PRODUCT INFORMATION INDEX.
1.0. What Type/s of Timber are Bix manufactured from?
2.0. The Bix Manufacturing Process ensuring an accurate Biscuit Thickness.
3.0.
Bix are compressed to an average thickness of 3.83 mm, and upon being placed into glue
moistened slots they swell back to their original 4.00 mm thickness, thus giving a rigid joint.
1.00 What type/s of Timber are Bix manufactured from?
1.1. We currently use Australian Grown Plantation Hoop Pine.
Bix Wood Joining Biscuits are manufactured from Australian Plantation Hoop Pine grown in S.E.Qld. Timber grown in the northern temperate zone has an advantage, the summer and winter growth of the timber is very even in hardness, strength and consistency. Our Hoop Pine biscuits have been used successfully by many manufacturers since 2005.
1.2. Your Own Timber for Special Requirements.
If you have a special manufacturing requirement for hardwood biscuits then please contact Howard Shaw at Bix on 02 6586 0771, or send an email to info@bix.com.au . We can easily manufacture wood joiners from your own lengths of 100mm x 50mm timber. We have found that flooded gum is an ideal hardwood for wood joiners. Please no gummy timber that sticks to machinery. Phone for a quote today.
1.3. Flooded Gum and Poplar.
From 1987 to 1994 we used Flooded Gum for our wood biscuits. By March 1994 good quality Flooded Gum became very hard to get and very pricey, as the "greens" shut up the forests around Mt Lindsay. So on the 28th of March 1994 we moved from Beenleigh QLD, to Port Macquarie NSW to take advantage of the huge supply of locally grown Poplar from a Sawmill at Kempsey. Poplar is a softish, but very tough stringy hardwood ideal for wood joinery. But by the end of 2004 the huge supply of Poplar began to run out as it was mostly wasted on manufacturing timber pallets. In 2005 we started sourcing Hoop Pine from QLD.
2.0. The Bix Manufacturing Process ensuring an accurate Biscuit Thickness.
2.1. Bandsaw Rip to Width.
We are supplied with 5.4 metre lengths of 100 x 50 mm Hoop Pine that are run through our Band Saw to a thickness of 95 mm, then stacked safely. Note: This process is done as the timber usually varies in width from about 99.5 to 104.0 mm and must be the same size in order to feed into the Wintersteiger Frame Saw in process 3. and the Press Machines in Process 4.
2.2. Timber Density Grading.
Each length of timber is then measured, weighed and marked, into five (5) density categories: 1. very light. 2.light. 3.medium. 4. heavy. 5.very heavy. Note: We have found from experience that Density Grading helps keep the thickness of our biscuits uniform.
Density Sorted. After air drying our Hoop Pine pieces are weighed and measured to determine the timber density. Once known the piece is marked with one of ten colors from the lightest/softest to the heaviest/hardest density. This is essential to get the press setting correct to suit the density of timber we are punching out to give an optimum biscuit thickness. Neither too thin or too thick JUST RIGHT.
3. Wintersteiger Frame Saw Strip Cutting.
The timber is then fed two pieces at a time into our Wintersteiger Frame Saw which cuts those two pieces into a total of 18 strips, with an average thickness of 3.98 mm with a maximum tolerance of .04 mm either way, between a minimum of 3.94 and a maximum of 4.03mm. If the tolerances start to vary beyond those measurements then the saw is turned off and the blunt saw blades are taken out and replaced with sharp saw blades. We sharpen our own blades on a Wintersteiger Sharpening Machine.
4. Press Machine and First Sort.
These strips are then compressed / impressed and punched out in a semi-auto feed press machine, to an average thickness of 3.85 mm with a maximum tolerance of .10 mm either way, between 3.75 and 3.95 mm, The vast majority of biscuits about 75% are between 3.80 and 3.90 mm. The biscuits fall out of the press machine onto a conveyor, and several biscuits are checked every minute for thickness, and any knotty or broken biscuits are rejected. At the end of the conveyor the good biscuits fall into a bucket.
Note: As you can see the biscuits have been compressed slightly an average about .13 mm. On being moistened with
5. Tumbling Machine Edge Smoothing.
The buckets of biscuits are then tipped into a tumbling machine which has sandpaper on the inside to get rid of any rough edges, and tumbled for a period of 15 minutes. The tumbled smooth edged biscuits are then tipped into large boxes.
6. Final Sorting and Packing, Boxes of 1000.
The large boxes of biscuits are then tipped onto a sorting / packing bench and any knotty or broken biscuits that slipped through the first check are rejected, The good biscuits are pushed and drop through a hole in the sorting bench, into the required box. The box when slighty overfull is then shaken down quantity checked and stapled closed. Note: We have designed our boxes of 1000 to hold approx.1015 to 1020 biscuits when filled like this: 1. The box is shaken down for about ten seconds by briskly sliding the box back and forth on the bench, Not up and down. 2. Flattening the top layer of biscuits with our hands and ensuring that the biscuits fill the top corners of the box. 3. Then putting two of the box flaps down on the biscuits to check that the box is filled to the required height which is 5 mm below the closing flap, this allows room for the staples when closing the box.
