Bosch/makita plunge saw to allow for Domino...!

[P3cca]

Hello everybody.

New to the forum so please tread lightly with me!

I am stepping into the world of DIY wood working basically I want to make some very large shelves for my garage and then progress to simple chairs for the wife to justify some of the initial cost of the machine purchase.
I then hope to use these new skills to make raised garden planting boxes and also trellises for my clients as I own a landscaping company.

I have my heart set on the Domino XL as I believe this shall save me a lot of frustration as a novice for joints.

I also am looking at a plunge saw but the makita plunge saw is over 150€ cheaper than the Festool 55 and I would prefer to put the savings of the plunge saw towards the domino XL.

I appreciate the domino XL is larger and heavier to use but I have noted that I can purchase after market adaptor and the 4mm bit.
I also feel that the domino XL is more functional over the long term.

Yes I have had the Bosch makita Festool and the mafel in my hands and prefer the Festool. The mafel is the same price as the Festool here in Germany!

Summary..

Buy the makita and put the other 150€ towards the domino?

Thank you in advance for positive input and to help steer me into my new hobby and then to hopefully present and build simple garden trellises for my clients.

Warm regards from an English man in Germany!

 

[Locks14]

In the UK the Bosch and the Festool are the same price and IMO the Bosch is superior because it uses the Mafell rail system which knocks spots off the Festool when joining two rails together!

I have the Domino 500, Domino XL, the Rotex 90 and the OF1400 router so I'm not adverse, but genuinely believe the Bosch plunge saw is a better tool than the TS 55, though the TS 75 is appealing for its extra capacity!

 

[Wuffles]

Are you sure you want an XL?

 

[Holmz]

I got the XL, and the full compliment of large and small dominos and the Seneca adapter kit and associated gear. (So it is mostly for large joints) But I have done a few 6-mm with the seneca kit.

I have a MT55 (Mafell) on Bosch rails, and it works well.The Bosch on Bosch rails is likely a bit less.
The Bosch rail system is almost completely fool proof in connecting together.
There is no "Learning the technique" in using the saw...  It doesn't jiggle on the track nor get angles cuts due to "operator error".

You probably at least want a shop vac soon, and maybe you will need that sooner than the Domino???

 

[P3cca]

Brilliant replies thank you.

•Bosch GKT 55 Click here for amazon link
•Shop vac... Hmmm I have been looking at the small festool vac system that one has to carry systainer style so I may be leaning towards one of those to however I wanted to keep my initial spend down.
•I feel the XL gives me the greater flexibility long term especially that we can now buy the smaller 500 bits.

(do I need the vacuum prior to the domino, as I am about to work outdoors in the garage I thought I may be able to use the house vacuum for a month or two, or especially until the wife has relaxed with the expenditure)  [eek] [eek] [eek]

 

[P3cca]

Just an added thought...

•does the Bosch cut as accurately as the 55???
•if I am looking at a shop vac and if I consider the Festool sustainer version, would I be better to spend the extra 150€ and get the Festool 55 to make full use of the automatic on off function when used in conjunction with the sustainer vac?

Thank you for your patience with my naive newbie questions!

 

[Holmz]

Just an added thought...

•does the Bosch cut as accurately as the 55???
•if I am looking at a shop vac and if I consider the Festool Systainer version, would I be better to spend the extra 150€ and get the Festool 55 to make full use of the automatic on off function when used in conjunction with the Systainer vac?

Thank you for your patience with my naive newbie questions!

Which 55? The MT55 or the TS55?

Your questions may generally be more appreciated on a Mafell user forum, then a FOG... However:
The Bosch will likely be more accurate than the FT, as the Bosch rails go together more accurately than the Ft rails. Or you can buy straight edges and/or long rails, and other system to make the Ft rail work better. So the Bosch rail is then even cheaper in comparison...
If you do the maths the amount you save on rails is significant. Plus the rails work better, and save time. And either the Mafell or Bosch saw is rated better. (1 and 2 respectively). So you get cheaper & better rails, and better saw.
When one already has FT rails, then that is a different story.

I use a FT vac, and the Mafell MT55 plugs in and the vacuum goes auto-on.
I could plug a juicer in and the vacuum would turn on, it does not require a FT to go on, it looks at the power/current load.
You could use a FT saw or sander on a Mafell vacuum and it would also work.

There is no "System" that makes the vacuum aware of what is on the end to disallow the tool from working, and you can use it in manual if you want.

The same applies to the Domino XL.
It takes the Seneca gear. I think FT does not authorise that or one voids the warranty by not buying a 500 and a 700. But one could theoretically save enough money to effectively pay for the most of the vacuum.

 

[monstrol]

I believe you have to have a vac for either domino for it to work properly.

