I have a Domino now...do I still need my biscuit joiner?

[nickao]

There is no way those deck clips are working in my location with green treated lumber, if at all. I think the biscuits may look a little better.

Nickao

 

[Per Swenson]

No, I am not a Sir I work for a living.

All though some say I have been benighted.

And I haven't used them.

Last big buck deck I did was teak and mahogany plug, 15 years ago.

Per

 

[nickao]

Teak is Sweet! Bet it still looks good. I think my last outdoor living structure, as we called them, was 1999.

Nick

 

[Dixon Peer]

I should have prefaced by saying  my sinuses are extremely reactive to wood dust, especially poplar plys in plywood I use.  That's a big reason why the domino and all the festool systems appeal to me.  I have an early model freud biscuit joiner that has no outlet for dust collection and when I cut slots in 3/4 birch plywood for carcases (and I cut a lot of them) , I create a real snowstorm in my shop.  That said, the only reason to keep joiner that I've read so far would be for door casings.  Good point Dixon. 

I have a Lamello top 20 or whatever its model number is (the over priced $600 one) and it has a dust port attachment that I hook up to a hose they sell and it "plugs in" to my Festool CT33 vac hose.  No dust at all...

 

[tallgrass]

i have found the deck biscuits to work well. i have used the plastic and the metal ones. i prefer the metal ones, not that i have had bad experiences with the plastic ones but the aluminum ones give greater confidence. i have made several decks for friends and they love the clean look. one of the decks was made with the composite stuff and the other decks were red wood. the oldest deck is about 5 years old and they seem to be holding up well. i think that the lack of screw holes does seem to be a benefit against water penetrating the wood.

 

[vteknical]

Shameless Plug to follow.  But I know of a great FOG member getting rid of his 557 joiner in the classified section.

I guess my classified add says it all for me at least.  For cabinet installs and occasional remod side jobs I'm hoping the Domino will get me through.  I am in a state of serious tool clean-up.  I have a thickness planer I may part with as well.

One of the tools I would never part with is the Multimaster!  But yet some guys just don't have need.

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Sold mine.  Not much use for it in furniture building and I really needed the space.

 

[Jerry White]

When I purchased my Domino I fully intended to keep my biscuit jointer.  I reasoned that surely, there would be some tasks that the biscuit would be better suited for than the Domino.  Well, after a year, I have not even pulled out the biscuit jointer, except to sell it.  I'm sure that there are some applications that the biscuit is more suited for, but I don't forsee them as a need for me.

Besides, I am realizing the limitations of finite space within the shop!  Like Jesse, I need the space.

 

[richard.selwyn]

Don't know if they are AINA but Lamello keep bringing out new gadgets.  I sometimes use their hinges - you machine the rebate (is that the right word) with the biscuit joiner.  Their two piece metal knock down biscuits look appealing - I've a box somewhere but never used them.  They recently brought out "half" biscuits in plastic which are great for a quick joint like on a picture frame where the back isn't seen.  Maybe all this innovation is to stop them losing out too much to the domination of the Domino?  I still use my biscuit joiner a lot - and still feel more comfortable with it than the Domino - but I thnik I've got two left hands!!

 

[John Stevens]

I sometimes use their hinges - you machine the rebate (is that the right word) with the biscuit joiner.

Yes, I don't use these hinges often, but I like them.  I'll be using a few dozen of them for an upcoming project, so I'm glad I kept the biscuit joiner.  However, if I had a model with no DC, I'd ditch it for that reason alone.

Regards,

John

 

[Toller]

I use mine about as much as the domino.  The biscuit joiner is simply easier and quicker for making panels.  It is not much good for anything else and you certainly can use dominoes for panels, but as long as you have it you might as well use the right tool.  Unless you don't think panels need anything...

 

[kdi]

sold my pc 557.  no need.

 

[nickao]

Everyone knows you will never need a biscuit joiner if you have a Domino.

Until you sell the biscuit joiner of course. The following week after selling it you will be kicking yourself wishing you had it. 

I sold a couple of tools that has happened to me with. That being said I have an untouched 557K PC brand new with all the goodies waiting for someone to give it a nice home! Fred doesn't your son in law need one?  ;D

Nickao

 

[nickao]

When I purchased my Domino I fully intended to keep my biscuit jointer.  I reasoned that surely, there would be some tasks that the biscuit would be better suited for than the Domino.  Well, after a year, I have not even pulled out the biscuit jointer, except to sell it.  I'm sure that there are some applications that the biscuit is more suited for, but I don't forsee them as a need for me.

Besides, I am realizing the limitations of finite space within the shop!  Like Jesse, I need the space.

Boy if that little joiner box is taking to space you are pressed for it!