Domino & Biscuit Advantages

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Valleywood

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Apr 30, 2013
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Bearing in mind that I have no justification necessary  for tools:  I am at the moment convinced my next purchase should be the Domino 500.  I build small stuff with the associated occasional table top.  I have currently the notion in my head that the Domino is perfect for strength considerations and works well for alignment.  That said, I notice that some (many?) like their biscuit joiner for alignment purposes and small projects.  I also seem to understand that a good biscuit joint cutter is expensive, perhaps even as a rival to Festool.  (true?).

So I guess my question is whether I am best served by getting the Domino and dealing with spacing practice or need I make both investments?  Does my question make any sense?  At this point even I'm confused by my question. [unsure]

I'd sure like the opinions and reasoning from the board.  Bear in mind that I am retired and time constraints are not an issue.  Also,  I don't have to justify the cost to a customer.  I'm in  this for the fun of it.  I really don't want to buy both machines if I don't need them.  Less is more........

Thanks !
 
You can have my biscuit joiner, it's gathered dust on a shelf since the Domino turned up.

I won't be the only person saying that, if it helps you at all.

There's also the Mafell Duo-Dowel machine which probably costs even more and is a different take again on things.

Biscuits always kind of splintered when I used them for lining things up, and were more trouble than they were worth sometimes. Domino pieces are a lot more solid and you kind of know where you are when using them for lining up.

You won't regret it.
 
[member=19651]Valleywood[/member] If you're talking about a Lamello, then yes, the price is comparable to a Domino.  But you can get a decent biscuit joiner like the Porter Cable for under 300.

I haven't touched my biscuit joiner since I got the Domino, but I've heard from others on the FOG that the biscuit joiner remains useful when doing things like face frames, since there is slightly more vertical play with the biscuits.

 
 
I have to agree with the others about not needing the biscuit jointer once you get the Domino. I sold my Lamello in order to buy my Domino 500.

Just to give a bit of balance, it may be that for some applications the biscuit is easier particularly if you are making a lot of carcasses. Lamello also have some very clever jointing inserts.

But back to my first point - I have not missed my Lamello at all.

Peter
 
I didn't use my Biscuit Jointer for so long I forgot I owned it. My domino I use all the time.
 
The only reason I've heard for buying a biscuit joiner over a Domino that I can't dispute is that knock down connectors are available that fit biscuit slots.

Hopefully we'll see some knock down connectors that work with the Festool system - they're missing out on a big opportunity.
 
I have a very nice DeWalt biscuit machine, somewhere. It's gotten very dusty since I bought the first of two Domino machines.
 
I can think of a couple of things a Biscuit Jointer can do as well as cutting biscuit slots.
I've used my Biscuit Jointer to cut 4mm grooves in lengths of timber/mdf for accepting decorative panels.
And I've also used the Biscuit Jointer in saw mode to cut through thin panels.
 
I have the Lamello Top 10 gathering dust since I bought my Domino 500 7 years ago.  I also don't think a twin doweling machine (irregardless of superior quality) is the way to go since the vast majority of failed wood joints in hardwood furniture construction that I have seen have been dowel joints.  I don't think you'll need any other joining tool once you have the Domino for the size joints your talking about.

Jack
 
The 4mm Dominoes look like they're about as thick as a biscuit if you want it for alignment purposes. That'd be a good way to get rid of them, they're a bit small for anything I'd work on. Just set it for a wide cut if you won't want to align it side-to-side perfectly.

Once Festool's patent on the Domino expires I bet we never see another biscuit joiner made again.
 
The Domino machines are vastly superior to biscuit joiners.

However, biscuits still have a use.  Large glue ups such as table tops, where the biscuit/tenon is simply used for alignment rather than strength is better suited to biscuits, likewise aligning face-frames on cabinets.

Also, lets not forget a decent biscuit joiner can be had for 40% the cost of a domino 500 and the consumables are significantly cheaper. Now you can use the throwaway "you get what you pay for' cliche, but sometimes when making a business decision on a return-on-investment basis, sometimes a cheaper tool with cheaper consumables is the correct option.

The funny thing is, if Festool made a biscuit joiner, I bet the people who say there's no use for a biscuit joiner would be singing its virtues.

 
My domino 500 has been an absolute game changer. My biscuit joiner is a great book end.
 
Hi,
For your stated purpose, I recommend the Domino 500.  IMO, the biscuit joiner is better than the Domino for joining sheet goods and as Chris mentioned, you do have many more fastener options with the biscuit joiner.  Overall, I use the Domino far more than the biscuit joiner but I build more furniture than cabinets so that should be expected.  The Domino has been used in every furniture project I have undertaken since it was introduced in the US.  If I were forced to choose one or the other and have only one portable joinery tool, it would be the Domino without a doubt. 

 
Chris Wong said:
...
Hopefully we'll see some knock down connectors that work with the Festool system - they're missing out on a big opportunity.
Click to expand...

Someone already developed those, I wanted to put a link up here, but I can't remember where I saw the thread about them (here or on a Dutch forum). It looked interesting, but at that time there wasn't any info on availability and pricing.

Maybe someone also saw the thread I am speaking of and CAN remember the name of the company.
 
A biscuit does not align in 2 dimensions, so there is more ease in not having to worry about the unit shifting a mm. Bit as Mort mentioned, they can be long-slotted on one side.

Doing sheets is possible with dominos, but dowels and biscuits are cheaper if one is doing lots of them. Biscuits have a lot of surface area.

As mentioned early in the thread on look at the DD40 and its rail. For sheets and shelf pin holes it makes sense. So if I was doing cabinets I would be leaning towards the DD40 and the rail. The router and the holey rail can do the same, but not as nicely.
They are not all exactly the same, but there is a lot of overlap as they address the same problems.
 
Frank-Jan said:
Chris Wong said:
...
Hopefully we'll see some knock down connectors that work with the Festool system - they're missing out on a big opportunity.
Click to expand...

Someone already developed those, I wanted to put a link up here, but I can't remember where I saw the thread about them (here or on a Dutch forum). It looked interesting, but at that time there wasn't any info on availability and pricing.

Maybe someone also saw the thread I am speaking of and CAN remember the name of the company.
Click to expand...

Do you mean the Zuzzel connectors which I published on this post: Zuzzel
I'm afraid these are not available/produced anymore.
I did not get any reaction from the company.
 
Yes, that was the thread I remembered but couldn't find. Pitty they don't make them anymore.
 
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