Hi guys................ I'm a new convert to festools and to this forum so please be patient with me. I have my own small shop and already own a TS 75 saw system with a CT 33, RO 150, OF 1400 and MFT 1080 so you don't have to sell me on the idea of how good these tools are. My question is, most of my jointing is done with a dowelmax jig/ Kreg pocket jig, in reality is the Domino productive enough to offset the high cost? ( In English will I make my money back in labour time saved). I have seen all of the demo's but would like to hear from someone who uses this tool to put food on his/hers table. I look forward to hearing what you guys have to say.....
Domino sysetem
- Thread starter colinw
- Start date
Steve Jones
Member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2007
- Messages
- 405
Colin,
Guess I'll throw in my two cents worth: I have the Domino, a cheap biscuit cutter, and the Kreg pocket hole system. I deal with mostly plywood panels (building euro style cabinets) and frankly the Kreg gets used daily, the Domino occaisionally, and the biscuit cutter (since aquiring the Domino) has not been used.
The Domino is quick when you need a tennon, For the boxes (cabinet cases) I'm putting Kreg screws in where they won't be visible (under the deck, on top of the stretchers), even in the sides of cabs which will join other cabinets. Not through preference, but I do this for a living, the faster I get something finished, the more money I make, the Kreg is faster.
On the doors (5 piece) the Domino is king. Pocket holes are ugly and a pain to fill even with the plugs from kreg and a Fein to cut them flush. The domino makes a strong, invisible joint with no metal (in case I have to cut a door apart or "trim" it a little).
If you buy one (domino that is) first check the setup, seems like many people have got one (like I did) where Festool didn't set the sight gauge or the internal stops (Note to Festool employees, It's pretty damn annoying to find that the company (who could have set it up in seconds) leave it to the customer to set it up accurately (which takes a while)).
(nested parenthesis, guess what I used to do for a living) - I digress
Then Clamp the pieces, I often think the domino should have been a bench tool, that little router bit throws itself around a bit while chewing it's way into your project, given half a chance it will move itself just enough to ruin what should have been a nice flush joint. (Not a critism of the domino, just some hard earned experience)
Steve
Mod:
On second read through, I shouldn't have said it "ruins" the joint since the Domino makes it so easy to fix it (glue a domino into the hole that went wrong, cut it off flush and re-cut the hole).
Guess I'll throw in my two cents worth: I have the Domino, a cheap biscuit cutter, and the Kreg pocket hole system. I deal with mostly plywood panels (building euro style cabinets) and frankly the Kreg gets used daily, the Domino occaisionally, and the biscuit cutter (since aquiring the Domino) has not been used.
The Domino is quick when you need a tennon, For the boxes (cabinet cases) I'm putting Kreg screws in where they won't be visible (under the deck, on top of the stretchers), even in the sides of cabs which will join other cabinets. Not through preference, but I do this for a living, the faster I get something finished, the more money I make, the Kreg is faster.
On the doors (5 piece) the Domino is king. Pocket holes are ugly and a pain to fill even with the plugs from kreg and a Fein to cut them flush. The domino makes a strong, invisible joint with no metal (in case I have to cut a door apart or "trim" it a little).
If you buy one (domino that is) first check the setup, seems like many people have got one (like I did) where Festool didn't set the sight gauge or the internal stops (Note to Festool employees, It's pretty damn annoying to find that the company (who could have set it up in seconds) leave it to the customer to set it up accurately (which takes a while)).
(nested parenthesis, guess what I used to do for a living) - I digress
Then Clamp the pieces, I often think the domino should have been a bench tool, that little router bit throws itself around a bit while chewing it's way into your project, given half a chance it will move itself just enough to ruin what should have been a nice flush joint. (Not a critism of the domino, just some hard earned experience)
Steve
Mod:
On second read through, I shouldn't have said it "ruins" the joint since the Domino makes it so easy to fix it (glue a domino into the hole that went wrong, cut it off flush and re-cut the hole).
Hi,
I have used Domino. It is gorgeous tool.
I openly used Domino to make Louver windows too.
http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=2438.0
If you get domino, you don't want to go back to ohter kinds of jointer.
Regards.
I have used Domino. It is gorgeous tool.
I openly used Domino to make Louver windows too.
http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=2438.0
If you get domino, you don't want to go back to ohter kinds of jointer.
Regards.
brandon.nickel
Member
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2007
- Messages
- 241
If you were going to use a mortise and tenon joint anyway, the Domino is the fastest thing going. If you're using staples and brads (high volume, low quality), then there's no advantage. I agree with Steve that the pocket hole jig system is faster, but you have to be creative in your construction to hide the holes. Plus there are setups where you can't get a clamp in to pin the joint to drive the screws. I've had pocket hole assemblies move on me. That's not going to happen with the Domino. You can use it for open-field jointing that's much stronger than pocket hole screws (think plywood shelves Domino'd into the side of a plywood carcass). No visible holes and much stronger than relying on the tips of the screws in shear. Especially after someone tries to rack the cabinet a few times.
So, in summary, I guess it depends on how exposed your joinery is and how much trouble you take to hide your fastening methods.
So, in summary, I guess it depends on how exposed your joinery is and how much trouble you take to hide your fastening methods.
