Lamello vs Domino

[Alan m]

heres my [2cents] worth

i have a cheap (might have something to do with it) buscuit jointer that i never use since getting the domino. domt see the need for it,. the only exeption i can see is rows of buscuits joining boards together to make wider boards.

i own a domino and love it. i use it for every thing i can.

i have used a maffel duo doweller in collage , it good but finiky to set up and you need to be extremly accurate with the placement. not as nice to use a the domino (reason i didnt buy one over the domino).  i like the extrusion that the fence slots into for lateral allignment across a panel. might make one for my domino

i hear that the maffel doweler can be used for drilling shelf pins. you set the fence height for the distance from the front edge and drill the first holes , then use the location pins to move down the panel. i like this idea. it might be faster than the lr32 system to set up and use.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Must be lost across the pond as I read and understand JMB just fine.  I don't know why it seems to be us English folk that abuse the English language the most.

You've never heard a California "valley girl" talk!

I know, like totally.
 

 

[GruntSgt]

Must be lost across the pond as I read and understand JMB just fine.  I don't know why it seems to be us English folk that abuse the English language the most.

You've never heard a California "valley girl" talk!

I know, like totally.
 

ooooo gag me with a spoon.

 

[John Stevens]

Hi, Benn.  I owned a lamello biscuit joiner before I owned a domino--not sure I'd have bought one if the domino had existed.  When it comes to joining wood, I almost always use the domino.  Still, I find odd situations when the lamello is better suited to that task, as some others have noted in this thread.

But there's more to the domino and lamello than joining wood.  I jokingly call the domino "the thousand dollar German machine that solves every problem" because it's amazing how many uses there are for using the domino for things other than joining wood.  Same with the lamello.  I like to use it with lamello hinges--quick and easy!  I also like to use it as a mini-saw.  The other day, I had an oddball job where I had to make a louvered door narrower, and I didn't want to use my ATF55 because of the risk of damaging the louvers.  So I used a hand saw for the rails at the top and bottom of the door, and the lamello to cut through the rail in the middle of the door.  Having done that, I was able to remove the louvers and cut them on the miter saw.  Maybe I could've used the domino instead of the lamello, I guess, but I was worried that the oscillator might not like being plunged into a piece of wood that was narrower than the sweep of the cutter.  With the lamello I didn't have to worry about that.  As rugged as the domino is, the lamello's much less prone to injury.  After that experience, I've decided to make a "zero clearance face plate" for the lamello from UHMW poly so I can use it for grooving--one more nice use for the lamello.

Lamello biscuit joiners are expensive, but I've heard they last forever, so you might be able to save a little money if you can find a used one.  I've also heard that the PC models are very good, some say even better than lamello.

Regards,

John

 

[Captainwrinkles]

WoW! I didnt realise it would be such an interesting topic. Thanks for all the replies and interesting points.

I've used lamello, PC, Dewalt, Makita and even freud joiners. Of the lot, i liked the smooth plunging action of the lamello. Also, the lamello machine was pushing 15 years old. Even
with that against it, it still ran smoothly and precisely. The dewalts have a tendency to create slop in the slide mechanism, that eventually creates a crooked groove. The makitas
have a tendency the stick on the glide system, and the freud was S%!T!

One other thing i like about the Lamello machines is the accessory that can trim up solid edging flush to the ends on panels. Would save having to take them back to the saw to trim up.
Its a lot of money for a tool that (according to most replies) may end up collecting dust rather then producing it.

I own a Freud Dowell joiner too. I bought it specifically for doing runs of shelf pin holes. BUT the 2 registering pins are exactly 5mm and ever so slightly askew
which means they wont slot into the previous 5mm hole. I may end up having to get an engineer to make me 2 smaller diameter pins so it will work. Havent tried using it for
dowell joints though, i have my domino for that.

 

[bustedbolt]

the lamello goes faster for production. faster and safer (accurate) plunging at full speed.
the tiny extra slop in the biscuit allows for clamp up "adjustments" while glue is on and all assembled. that doesnt happen with the domino. instead, the precision can trip you up, you gotta check each one,. which is fine when you have time and need it.

also to note: the lamello and its fence particularly recover way way better from the types of typical falls that happen when everyone is running around in a shop. (two domino's down, one lamello still chugging).

still, the domino does have special talents. just don't let anyone else touch it. and always put it in the systainer locked on top of the Vac so it doesn't ever get knocked around.

 

[spikfot]

After a few years of dust collecting due to a domino purchase, I sold my Milwaukee Lamello cutter. I still have a box of biscuits, and a special router cutter for glue ups.
¨

 

[Deansocial]

Must be lost across the pond as I read and understand JMB just fine.  I don't know why it seems to be us English folk that abuse the English language the most.

Yup-y'all sure do butcher the English language over there. But don't worry- us Yankees fixed it up just fine for ya!

well it is our language to butcher, at least we don't miss letters out and swap s' for z'  [tongue]

 

[fritter63]

well it is our language to butcher, at least we don't miss letters out and swap s' for z'  [tongue]

But we specialize in off color humor!

 

[spikfot]

And y'all would be speaking German over there if not for the Yanks...