 

[awil66]

Domino does work better with extraction, but any vac will do. Otherwise you may be cleaning out the holes before glue-up

 

[John Broomall]

I think you are correct about the Domino saving you a lot of frustration (and time) with joinery and the XL is a terrific tool. Using the Domino without chip extraction makes it inconsistent when sizing and locating mortises, the larger they get the worse the potential problems.

 

[Tayler_mann]

Dust extraction is a must with either the 500 or 700 domino machine. You will spend more money in replacing dull bits than you would a fein or smaller CT. I forgot to turn my vac to auto once and it sounded like I was going to break a bit.

 

[Wuffles]

And I'm not convinced the tiny CT is a good idea with a Domino, especially an XL. You'll fill the small bag too quickly I would have thought.

You seem stuck on the XL but what is it you are going to use it for? People frequently come on here asking opinions on Domino sizes and often walk away realising they'd picked the wrong one.

I bought a TS75 in the mistaken belief that I was upgrading from my TS55 because I didn't ask the right questions...I sold it soon afterwards.

I now have the Mafell and wouldn't go back - but I don't use the Mafell rails as I was already too heavily invested in Festool rails.

 

[Coliban]

...
I also am looking at a plunge saw but the makita plunge saw is over 150€ cheaper than the Festool 55 and I would prefer to put the savings of the plunge saw towards the domino XL.
...

I would recommend buying the Domino df 500 and put the saved money either in the Festool TS55 or the Mafell MT55cc. I own the domino df 500 newly but created/finished already some projects and i think i couldn´t use a heavier domino in that way, i use the df500. The df500 i lighter and even with this weight it is sometimes hard to use it mobile.

The second point is, i would not buy the makita if there is an adequate tool from festool/Mafell which i use regularly.  I don´t wan´t to use any other systainer than the t-loc system. It is handier, easy to use, better than the one from Makita or even Mafell. And the t-loc systainer is a big time save, often overlooked. If you are in germany, then the price difference from Mafell/Festool is not as high as in many other countries, so for me it makes not sense, saving some hundred € when i can get for that difference the quality i need (or don´t need, but want). I have Makita, mainly for gardening and automobile, Mafell (P1cc) and Festool, and i feel it very cumbersome, handling the mafell containers alone (you always need at least two hands to open or close it) or together with the festool t-loc systainers (you only need one hand to open or close it, even if it is in the middle of a stack). Makita containers are even worser. I have the ctl midi and it is working with festool and mafell or bosch and i am asking me, "why did it take so long to buy this vac": it is strong, and i can stack the t-loc systainer on top of the vac and push it around).

regards

 

[glass1]

I am more than happy with the makita plunge saw.  It gets over on the festool with, a little more power and capacity, scoring feature, and anti tip tab. The rails are compatible and much cheaper than festool.

 

[Birdhunter]

I've got both the 500 and the 700 Dominos. I use the 500 much more than the 700 and I bought the Seneca adapters. However, if I could only keep one, it would be the 700. I do have an occasional large project that requires the large tenons. I could probably come up with a way to make the 700 work for small projects.

I do strongly suggest you buy the largest vac you can afford. The track saws and the Dominos generate mucho cuttings. A small vac is going to load up rapidly.

 

[rst]

I bought a Makita because of the price, actually it was from Amazon Warehouse, just to test the track saw concept.  It worked well for me but would not cut the thickness' of plastics I needed.  So...I now own a 75 - cuts through heavy plastics great and the 55.  I was going to sell the Makita but instead am using it for general construction, just finished cutting birds mouth and tails using two two of the 32" rails both set to the different angles using long dogs.

 

[P3cca]

Hello all.

Thank you all for your positive replies and thank those of you who still steer me towards the small domino 500.

I shall also keep in the back of my mind the vacum capacity / power so thank you all for advising me.

Today several colleagues and myself went to a trade fair, unbeknown to me there was a Festool stand there.

I spoke to the Festool rep who happened to have spent 10 years in Ireland and it just so happens that my cousin is Irish!

Anyway he offered me a HKC 55 build date August 2015, with two batteries, quick charger sustainer sys 4 box and a FSK 420 track for approx 540€ netto without the tax.

I have checked the batteries which show they are fully charged and hopefully tomorrow I shall make a rough attempt to make very simple shelving for my garage.

I hope the HKC 55 shall for fill all of my expectations and more...?

Any advice for making heavy duty garage shelving with only a HKC 55 greatly accepted!

Warm regards and finally I am now an official Festool owner!!!

 

[Jozsef Kozma]

That is a great price

 

[burp110]

i recommend buying the makita tracksaw + domino 500. put the savings into another tool.

 

[Brent Taylor]

I have had the Makita saw for quite awhile and find it up to all the tasks I need of it.