Birdhunter
Member
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2012
- Messages
- 4,144
The Timberwolf web site has excellent DDF40 videos. The DDF40 videos I found on YouTube are not English and rather crude.
For reference, I own both Domino machines and the DDF40. The 500 gets the most use followed by the DDF40 followed by the 700.
The 500 is far quicker for most applications using the narrow/wide opposing settings. The DDF40 excels in applications requiring extreme accuracy. Also, I can place two dowels in a space too narrow for two Domino tenons.
I would put the DDF40 a little ahead of the Domino in build quality but not in any way that affects real usage. The DDF40 kit has a number of attachments that greatly enhance its usage, primarily for spacing holes.
The DDF40 uses pins and not flappers for locators. Seems to be a superior design. I find buying metric dowels difficult. Most sources sell only extremely large minimum orders like 5 thousand. I ordered some 6mm dowels on Amazon that came from China. They were undersized. Amazon refunded my money.
The DDF40 requires a lot more force to drill the holes than a Domino needs to cut even a large mortise. This worried me, but Timberwolf staff assured me this was normal.
The fence on the DDF40 seems superior to that of the Domino machines. It’s rack & pinion adjustment is very accurate. I was using the DDF40 on an 8 sided box. The 22.5 degree detent was spot on.
In summary, I really don’t see the DDF40 and the Dominos being direct competitors. The machines overlap a little in application, but each has a wide range of standout usage.
For reference, I own both Domino machines and the DDF40. The 500 gets the most use followed by the DDF40 followed by the 700.
The 500 is far quicker for most applications using the narrow/wide opposing settings. The DDF40 excels in applications requiring extreme accuracy. Also, I can place two dowels in a space too narrow for two Domino tenons.
I would put the DDF40 a little ahead of the Domino in build quality but not in any way that affects real usage. The DDF40 kit has a number of attachments that greatly enhance its usage, primarily for spacing holes.
The DDF40 uses pins and not flappers for locators. Seems to be a superior design. I find buying metric dowels difficult. Most sources sell only extremely large minimum orders like 5 thousand. I ordered some 6mm dowels on Amazon that came from China. They were undersized. Amazon refunded my money.
The DDF40 requires a lot more force to drill the holes than a Domino needs to cut even a large mortise. This worried me, but Timberwolf staff assured me this was normal.
The fence on the DDF40 seems superior to that of the Domino machines. It’s rack & pinion adjustment is very accurate. I was using the DDF40 on an 8 sided box. The 22.5 degree detent was spot on.
In summary, I really don’t see the DDF40 and the Dominos being direct competitors. The machines overlap a little in application, but each has a wide range of standout usage.
