Help me justify a Domino

R

Roseland

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Aug 16, 2009
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I’m a keen hobbyist and undertake a very wide range of projects for friends.  I have a reasonably well equipped workshop (TS55, MFT/3, CT26, OF 1400, OF 1010, RS100, ETS 125), plus quite a few non-Festool tools such as a Triton router in a table, a ghastly Ryobi table saw and an Axminster biscuit jointer.

I had planned my next investment to be a bandsaw, to replace the Ryobi, so that I could re-saw hardwoods.  But Axminster have a great deal on the Domino DF-500 until the end of the month and I’m sorely tempted.

What would a Domino do significantly better than a biscuit jointer?

Andrew
 
Prepare for the storm of 2 pence...

;)

I have a domino because I hated my biscuit jointer... I use Dominoes for everything I possibly can now.  If you don't absolutely hate your biscuit, keep it for now and get the bandsaw.  If you do a lot of joinery, go for the Domino...

cheers.  Bryan.
 
Just get one, it will do its own convincing!!    I was always unsure if I would get one but I had a few jobs I knew I could use it on so I bought it, now  I look for ways to incorporate it into projects! 
I had a biscuit jointer before but rarely used it except for door and Window casing miters.. I was never really thrilled with it.

The domino is such a well engineered tool and  it does its job exceptionally well. You won't regret it

John

 
All my Festool products are significantly better than the tools they replaced, but the Domino was not just a better biscuit tool, it was a process changer. I use mine for everything from cabinet work down to jewelry boxes.

I think the Domino is a 3 part system. You need the Domino, a good vac that hooks up to the Domino, and a Domiplate. Also, buy the accessory kit with all the cutters and the tenon assortment.

I bought a number of add-ons after I bought the Domino. Only the Domiplate gets used.

The Domino requires good technique. Getting good results depends on understanding the tool and some degree of experience. I found the Halfinchshy videos to be extremely useful.

 
Roseland said:
[...]

What would a Domino do significantly better than a biscuit jointer?

Andrew
Click to expand...

Get used on woodworking projects.  [big grin]

Seriously, I've had a biscuit joiner for 5 years, and used it once when I first got it.  The second time I used it was, ironically, during the assembly of my "MFT-XL" supersized workbench.  Since I didn't have a Domino, I used the biscuit joiner to cut slots in the top of the frame to anchor the MDF top with Z-clips (so I didn't have to drive screws from the top  down into the frame).  It worked fine for that.
 
Roseland said:
I’m a keen hobbyist and undertake a very wide range of projects for friends.  I have a reasonably well equipped workshop (TS55, MFT/3, CT26, OF 1400, OF 1010, RS100, ETS 125), plus quite a few non-Festool tools such as a Triton router in a table, a ghastly Ryobi table saw and an Axminster biscuit jointer.

I had planned my next investment to be a bandsaw, to replace the Ryobi, so that I could re-saw hardwoods.  But Axminster have a great deal on the Domino DF-500 until the end of the month and I’m sorely tempted.

What would a Domino do significantly better than a biscuit jointer?

Andrew
Click to expand...

Andrew,

I own a Lamello Biscuit joiner gathering dust since I bought my 1st Domino Joiner several years ago.  Attached are a few pictures of joints I cut with my Domino joiner in "a few minutes".  There is no substitute unless you are going to buy a multiple thousand dollar Feldor slot mortising machine IMHO.

Jack
 

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It depends on the material you work with most and the type of work you do. i think the domino shines in 3/4" material and above and is better in solid materials but still awesome in plywood. If you do a lot of joinery and case work it certainly speeds up and adds a good degree of structural rigidity. My gripes about the 500 are related to build quality and ergonomics. I'm constantly fighting the hose, the accessories are plastic and that base attachment to keep the domino vertical when plunging straight down into material is finicky and un reliable and I always have those little dovetailed plastic bits at the top of the fence posts falling off the machine. While I don't own one I regret not getting the 700 instead as i see it as more versatile. Personally I think a band saw may be a better investment if you had to pick between one or the other especially as a hobbyist where time to do joinery isn't translating into a paycheck. Don't get me wrong the domino is an extremely versatile machine and you can do some really clever joinery accurately and quickly, I just wanted to give you some honest food for thought.
 
While I agree with Ghostfist about some of the limitations of the Domino DF500,  I have seem to have overcome those limitations in getting precise mortise joints with that tool after Festool adjusted it for me.  I also agree that the DF700 is a better engineered machine and that is now my go to machine but, both of these machines will allow you more latitude in woodworking joints than a bandsaw.  The Mortise and Tenon joint is key in woodworking carcase construction with solid wood (and plywood in some cases).  The question is what do you intend to build and after you answer that question you can prioritize your acquisitions.

Jack
 
For the record, I don't own a bandsaw. If you want to know what a bandsaw can do for woodworking, watch the late great Sam maloof fly on one. Keep an eye on your fingers through. Mortise and tenon joinery is unquestionably vital to woodworking, the domino is not the only way to do it though, just a really fast way to do it within the limitations of the domino model you choose.
 
As others have already indicated, it depends.  I have both the Domino and the Lamello plate joiner.  I use the Domino more than the plate joiner and have found it to be more versatile.  The Domino really shines when building furniture with M&T joints where the plate joiner shines at sheet good construction for cabinets.  If I were limited to only one, it would be the Domino.  
 
LOL, I do own  20" Bandsaw AND I spent a weekend with Sam at a workshop in Berkeley making one of his chairs.  I would never recommend using a bandsaw the way Sam did, that man was a master craftsman and did things that would have me losing fingers on a regular basis.

I love my bandsaw but I would buy the Domino 1st based on furniture building I can always cut my curves with the Festool Jigsaw.

Jack
 
I'd go with the comment above from GhostFist re: it depends on what you are doing and what material you use - this will ultimately dictate what is the best choice at this stage.

I would also point out that given your current stable of Festool products I suspect it is highly likely you will get a Domino at some point in the future. With this is in mind and the current package deals available this can't take much justifying which one to get at this stage.

 
You can reliably test assemble anything you're making with floating tenons - this is something you simply can't do with biscuits. I think this makes the Domino a superior creative tool for one off and small production jobs.

At some point an assembly and the frameworks, jigs, etc that you use to make it could become a cheaper build with biscuits ... but I doubt a hobbyist will ever end up in that place (maybe with the exception of a once a decade multi regular cabinet project such as a kitchen ... and still I'd personally use the Domino)
 
I own both Domino machines. They are complete game changers. Buy one, build something, and return it if you're not sold. 
 
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