, and no damage is done. Also, the torque in the motor can be enough to move the machine from the center line; the sandpaper helps this.

TIP 2: There is a minor design problem with using the unit with fence set to 0 degrees. For more on the problem, and a simple solution, search the web for "pc557 fence alignment" (without quotes).

(ADDED July 2008) TIP 3: Rockler dot com makes a three-sided bisquit gauge, sizes 20, 10, and 00, that is great for previewing the depth of cut, by laying it over your stock and marking the center guide point for using the tool. This is important for joinery that may not have room for the bisquit. It does not support the small FF bisquit. You could easily make your own gauge using the bisquit cutter and a bisquit along with a small scrap of wood, and that's what I'll do for FF.

Porter Cable Top Quality and Performance
I purchased this biscuit joiner only a short time ago and being a die hard wood worker I have definitely put it to the test. The 557 powerful motor breezes through the hardest woods in a snap. I have used it in Oak, Ash, and Pine (alot of Oak) and no problem. I have read several other reviews in other brands in my search for the right joiner for me. After careful consideration there was but one choice Porter Cable 557. I have read several complaints about the Dewalt and there accuracy (I own some Dewalt tools and Love them). Fine Woodworkings review laid heavy on my decision as porter cables accuracy was within .005 (1 1/2 human hairs!!) the dewalt was .0315 or 1/32. I have used this tool plenty, Glued up cores, jointed rails & stiles for face frames, 45 degree miters, & 90 joints. The cores come out flush and I mean flush just general sanding. I would highly recommend this tool over any other on the market. Im sure you would consider this money well spent

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Excellent Tool to Butter the Biscuits!!
I am now hooked on the biscuit joints! I use to like the ease and use of dowel rods for end joints, but was sometimes limited with the size and application of the dowel. But this PC biscuit joiner has changed my mind!

The ease and accuracy is simply amazing. The fence system is simple to operate and allows for a host of heights and angles, all with precise cuttings. The powerful motor (7.5 amp) always cuts a smooth and accurate slot. There is very little, if any, vibration that could cause distortion. Changing slot sizes is as easy as turning a knob. Includes the #0, #10, #20 and FF cuts. The smaller 2" blade, which is included, is a simple task to change over to cut even smaller frames.

This unit has a great dust collection system. The dust bag REALLY works! All chips are routed to the dust opening chute and neatly collected in the bag. The bag is easily removed and emptied.

This unit might be a little more expensive than other plate joiners, but the results are in the end product. Accurate, precise cuts yielding a smooth, strong joint are almost a sure thing.