Note sure if this is where I should post this but here goes.
I picked up a DOMINO "full package" at a woodworking show on April 17th (could've been the 18th). Since then a third of my spare time has been spent playing with it and 1/3rd documenting what I discovered (since the "manual" that came with it was - putting it diplomatically - somewhat lacking in details) and 1/3rd posting messages to various groups about this tool - and trying to respond to the resulting questions. Somewhere, on one of the various woodworking groups I posted messages to it was suggested I join this group and post a link to the DOMINO stuff I put together. It's very much
A Work In Progress and will be better organized later - but here's the url
http://web.hypersurf.com/~charlie2/DOMINO/DOMINO_0.html
Christopher was kind enough to point me to the 24 page Draft Manual he's done (Thank You!) and I was told there's also an 80 page manual being put together by some kind soul (Thank You in advance).
The more I come to know and understand the DOMINO the more I appreciate the simplicity of its use - and all the underlying, far from simple, concepts that went into designing and making it. Though most tool designers try to,
by design, make their tool as Idiot Proof as possible, that often requires a Users Manual with a few hundred pages of instructions.
Now I've been using a Mac (apple computer) since the first Mac came out - so I'm used to a tool being easy, intuitive to use and powerful - without having to slog through two or three, 200+ page manuals and user instructions or having to buy or make my own "extensions". The DOMINO, while not quite as user friendly as a Mac, comes much closer than almost any other power tool/ jig / fence system I've found (and I've found, and bought, far too many).
When it comes to mortising I've used
- a mortising chisel and mallet
- a dedicated chisel and bit mortising machine (General Intl 75-0750M - the BIG one)
- the JoinTech Cabinet Maker router table precision positionable fence system
- the MicroFence precision router fence system
- the TREND M&T Jig
- the AKEDA Dovetail Jig (yes, you can use it for mortises)
And have looked into both the WoodRat and the Leigh FMT "jig"
NONE of the tools/methods I've tried comes anywhere close to
as fast, flexible, easy and intuitive to use as the DOMINO.
There's an old maxim that says "Fast, Good, Cheap - Pick Two".
Now if you've priced the Leigh FMT and added the price of the
router, a mortising machine like the General Intl 75-0750M, the
DOMINO, fully loaded, is in the same price range. It's the
fastest way to cut "good" mortises that I've found so far so
relatively speaking - it's all three - fast, good AND not quite
"cheap". When you through in one more criteria - Idiot
Proof - the DOMINO stands head and shoulders above the
rest - though not totally Idiot Proof. I can attest to that,
but then I'm a pretty clever idiot and I'll often try to get
a tool to do something I'm certain the designer never even
considered.
Anyway, it's pushing midnite and I've got more messages
to send regarding the DOMINO. Being a Tool Evangelical
sure is time consuming.
I look foreward to learning a great deal from this group
and have every intention of being an active member.
charlie belden
aka charlie b
hope I didn't double post this message - each group seems
to have a different user interface
I picked up a DOMINO "full package" at a woodworking show on April 17th (could've been the 18th). Since then a third of my spare time has been spent playing with it and 1/3rd documenting what I discovered (since the "manual" that came with it was - putting it diplomatically - somewhat lacking in details) and 1/3rd posting messages to various groups about this tool - and trying to respond to the resulting questions. Somewhere, on one of the various woodworking groups I posted messages to it was suggested I join this group and post a link to the DOMINO stuff I put together. It's very much
A Work In Progress and will be better organized later - but here's the url
http://web.hypersurf.com/~charlie2/DOMINO/DOMINO_0.html
Christopher was kind enough to point me to the 24 page Draft Manual he's done (Thank You!) and I was told there's also an 80 page manual being put together by some kind soul (Thank You in advance).
The more I come to know and understand the DOMINO the more I appreciate the simplicity of its use - and all the underlying, far from simple, concepts that went into designing and making it. Though most tool designers try to,
by design, make their tool as Idiot Proof as possible, that often requires a Users Manual with a few hundred pages of instructions.
Now I've been using a Mac (apple computer) since the first Mac came out - so I'm used to a tool being easy, intuitive to use and powerful - without having to slog through two or three, 200+ page manuals and user instructions or having to buy or make my own "extensions". The DOMINO, while not quite as user friendly as a Mac, comes much closer than almost any other power tool/ jig / fence system I've found (and I've found, and bought, far too many).
When it comes to mortising I've used
- a mortising chisel and mallet
- a dedicated chisel and bit mortising machine (General Intl 75-0750M - the BIG one)
- the JoinTech Cabinet Maker router table precision positionable fence system
- the MicroFence precision router fence system
- the TREND M&T Jig
- the AKEDA Dovetail Jig (yes, you can use it for mortises)
And have looked into both the WoodRat and the Leigh FMT "jig"
NONE of the tools/methods I've tried comes anywhere close to
as fast, flexible, easy and intuitive to use as the DOMINO.
There's an old maxim that says "Fast, Good, Cheap - Pick Two".
Now if you've priced the Leigh FMT and added the price of the
router, a mortising machine like the General Intl 75-0750M, the
DOMINO, fully loaded, is in the same price range. It's the
fastest way to cut "good" mortises that I've found so far so
relatively speaking - it's all three - fast, good AND not quite
"cheap". When you through in one more criteria - Idiot
Proof - the DOMINO stands head and shoulders above the
rest - though not totally Idiot Proof. I can attest to that,
but then I'm a pretty clever idiot and I'll often try to get
a tool to do something I'm certain the designer never even
considered.
Anyway, it's pushing midnite and I've got more messages
to send regarding the DOMINO. Being a Tool Evangelical
sure is time consuming.
I look foreward to learning a great deal from this group
and have every intention of being an active member.
charlie belden
aka charlie b
hope I didn't double post this message - each group seems
to have a different user interface
