Do I buy the Domino?

bonesbr549 · Jan 1, 2008

Ok, I've never bought a Festool of any kind, but I have a project that I'm trying to justify to my self the cost of the Domino. I am building a country hutch from FWW, and the frame & panel would be perfect to use the domino on. The Doors for the front are an easy call, but the plans from FWW call for a douple M&T to hold the apron to the 2" corner posts. My question is would the dominos be able to take that load. I know they are great for attaching face frames to cabinets or even to replace biscuits for panel glue up, but can they take the load the corners of this hutch will take. I'm on the fence, and don't want to buy that tool to find down the road the joint fails. It's a gift for the wife. [attachimg=#]

chrisrosenb · Jan 1, 2008

That would be a great project for the Domino. It could be built without the Domino, but I believe the Domino would simplify the project.
Dominos will hold fine if they are glued properly. I like that hutch. What issue was it in?

Eli · Jan 1, 2008

Joint plenty strong. Domino must buy. Ugh. ;D

bonesbr549 · Jan 2, 2008

chrisrosenb, it was in issue 189. Here is a link to the article, but you will not be able to see it unless you subscribe to the extra content on Knots at FWW (I think). If you cant get to it, drop me an E-mail.
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/ProjectsAndDesign/ProjectsAndDesignPDF.aspx?id=27781

I bought the full size plans from taunton. I have been cutting all the pieces and dreading the joinery when I thought of the Domino, and the Leigh FMT, and bench top chisel mortiser. They are similarly priced except for the chisel mortiser, but the domino seems a fast more versitile solution. For some reason I just can't get past the thought this thing is not much more that a fat biscuit and if used on the critical joints they could fail. Just looking to see if anybody has used this thing in a similar fashion. I found a review on the web where the end joint was used on a cofee table, but that load is a little different from a hutch loaded with dishes. I'm sure the doors and other non stress critical joints will be ok, but those corners are subject to pressures and I'm unsure.

chrisrosenb · Jan 2, 2008

Thanks for the link. Some how I missed that artical.
I do traditional mortice & tenon joinery. That is what I prefer. I recently got a Domino. I have not used it alot because I have been reorganizing my shop.
From the experence I have had with it, I would not be afraid to use it on the hutch project.
The FMT is a nice tool & would also be a good option on this project. There is more of a learning curve with the FMT than with the Domino.

Jesse Cloud · Jan 2, 2008

Definitely Domino. Double and quadruple m&t are a snap!

bonesbr549 · Jan 4, 2008

Well, I DID IT! God help me. I did not just buy the domino, but the CT33e, Hose garage, and the handle for the CT33e. I mean I saved so much money by getting the combo kit! Jeez, is this going to be same as the Lie-Nielsen monkey I have on my back, only with power cords?

Brice Burrell · Jan 4, 2008

bonesbr549 said:
Well, I DID IT! God help me. I did not just buy the domino, but the CT33e, Hose garage, and the handle for the CT33e. I mean I saved so much money by getting the combo kit! Jeez, is this going to be same as the Lie-Nielsen monkey I have on my back, only with power cords?

Ha! You fell for our trap and there is no escape now, as the slope is far too steep! For our next trick we will make you buy a Festool router and TS saw.....oh, it doesn't stop there, sanders, MFTs, drills, boom arm.......... ;D

John Stegall · Jan 4, 2008

Don't fail to check out Jerry Work's fabulous manual for the Domino. I agree that it will be an excellent time saver on this project.

bonesbr549 · Jan 4, 2008

John Stegall said:
Don't fail to check out Jerry Work's fabulous manual for the Domino. I agree that it will be an excellent time saver on this project.

What is this great document you speak of, oracle?

Dave Rudy · Jan 5, 2008

bonesbr549 said:
Jeez, is this going to be same as the Lie-Nielsen monkey I have on my back, only with power cords?

Not even close! MUCH deeper and steeper than Lie Nielsen. Just wait. You'll see!

bonesbr549 said:
What is this great document you speak of, oracle?

http://www.festoolusa.com/woodworking.aspx. Getting the most. . .

