In German, the flat dowel (or spring form) is often referred to as a ‘Lamello’ – the brand name of the Swiss manufacturer has become the generic term for the product. This is not only a reference to the innovative role of this connecting element, but also to the undoubted high quality of the original power tools, which meet the expectations of Swiss quality in every way.
Lamello Classic X biscuit jointer
The Classic X biscuit jointer is available in both corded and cordless versions. It cuts 4-mm grooves for various connecting elements. Both blunt connections and those at different angles can be realised.
Lamello Zeta P2 biscuit jointer
The Zeta P2 biscuit jointer cuts grooves for the Lamello P system, which allows the use of different connecting elements made of plastic and metal. Among other things, they can also be used to create detachable connections.
Lamello accessories
In addition to the groove cutters for power tools, the Lamello range of accessories offers a variety of connecting elements, from classic wood lamellas to innovative detachable variants.
Indispensable for furniture construction with wood-based panels
The advent of chipboard in the mid-20th century opened up previously unimagined possibilities for furniture construction and other areas of carpentry. However, processing the new material also presented new problems. The narrow edges of chipboard are not very resilient. Continuous grooves or screw connections in the edge, as are common with solid wood, cannot be used with chipboard.
The Swiss carpenter Hermann Steiner found the solution in 1955: an oval tongue made of beechwood that was inserted into small grooves - ‘Who invented it? The Swiss!’. In 1968, the first hand-held slot mortising machine was introduced, the forerunner of all Lamello milling machines (and their imitators) on the market today. In the meantime, an extensive system has been developed that consists of two types of slot mortisers (the Classic X and the Zeta P2) and a variety of different connecting elements.
The classic Form Spring connection with wooden lamellas is now also used by many private individuals, not only when working with chipboard but also for furniture made of solid wood. The tiltable fence of the slot mortisers enables the necessary slot grooves to be cut quickly and precisely. However, since the shaped wooden springs are glued in, the connections are not detachable. That is why commercial carpenters who make furniture as individual items or in small series often use P2 system connectors (such as the Clamex S), which are easy to insert during assembly and can be removed again when the furniture is taken apart. Invis MX2 elements can even be mounted invisibly and can still be removed thanks to magnetic drives.
See Lamello in action