Installing biscuits is much easier than aligning holes for dowels. In fact, once the biscuit joiner is adjusted, alignment is automatic. Plate joinery involves cutting semicircular slots in both boards to be joined. Glue is applied to the edges of each board and in the slots. An oval shaped beech wood biscuit is put in the slots on one board and the boards are clamped.
Biscuits increase the gluing surface, and that's beneficial in achieving a stronger joint.
But, more importantly, the beech wood ovals swell by absorbing the moisture in the glue and increase the joint's strength even further. This newsletter isn't just for the amatuer or professional woodworker. I invite any of the manufacturers that receive this newsletter to submit short interesting articles. And, we can even accept a plug or two. If you have some useful woodworking information, please send it to me for publication in this newsletter.