Hello Everyone

I have just put together Part 1 of my review of the new Domino DF 700. For now I will give you the YouTube link but when I have done Part 2 in a few days time I will try and put both parts direcly here on the FOG.

Be kind to me - this is my first video and not up to Paul Marcel's standards. I needed to get hold of the machine very quickly and the chaps at Toolfest got one to me in less than 12 hours - well done guys.

Here is the link.

Festool Domino DF 700

Peter

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I have just finished Part 2 - video production and editing is time consuming but great fun. I am sorry that this one is a little long - I am sure that Steven Spielberg would have made a better job of the whole thing. I have one more part to come - now that is suspence, just like Alfred Hitchcock.

Here is the new link.

Festool Domino DF 700 Review Part 2

Thank you all for the encouragement.

Peter

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And now here is the concluding part of the review. I hope that you are not fed up with me yet!

Festool Domino DF 700 Review Part 3

Thanks for watching.

Peter

Hi Peter

very polished video indeed, as good as any festool video. all you need is someone on the camera to zoom in when needed.

My favorite part... the very British laugh at the end.

looking forward to the next instalment

Peter as others have said - excellent review.

Peter, great job and welcome to the video club! (not referring to me in that)

Great video Peter.  I think I'm in trouble - already figuring out where to find the money and I haven't even seen it cut yet...

Well done, Peter.  You seem very natural in front of the camera.  Looking forward to part two.

Regards,

John

To everyone who has commented above...

Thank you so much, gosh - I am so pleased that the first video worked out ok. I am nearly there on the second part but have to complete a written review of the Domino 700 for the UK magazine 'The Woodworker' first. Please hang on for a little bit longer.

I have now had a serious play with the new machine - it is fabulous. It is very accurate, easy and safe to use and opens up so many new avenues for handheld production work.

More will come. Thanks again. After all of the comments above I feel really great.

Peter

Paul,

You are my hero - thanks to your brilliant video review of the Domino 500 I went out and bought one. Now it is your turn to put your hand in your pocket!

I will describe my bench project to the FOG in due course. The DF 700 review mentions it in several places.

Peter

Hi Paul and Everyone

As you can see the third and final part is now available up above.

In my conclusions I mention the cost of the Domino DF 700. Here in the UK it comes in at £924 and so is not cheap. But, a top of the range Lamello biscuit jointer (the TOP 21) is about £885. I really wish I had mentioned that I have not only sold my staionary morticing machine but also my top of the range Lamello - the latter having been bought about 12 years ago. Now I believe that the new Domino is far more capable than the Lamello and is only £50 more. If one takes into account the price of a reasonable staionary morticer and the Lamello you can get both the Domino DF 500 and the Domino DF 700 together for the same price.

It was Paul Marcel's video that persuaded me to get the DF 500. I hope that I can now help you come to terms with the fact that you really do need a DF 700 and buying makes such good sense. If you have £1000 in the bank the interest rate is below inflation so your money is losing value all the time. Now is the time to invest in something that you know you want and will make you feel good every time that you use it.

For UK members, keep an eye out for The Woodworker magazine as my written review of the new Domino will be in there soon followed by several other bits of Festool kit.

I am now going to give my workshop a makeover and try and get my new bench finished.

Thank you for taking an interest in my videos.

Peter

Thanks Peter, Part 3 is my favourite.

Shane,

Many thanks. I am continuing to make my new bench as I have a 2 day break before other tasks hit me. I have just used my Domino DF 500 to put in some 5x30mm dominos - they seem so tiny after so many days using the DF 700. I am sure that a project will come along soon enough - if not let me telephone someone you love and suggest that a new garden bench is needed!

Peter

Hi Paul

The black dog like things are what remains of a pair of car cycle carriers and were the tightenening screw for the clamp that held the bike in place. The black part is soft-ish plastic and it has a slightly tapered collar that fits snugly in the 20mm holes of the MFT. They work really well and help stop lateral movement, probably due to their large diameter and the slightly rubbery plastic. I have not bothered to remove the bolt that was part of the thing - take a look at the photograph below. I have also put some of my wide domino 'sticks' in the picture.

On the DF 700 both the stepped height gauge and the incremental gauge at the side are calibrated to give the distance from the centre of the mortice. I think that it is an improvement as there is less chance of error with one measuring method.

I am using my Nikon D7000 for stills and video. It is a lovely camera and I bought it after many hours of research made much easier (just like you telling me about the Domino 500 in your videos) when I found a US guy called Ken Rockwell - he loves the D7000 and so I bought it. It is a bit spooky that the new Domino is called the D700 and my camera is the same with just one extra zero!

Let me know when you buy either the new Domino or the Nikon camera!!!!!!

Peter

Good for you Tim,

I am not sure why you find it a bit heavy - I have pretty bad joints and had no problems at all. Well done for making your own doms - if they are not available from Festool then go for it.

Enjoy your new Festool.

