Help Me Decide Which Domino I Should Buy.

guddeco

guddeco

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Joined
Jul 2, 2014
Messages
37
I'm in the market for a Domino, and like everyone I'm trying to decide which to go with.  I don't work with large stock very often, but I am going to be making some fairly thick stock tables, probably 5/4-6/4 tops and want to be able to use the Domino to help me join them and keep them stable.  I know the XL would be ideal due to the depth of cut, but I'm wondering if the 500 would work if I stack several tenons between the stock. 

My only reservation with the XL would be usability on 3/4 stock and smaller pieces. I don't want to get the XL and find that it works well with the table builds, but not so well on smaller projects, and vice versa with the 500.

Any help from current owners would be much appreciated!

 
I have the 500 and like it a lot.  Plenty of people on the FOG have chosen to go with the XL and use the Seneca bit adapters with the smaller bits to support a full range of options.  It's more money and heavier, but from a usability standpoint, I think the XL is sometimes easier to plunge and control than the 500.

That said, for your use, the 500 would certainly work well for what you are doing  If you are only edge gluing up wood for the table and it is milled square, I don't know that you would need to stack dominos on that type of work.  A few single dominos would more than hold it with alignment and if you clamp it up with proper glue, there should be no separation.

When I use a domino on edge joining, I only use a few tenons as it's not structural but just for alignment.

Share photos as you progress on the build!

And welcome to FOG -

neil
 
I wouldn't worry about using any particular domino for your tops regardless of thickness because your strength will come from the glue joint. I do worry about the leg to apron joint with the 500 because of the mortise depth. At this point I won't do a leg to apron joint with fewer than three of the 500's largest dominos and then only with good corner bracing between the aprons and into the legs. I have done 10 to 15 dining tables this way without any problems.
 
More than likely you will end up with both Dominos as did I. If I were doing tables, I'd buy the XL, build the tables, and then try it on smaller projects along with the Domino shims from Senaca. If you don't like how the XL works with smaller projects, you buy the 500.
 
Thanks for all the replies! It's all good info, I really appreciate the help!
 
I don't know much about these tools but I read the forum pretty often.  I read about this a little bit ago.  It lets you use the cutters from the smaller domino on the bigger domino, however, I THINK the one problem is if you deal with smaller stock, you might have to do some shimming or something because the XL requires a greater minimum thickness.

http://www.senecawoodworking.com/products/rts-500-cutter-adapter-for-festool-df700

I'm sure someone else will be able to provide you with more info.  I think that if you get the big one, and you can use the small cutters, then that might be the better route.  Or you can just buy both...LOL!  [big grin]
 
Domino 700 hands down. With the the adpater to use the 500 bits you got both for the price of one.

Obviously if money is no issue get both...
 
guddeco said:
I'm in the market for a Domino, and like everyone I'm trying to decide which to go with.  I don't work with large stock very often, but I am going to be making some fairly thick stock tables, probably 5/4-6/4 tops and want to be able to use the Domino to help me join them and keep them stable.  I know the XL would be ideal due to the depth of cut, but I'm wondering if the 500 would work if I stack several tenons between the stock. 

My only reservation with the XL would be usability on 3/4 stock and smaller pieces. I don't want to get the XL and find that it works well with the table builds, but not so well on smaller projects, and vice versa with the 500.

Any help from current owners would be much appreciated!
Click to expand...

  You really don't need anything larger than what the 500 delivers for 5/4 and 6/4 tops (counter/table tops ?). I have done several with the 500. In truth you don't need any at all for that. I have found that sometimes it helps and sometimes it hinders. I even did one where I used Dominos in some edges and not in others on the same top.  Depends on the board alignments and the jointing process you are using.

  So I am not sure the 5/4 and 6/4 tops will necessarily be a determining factor.

Seth
 
I concur with seth. Besides the dominos align and reinforce the joint. Its actually the glue that holds the pieces together
 
I have both Domino machines and if you only buy one of them, get the XL.  Both machines will do 95% of whatever you want to do in joining but the extended range of the XL wins in my opinion.

Jack
 
I have the 700 with all the after market extras to use any cutter.  If I was doing it over, i would get the 500.  I'ts lighter easier. unless you're making large solid wood entry doors, i'm not sure if the extra heft, hassle and price are worth it.  It makes working with 1/2 a real pain.  I'm sure there's a really good system, that I'm not aware of, to make things easier when using the 700 on thin stock.
 
At the end of the day, these machines are two different sizes of clever routers and with routers you typically don't find a "one size fits all needs" solution.

Buy the one that fits the majority of your needs ... Personally I think the 700 would become an annoyance with thin stock over time.

Both is obviously an option if you have enough applications!
 
guddeco, Let us know what you decide and more importantly, let us know what you think of your new tool!

Jack
 
Thanks for all the killer advice! I'm still deciding and have a bit before I have enough saved for it, but in the next few weeks or so I'll make my decision! I'll be sure to post about it!
 
I think that the 500 is suited for what you describe. Most edge joints I do not use any Dominos and just glue edge to edge...it is plenty strong. The 500 is perfect for smaller projects as well and allows the 4 mm Domino size, which I use all the time in mitered frames.

I love the XL and it is one of my top 3 Festool tools - it is one of the ones where Festool got everything right IMHO. It is perfect for bigger builds and that is why I got it - to help make bigger pieces of furniture.

Keep us posted.
 
I've been thinking about the 500 vs the 700, and my thought is that for smaller projects, I will use dovetails using the smallest leigh jig or just pin nail and glue. Or find some other decorative joinery techniques to experiment with.. The 700 could do things for bigger projects that would be more difficult to pull off with handsawn or router based joinery and mistakes here would be more expensive, so I want the security of the more foolproof joinery technique that the Dominos allow..
 
PreferrablyWood said:
I've been thinking about the 500 vs the 700, and my thought is that for smaller projects, I will use dovetails using the smallest leigh jig or just pin nail and glue. Or find some other decorative joinery techniques to experiment with.. The 700 could do things for bigger projects that would be more difficult to pull off with handsawn or router based joinery and mistakes here would be more expensive, so I want the security of the more foolproof joinery technique that the Dominos allow..
Click to expand...

I'll not say that the Domino XL700 is mistake proof just, faster getting results using careful techniques.

Jack
 
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