Eli · Jan 5, 2008

Hey Bones check out our Reference Library, there's some good reading in there.

bonesbr549 · Jan 5, 2008

Eli said:
Hey Bones check out our Reference Library, there's some good reading in there.

Thanks. Being new to the forum, I stumbled across it today and read all I could get. Played with it today and All I can say is WOW This thing is cool. I woke up this moring with buyers remorse, but not now. I made two doors today and it was a blast. The first one was slow because I was being extremely slow about every step. The second one to about 25 percent of the time the first one did. I'm going to like this thing. I love the CT33e with it. When they say no dust they mean it.

Eli · Jan 6, 2008

Congratulations, you skipped right by the step where you blame the machine for your poor plunging (fence setting, depth setting) technique.

For most people that's after buyer's remorse but before enthusiastic praise.

You must have read the instructions by mistake. ;D

bonesbr549 · Jan 6, 2008

I heard that! Yep, at first it was oh crap why did I spend so much money. I mean I had a tool to do the job. I have the Grizzly horizontal borer using it as a multirouter. It worked great, but to set up each was a pain to set the exact stops and with the varying widths of the pieces in this project, that was goint to be an eternity. Now, all I need is a pencil mark. I only made one screw up on the last cut last night. For the center stiles I used the 2nd setting on width so I could have a little play when I slide the panels in. I noticed in the dry fit the domino went in easily, not the usual almost force fit. I have decided on one of two options, first use some custom tenon stock for that joint, or glue a small shim in to a domino. I'm leaning on option one. I don't know what in my tecnique was wrong, but I know it was me.

Eli · Jan 6, 2008

For me almost every problem I had was solved by scanning both sides of the fence to make sure it was flat and that I was registering off the pins correctly. Sometimes a pin won't sink totally or hangs up on something and it gives me the tactile feeling that the fence is flat when it isn't. A good tip Anthony gave me is to hold way back by the plug-it connector and use a lighter force to plunge. Because the body of the Dom is tapered at the back, your force is better centered. If that makes any sense. Slow plunge and light force give me the best result. You don't have to hang your pinky out like you're drinking a cup 'o tea if you don't want to. ;D :

Lancashire Fusilier · Jan 8, 2008

bonesbr549 said:
Eli said:

Hey Bones check out our Reference Library, there's some good reading in there.

Click to expand...

Thanks. Being new to the forum, I stumbled across it today and read all I could get. Played with it today and All I can say is WOW This thing is cool. I woke up this moring with buyers remorse, but not now. I made two doors today and it was a blast. The first one was slow because I was being extremely slow about every step. The second one to about 25 percent of the time the first one did. I'm going to like this thing. I love the CT33e with it. When they say no dust they mean it.

Sorry if this is a silly question but if you have glued up that door stile and rail config in the photo how do you put the panle in or is it simply rebated in from behind?

bonesbr549 · Jan 8, 2008

Lancashire Fusilier said:
bonesbr549 said:

Eli said:

Hey Bones check out our Reference Library, there's some good reading in there.

Click to expand...

Thanks. Being new to the forum, I stumbled across it today and read all I could get. Played with it today and All I can say is WOW This thing is cool. I woke up this moring with buyers remorse, but not now. I made two doors today and it was a blast. The first one was slow because I was being extremely slow about every step. The second one to about 25 percent of the time the first one did. I'm going to like this thing. I love the CT33e with it. When they say no dust they mean it.

Click to expand...

Sorry if this is a silly question but if you have glued up that door stile and rail config in the photo how do you put the panle in or is it simply rebated in from behind?

Not a silly question. In the photo, I had just joined them with some temp dominos. The day after I made the M&T's I cut 1/4" grooves inside the Rail & stiles. The 1/2" x 7" panels with a groove so the panels slid into the joints. The photo is just a dry fit. I need to finish sanding and plan on the glue up this week.

Lancashire Fusilier · Jan 9, 2008

Thank you all is revealed!

Do I buy the Domino?

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