John Stevens
Member
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2007
- Messages
- 815
Not sure how much this helps, but I've found that the Domi is very fast if you can put together the two pieces of wood you're joining and then cut the mortise from the outside in, then bang in the tenons and cut off the excess with a flush-cut saw. Or use a jig to cut a whole bunch of the tenons to the proper length before hand. Or, fastest of all, buy "Tuffer Tenons" cut to your desired length--
http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=1451.msg15025#msg15025
The operation I'm trying to describe is the one used for "domi drawers," but applied to cabinet carcases instead. I've done this for the tops and bottoms of utility cabinets, but haven't used it yet for the whole thing. Here's a link to a thread on how to do this for drawers. Note that the drawer sides are not "rebated" ("rabbeted" for us Yanks)--
http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=800.msg7493#msg7493
If the joints aren't going to be visible, then no problem. If they are going to be visible, then you might find that the exposed joint isn't offensive to look at.
Regards,
John
http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=1451.msg15025#msg15025
The operation I'm trying to describe is the one used for "domi drawers," but applied to cabinet carcases instead. I've done this for the tops and bottoms of utility cabinets, but haven't used it yet for the whole thing. Here's a link to a thread on how to do this for drawers. Note that the drawer sides are not "rebated" ("rabbeted" for us Yanks)--
http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=800.msg7493#msg7493
If the joints aren't going to be visible, then no problem. If they are going to be visible, then you might find that the exposed joint isn't offensive to look at.
Regards,
John
Thanks every body.....thanks for your input Steve as what you seem to be doing is similar to my own situation, basically what I'm after is on higher end work a fast reliable strong repeatable and most of all accurate joint and at the moment the dowlmax is the tool I use. From what i am hearing from you guys I am thinking I am going to be the owner of another green tool... 
. Thank you all for your input...................... and yes John I am a Brit but I have been adrift in the land of wooden and plastic houses (U.S) for many years now.........again many thanks to those of you who replied 
. Thank you all for your input...................... and yes John I am a Brit but I have been adrift in the land of wooden and plastic houses (U.S) for many years now.........again many thanks to those of you who replied Steve Jones
Member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2007
- Messages
- 405
Colin,
You are welcome to the help, get the Domino, ex-pat myself (immigration is the sincerest form of flattery).
Im in Austin Texas (you can't weird me out, I live in Austin)
As long as your doing the same kind of stuff, feel free to ask me about efficient quality work (I've been streamlining cabinet and custom furniture production for a year with festool products) as long as you're doing it a long way away, I'll happily share all my trade secrets.
You are welcome to the help, get the Domino, ex-pat myself (immigration is the sincerest form of flattery).
Im in Austin Texas (you can't weird me out, I live in Austin)
As long as your doing the same kind of stuff, feel free to ask me about efficient quality work (I've been streamlining cabinet and custom furniture production for a year with festool products) as long as you're doing it a long way away, I'll happily share all my trade secrets.
Steve,
I think theres enough room between us I'm in Illinois about 60 miles south of Chicago, Thanks for the offer and if I do have any questions I will pick your brains for sure! This year I am going to be braching out into the custom outdoor furniture market as there is a big demand for custom deck furnitue here in my area, that was another reason I was intersest in the Domino (lots of M&T joints). The same goes here for you if I can be of any help just holla
I think theres enough room between us I'm in Illinois about 60 miles south of Chicago, Thanks for the offer and if I do have any questions I will pick your brains for sure!
This year I am going to be braching out into the custom outdoor furniture market as there is a big demand for custom deck furnitue here in my area, that was another reason I was intersest in the Domino (lots of M&T joints). The same goes here for you if I can be of any help just holla
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2007
- Messages
- 1,671
I custom build bookcase units, mantels, entertainment centers etc for a living since I have been using the domino it has help with alignment of cabinets, stronger joints. I, when making a base cab with bookcase on top. I use seveal dominos for joining the tops to the sides. along with several pocket hole screws to crank it down. solid cabs. I hardly ever used biscuts before the domino. but I can tell you this the domino has helped with stronger cabs, and saves time. I do not use the "wings" for spacing I just mark off with pencil and line up.
even on face frames you no not need any nails, maybe a few 23gage for tacking, but it provides for a clean job. I show the customers a sample of the domino when I am selling a job. it helps because my prices are higher than most but lower than some. so I have to validate why I am better, better wood, better joints (even in high school in the 60's I had better joints!) better finish etc.
so as with all festools give it a shot, you got 30 days to try it out.
but it is quick, after you get used to it several uses,
good luck
even on face frames you no not need any nails, maybe a few 23gage for tacking, but it provides for a clean job. I show the customers a sample of the domino when I am selling a job. it helps because my prices are higher than most but lower than some. so I have to validate why I am better, better wood, better joints (even in high school in the 60's I had better joints!) better finish etc.
so as with all festools give it a shot, you got 30 days to try it out.
but it is quick, after you get used to it several uses,
good luck
Jerry Work
Member
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2007
- Messages
- 307
Hi Colinw,
As one who designs and hand crafts fine furniture to put food on the plate, my answer is simply yes. You might want to read the manual I wrote on the Domino machine for a number of examples of how I use it every day to join two or more work pieces, to help engineer around wood movement issues, to locate work pieces, to speed up assembly of R, S & P components, to make removable sliding doors that fit well, and many more. Available for free download from the festool USA home page under application tips, woodworking. Hope it helps.
Jerry
As one who designs and hand crafts fine furniture to put food on the plate, my answer is simply yes. You might want to read the manual I wrote on the Domino machine for a number of examples of how I use it every day to join two or more work pieces, to help engineer around wood movement issues, to locate work pieces, to speed up assembly of R, S & P components, to make removable sliding doors that fit well, and many more. Available for free download from the festool USA home page under application tips, woodworking. Hope it helps.
Jerry
colinw said: