Iceclimber said:
Idk i keep finding a reason not to buy the Domino. Don't get me wrong i really really want one. So if you can get by with another tool i feel you...
I understand the domino has many creative uses. On the other hand my personal motivation to buy the Domino is to make mortises in large doors and for furniture joinery.
When i consider this is what i really want it for a little voice in the back of my head always chirps up and saiz "yes but a real mortise and tenon the old way, hand cut or on a press is sooooo much more desirable when it comes to a finished piece"! I suppose if this was a tool i wanted to use to make money as i do all my other Festools i might feel different in light of productivity.
Currently i am actually considering purchasing the Powermatic heavy duty hollow chisel mortiser, not the bench top one but the floor model that has a legit table and clamping mechanism. Its just under $1300 shipped to my door.
As for the wife/tool dilemma idk. If its going to create a big problem for you if you just purchase it i would not do it. On the other hand if that be the case i might be more worried about that and what to do about it more than i was worried about wanting a tool.
As a hobbyist, we all will, at some point try and attempt to master a traditional mortise and tenon. Call it a right-of-passage into the brother and sisterhood of woodworkers. I got real good at making them. Gustav Stickley would have been proud. Only the self-satisfaction of knowing there is an M&T joint in my work mattered. Does wifey know? Yes. Does wifey care? Nope.
Then came the Domino demonstration by my local Festool Rep. How fast did he set it up and start plunging and joining? Wow... This is one purchase (of all my tools) that I will never regret buying. Since owning one, I have sold by Delta Mortiser, biscuit joiner, Loose tenon bead jigs, dowel jigs and shelved the dovetail jig. The only joinery jig I use in conjunction with the Domino is the Kreg Jig only because it helps me with glue-ups on large panels.
Perhaps the Domino isn't for everyone. It's a heavy investment for sure. I still do a traditional M & T on my table saw and hand chisels when required but when I am in between projects and the span of time exceeds weeks or months, the real value is that I don't have to re-learn how to use it or make many test measurements or cuts. There is little to no learning curve (for me) especially when used in conjunction with a Domi-plate. Hardwoods are getting more expensive and mistakes in joinery can get costly and happen more often than we care to admit. The Domino has been a win-win for me.