Peter

Peter

Congrats on an excellent series of videos.  I am sitting on the fence ready to pull the trigger on the Dom.  My main use would be for internal doors but I am very much a traditionalist, mortise & tennon every time.  Do you think this would be strong enough for internal doors ?  I have a new Hammer spindle moulder on order & should get it just after Christmass so maybe I should just leave it & continue doing it the "proper" way ?  It is the speed factor that is appealing.

Thanks again, Woodguy.

Great video and review.. I just need to find a large enough project to make an excuse to buy one

I have the Canon 7D so will need to add a couple of zeros! keep up the great posts.. found the watch one very very funny, I think you could do an update on it along the upgrade lines (found it very funny the rush were in to dump their old systainers and switch to the t-locks )

I wasn't convinced that the 700 could make strong enough joints until i got it, on some pressure threated pine outdoor doors i made, i used two 14x70 dominos per joint, and believe me it take a mallet to get them in all the way and once they are in there is no getting them out again. From that moment on i was convinced. The joints may have less glue surface than traditional ones, but they are perfect. Which honestly is an art to achieve with traditional joinery.

But what i would want is that festool provides us with some kind of documents or info about what they tested it on. Because i am sure they tested and perfected it for years. It would be handy to have their knowledge and experience to avoid having to go through the trial and error phase ourselves.

Most excellent video.

Great review!
Not sure I will ever buy but after watching this I sure know what it can do.
Thanks Peter.
Tim

Cheers Meatman

Fingers crossed that someone will ask you to do some big doors or a barn!! You could always run an ad in your local paper.

Peter

Dear Guy

Many thanks.

I am so pleased that you have joined the 'DF 700 club' - you will not regret it. In the old days I had so many single purpose dedicated machines that, even though they were from the same manufacturer, shared no interchangeable parts or were in any way part of an 'integrated' approach. I have sold all but my bandsaw and planer/thicknesser and bought Festool kit. I am able to do the same tasks as before but more accurately, more quickly and with much more job satisfaction. I have re-discovered the pleasure of really accurate cuts and perfect joints made in a clean and almost dust free workshop.

I know that Festool in Germany have a YouTube channel. I would be delighted to provide something like that for the English speaking world.

Thanks again and enjoy your lovely new Festool tool.

Peter

peter anyone know is this going to be available in 110volt in the UK

hi peter thankyou very much for the reply i had looked at the festool site but couldn't find any information on it, the place i had been buying all the festool products from that i own are no longer in business so i need to find a new dealer, the one thing that annoys me is that festool bring out a product and don't allways seem to be ready for the demand the carvex was a disaster just one of the many. festool really need to address this in my opinion  sorry if this seems like a rant   guess i need to be more patient thanks again peter and thank warren for me

Hi Richard

Europe uses 220-240volts and is a pretty big market so it is logical for any European company to start with the 'home' market. Also, Festool make all of their own motors and making 110 volt versions with identical characteristics that then need to fit inside the same cavity is not always easy.

I very nearly bought a Bosch sliding compound saw (the newest one). It had been released in North America but not in Europe. I am so glad that it was not immediately available as I then took a look at Festool and bought my Kapex 120 - I have never looked back.

Peter

Peter the motor housing sizes would be worked out at the design stage not backward engineered

this 220v  v 110v confuses me. being that in europe all site tools are usually 110v. these site and pro shop users are where festools are aimed at. you would expect that they would make their tools available to them first and then to the domestic users.
maybe its so that any glitchs are ironed out before the heavy users get them.

Hi Alan

You make a good point but I wonder whether 110 volts for site work is just something that we do in our left-hand corner of Europe. Do the Germans, Dutch and French have different rules?

Peter

o i thought that 110v thing was an eu health and safety irective. my bad sorry.

YEEHAH!!!

My XL 700 has arrived and is going to get to work on some big gates and also some windows and doors.

Had a little play , erm I mean product evaluation process, , last night and yup it is everything I had hoped for.

It's the absolute dogs, thank you festool design team and engineers

Alex, you are so right.  I hate 110v tools & don't own any.

Jury is still out on that one.

Hello Everyone

How many of you have now bought the DF 700? Did you get both systainers with the dominos? Most important of all, what do you think of your new tool?

Peter

Peter

Had mine a few days now and yeah, really really pleased with it. I am using on a couple of joinery projects at the moment and may post the results later.

Seriously good machine and a God send from an efficiency point of view.

I got both Domino systainers, with the cutters, and will see which Domino's are the mainstay, dependant upon each particular application.

At first glance it would appear buying the 750mm lengths will be more cost effective to replenish stocks.

   

Hi Peter

I Picked up my DF700 with both Domino Systainer assortments today walked into my dealers at 4:50 by 5:15 we were all done no waiting for days or weeks. No order just off the shelf.

Haven't played with it yet though
Meatman

i know my dealer has one in stock because i was drooling over it.usually they have to order most of the tools i want . (as im picky ) i actually saw it before he did. i explained to basic design differences to him.

here are pics of my second and third domino XL projects, the first one i didn't take pics of!

a cedar door for a sauna:



and a cedar gate for a carport:



both have 2 (14x140mm) dominos per joint, homemade with afrormosia left overs (african hardwood that doesn't rot)

i got the XL without the separate domino case, i asked to get the 14mm cutter for free and got it as an accessory. it's only 5% of the domino value. As much as i find the domino box for the DF500 to be indispensable, for the XL it seems way more practical to buy or make your own domino stock as long as possible and cut to size for each project to minimize waste.

Beautiful! Is there glass going to be put in the top panels?
Tim


Again, beautiful. Simple but elegant. What do they finish these doors with?
Tim

I do this type of work for another woodworker when his guys are too busy or not competent enough, i like that kind of work, he just gives me the dimensions and wood and i build it, no hassle or fuss involved dealing with customers, measuring or fitting.
The door will contain glass, but the customer was going to fit it.
And after taking pics i spray painted the gate with grey-colored water based oil.

@Peter how come you lived in Mons? On American or even British standards i live next to Mons, but on our standards i live  on the other end of the country above Liège.

Talking of English gates, this is one of my favourite episodes of the Woodwright's Shop, in which he builds a Sussex field gate.

http://www.pbs.org/woodwrightsshop/video/3000/3012.html

Guy

I have just seen your 5 bar gate - brilliant. I am sure that your customer will be delighted. I have not used Idigbo - what is it like to work with?

Peter

Quality gate Guy.  Never worked with that wood either.  Is it similar to Iroko ?  What are some of the other sub species called ?

Oh, what's with the 4 "f" clamps on the bottom rail ? Fixing a wee boo boo  . 

Timtool, loving the look of that Cedar.  Is it Western Red Cedar ?

Hi Guy
love the gate I have used lots of Idigbo to make lots of Stable doors for an old client. I agree about all the pitfalls but on a positive note it is a very cost effective timber to use.
One question about the field gate, why dose the top rail not taper from 5" to 4"
Meatman

Hi Everyone

I used the DF 700 to do the joints on the pedestal legs of my new bench. I said in the video that I would show you the finished creation...

It has a main vice and tail vice by Veritas - they are really good and I would not hesitate to recommend them. Almost everything else is made from either scraps from around the workshop or offcuts from my local supplier, Timbersource of Frome. I had to spend a total of £230 on everything, including the vices, some 4x2 timber and the large iroko top (which was ex-display from a kitchen showroom).

I hope that everyone with a DF 700 is happy with their purchase.

Peter

Thank you - the bench turned out much better than I thought it would and so I am thinking of selling it now - but the buyer would have to collect.

I actually used both the DF 700 and the DF 500 on the bench build and, to be honest, the DF 700 on a project like this was total overkill. The DF 500 is a superb all rounder and, used correctly, can be used in some quite demanding designs. However, if you want to tackle large projects, like some that have been described above, then the DF 700 really comes into its own. Maybe one day you can have both!

You would be amazed what some of us wear in our workshops but in this case I was doing a shoot for a main headline photograph for a UK magazine and so I thought that I should look tidy (and breath in a little).

Thanks.

Peter

Excellent review of the D700 Peter.

Hi Kev

Thanks for the encouragement.

I started moving over to Festool about a year ago and have a relatively small array of equipment. The dominos are brilliant but then so is my Kapex, Rotex 90, MFT3, TS 55 and all the little accessories that work so well together. My favourite (at the moment) is the OF2200 router. despite its size, I find it really easy to control and I am sure that its mass and power are part of the secret to its stability. My review is on YouTube and here on the FOG of course. The unsung hero that many of us forget is the dust extractor - I have the CTL26 and I have to say that my satisfaction with so many of the Festool tools owes a lot to the superb performance of the CTL 26 and the way that tool and extractor are so cleverly integrated by the Festool designers/engineers.

I have not done video reviews of either my Rotex 90 or my MFT3 - mainly because the video reviews done by Paul Marcel are so good. I may do something there if I can put some 'English' on it (ie to continue where Paul left off or look at them from a different perspective). The Rotex 90 is amazing and so quick to change from one task setup to another. I do a lot of fine work (small boxes and so on) and the RO90 is a dream.

I really hesitated when buying the MFT3 but now could not do without it. My old Radial Arm Saw needed replacement and that was going to be well over £1300 (thats probably about $7 Australian by now). By buying the MFT3 and TS55 saw I have just about replaced my RAS given that I already had bought the Kapex. I can now cut 700mm kitchen worktop cleanly which was impossible with the RAS - and my setup is portable with no loss of accuracy or flexibility.

The TS55 is a must have saw but I want to put mine into a CMS unit. Once there it will stay in that configuration and so I may just get a TS55R for rail sawing and to use with the MFT3. Now that the uninformed banter has died down and we have been able to have some hands-on with the new saw I think that it is a positive step forward with loads of value added fetaures, a number of improvements and Festool have kept the price the same.

Next on my list is the replacement of all of my Hitachi rechargeable drill/drivers. They all have dodgy batteries and so I hope to be able to do a gradual changeover in the next few months. Lithium Ion batteries are essential for rechargeable tools as the old Nicad and Nickel Metal Hydride tend to fall over too soon.

Thanks again.

Peter