Cutting in seconds

With the P-System, Lamello connectors are available for practically every application in carcass manufacturing. In order to produce the groove for form-locking connections precisely, tradespeople can rely on CNC technology or work by hand with a biscuit joiner from the manufacturer. For manual operation with cordless freedom, the Swiss company has developed the Zeta P2 cordless and launched it on the market in 2022. It is suitable, for example, for furniture construction or for installing fitted panels, for machining roof window casings or for outdoor use, including on terrace floors.

Kolbe Tischlerei from Hanover tested the machine for a few weeks. The cabinet making company was already familiar with the connectors from Lamello. "We use the detachable Clamex P10/P14 connector a lot," says Benjamin Kolbe. This connector is basically used for every built-in cabinet in the company. The connector is the ideal choice if something that is pre-assembled does not fit in the car or needs to be dismantled into smaller components for carrying up. "Clamex is the standard for us - and probably the best thing there is in this area," says Kolbe.

The cabinet makers have not yet had experience with Lamello's biscuit joiner. What was the initial impression? "That it is really a high-grade, strong machine," says Benjamin Kolbe, "and that's also the second, third and final impression." The additional flexibility provided by the battery-powered drive also appeals to the wood technician, as does the precise interaction of all machine components. "I can't think of any other machine that can be used to make cleanly detachable connections so quickly."

The Zeta P2 cordless is basically - but not exclusively - suitable for all P-System connectors: Clamex for making detachable connections, Tenso for permanent glued connections and Divario for sliding connections, with which, for example, a partition can subsequently be inserted firmly into a carcass. Bisco P is an aligning element in the range that fits into the same groove so that the cutter does not have to be changed in between when using Clamex and Tenso. According to the manufacturer, the Zeta P2 cordless is also suitable as a standard biscuit joiner.

How exactly does the Zeta P2 produce the special groove? There is a disc cutter in the machine that cuts into the workpiece. If it reaches a previously defined depth, a vertical movement is used to create the special groove in the workpiece. In practice, this cutting process only takes a few seconds.

Wood technician Mareike Haertel demonstrates this using a small test setup. As a somewhat more extensive project, she has already used the Zeta P2 cordless to build a cupboard in chipboard with an oak veneer. "It has two sides, an upper, lower and middle floor, and was created entirely with the Zeta P2 and the Clamex connector," says Haertel.

For the following test connections, she first adjusts the machine according to the panel thickness and the inserted connector. In the test setup, each joint is established with a single Clamex connector. Markings on the face of the P2 help to align it precisely with the workpiece. Then it is positioned, pushed forward, and the groove is finished. One workpiece side per connector is provided with a bore through which the joint can be tightened or loosened with a hex key. A drill jig is provided to assist with this. A few minutes later, the small box is ready. "The machine is easy to operate and you get precise results quickly," says the wood technician.

- Full mobility in the workshop or on-site
- Overhead work without a bulky suction hose which gets caught on an edge
- No tripping hazards during daily use
- Quick joining with the ready-to-use cordless power tool

She also liked some well thought-out details on the machine. For example, that the position of the battery on the base can be changed by turning it. "If it gets in the way, it can simply be turned out of the way," says the wood technician. The accessories also impressed, from the informative turntable, which provides assistance with the correct machine configuration depending on the mitre angle of the workpiece to be machined, to the dust bag, which can be used as an alternative to a vacuum cleaner. "The dust bag is very thick. Nothing got through. We've had very different experiences with other machines," says Haertel.

The 18-volt battery also receives praise from the team. It is small and flat, but with four ampere-hours it is long-lasting. It is based on the current LiHD technology from Metabo, which is characterised by high performance and small dimensions. As part of the CAS battery alliance, it is also compatible with other machines in the cross-manufacturer CAS system.

Benjamin Kolbe just has one optimisation request for battery operation with a vacuum cleaner: "A Bluetooth function would be helpful so that our vacuum cleaner can switch on or off automatically." Otherwise, he was impressed by its function, handling and precision. "It's fascinating how sophisticated the technology is in some machines." For him, this also justifies the relatively high purchase price.

Source: Gille / Schlütersche