7. Despatch of Goods.
Then despatched to customers by either Regional Road Express, Fastway Couriers or Australia Post.
Bix. Size 20.
58 mm Long, 24 mm Wide, 3.85 mm Thick. Fits in a slot cut by a standard biscuit cutting machine with a 100 x 4 mm kerf blade.
Bix. Size 10.
50 mm Long, 19 mm Wide, 3.85 mm Thick. Fits in a slot cut by a standard biscuit cutting machine with a 100 x 4 mm kerf blade.
Bix. Size 0.
45 mm Long, 15 mm Wide, 3.85 mm Thick. Fits in a slot cut by a standard biscuit cutting machine with a 100 x 4 mm kerf blade.
Bix. Size 5.
36 mm Long, 25 mm Wide, 3.85 mm Thick. With a 120 degree cut-out on one end. So as to not protrude into the inside corners of timber frames Fits in a slot cut by a standard biscuit cutting machine with a 100 x 4 mm kerf blade.
Wood Joiner Biscuits
Bix Wood Joiner Biscuits are made from the finest quality Australian Hoop Pine, kiln dried to ensure a stable and reliable product for all biscuit joining applications.
Strict quality control ensures consistent product size and thickness of Bix Wood Joiner Biscuits
Bix wood joiner biscuits are stamped at an angle of 45 degrees to the grain of the timber, providing maximum resistance to sheering, splitting and flexing.
During the pressing process, each Bix wood joiner biscuit is compressed slightly. When moistened with PVA glue, the biscuit expands in the slot to ensure a tight join.
Each Bix wood joiner biscuit is impressed to create a glue track to ensure even distribution of glue in the slot.
Timber joins using Bix wood joiner biscuit are designed to improve the strength of the joint when strength is a critical factor in construction.
Slot Cutter and Arbor
Exclusive to Bix Products, the Tungsten Carbide Tipped Cutter is designed to deliver a consistent, accurate depth of cut for the life of the blade.
The cutter is made to suit a range of commercially available routers with either a 1/4" or 1/2" chuck.
The cutter is used in conjuction with the Bix Size 5 wood joiner biscuit.
Use the 40mm x 4mm cutter blade and either the 1/4" or 1/2" arbor to suit your router.
The cutter and Size 5 biscuit are ideal for use in situations where slot room is limited e.g. Rail & Stile or Rail & Mullion.
Also exclusive to Bix Products, the 1/4" or 1/2" Shanked Arbor to suit your router. Each arbor has an in-built depth gauge to make the slot the correct depth to take the BIX Size 5 biscuit.
BIX Wood Joiner Biscuits suit everyone, from the handyman
to the professional tradesman
The ideal biscuit for special timber joining applications. Size 5 biscuits are used in conjunction with the 40mm X 4mm Cutter blade and either a 1/4" or 1/2" arbor to suit any router
To request a quotation or for more information, please click here Additional Product InformationBix Cutter for Size 5 BiscuitsOur Tungsten Carbide Tipped Cutter for use in conjunction with our Size 5 wood joiner biscuit suits the range of commercially available routers with 1/4" or 1/2" chuck. The Cutter is designed to deliver a consistently accurate depth of cut for the life of the blade ArborsOur 1/4" or 1/2" Shanked Arbors suit any router and come with an in-built depth gauge to make the slot the correct depth to take the Size 5 biscuit.
How do I know which BIX wood joiner biscuit is right for my needs?
Bix Sizes 20, 10 and 0 are compatible with any commercially available biscuit slot-cutting machine with a blade diameter of 100mm and a slot kerf of 4mm. The size you use depends upon the size of the board or the frame you are using. Use the larger size biscuit wherever possible for strength. Bix Size 5 is ideal for joins where slot space is limited e.g. picture frames or door frames. The minimum door/picture frame width is 35mm. The maximum frame rebate is 7mm. The 120 degree angle 'cut out' design feature eliminates biscuit interference with timber or glass infill panels inserted in the door/picture frame rebate.
How do I achieve joint bonding?Joint bonding is achieved using Bix wood joiner biscuits and any high quality PVA glue. This glue, being water based, assists in expanding the biscuit thickness to make a nice, tight join.
Can you show me a typical use of Bix Sizes 20, 10 and 0 biscuits?
The following illustrations help to outline the uses of Bix Sizes 20, 10 and 0 wood joiner biscuits.
Can you show me a typical use of Bix Size 5 biscuit?
The following illustrations help to outline the uses of Bix Size 5 wood joiner biscuit.
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