Review of the New Domino XL DF 700 - Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3

[Stone Message]

Peter, thanks for the great review videos of the XL. Well done.  [thumbs up]

It's a phenomenal tool and I really like the improvements over the original design. Now I just need a project to use it on...  [scratch chin]

Shane,

Many thanks. I am continuing to make my new bench as I have a 2 day break before other tasks hit me. I have just used my Domino DF 500 to put in some 5x30mm dominos - they seem so tiny after so many days using the DF 700. I am sure that a project will come along soon enough - if not let me telephone someone you love and suggest that a new garden bench is needed!

Peter

 

[PaulMarcel]

Caught up on this thread now that part 3 is up... watched part 2 again cuz I watched it, uhm, at work, uhm, while doing, uhm, work...  [embarassed]

Love the 1080P HD; looks great on a 27" monitor!
I'm curious what those black bumpers were on your MFT.  Look simple enough, but also pretty handy if they could stop some lateral motion.

So the plastic piece up near the fence for setting the height now lists the fence-to-center-of-mortise distance?  On the DF-500, the scale on the fence shows that, but the 'quick set' steps show the overall stock thickness.  I'd prefer it show the height (in a way like positive stops).  Sounds like they improved that on the Domizilla.

Too bad you didn't have this for that barn; I could imagine the hassle of taking long stock to a mortising machine.  And the time.  Build another one with the 700 for comparison!

'Naughty words' is far too gentle a description of what I say when I screw up or when the glue seizes in my 104ºF garage in seconds.

Nice video series; well done!  Rats, I forgot to mute the thread...  [unsure]

 

[Stone Message]

Hi Paul

The black dog like things are what remains of a pair of car cycle carriers and were the tightenening screw for the clamp that held the bike in place. The black part is soft-ish plastic and it has a slightly tapered collar that fits snugly in the 20mm holes of the MFT. They work really well and help stop lateral movement, probably due to their large diameter and the slightly rubbery plastic. I have not bothered to remove the bolt that was part of the thing - take a look at the photograph below. I have also put some of my wide domino 'sticks' in the picture.

On the DF 700 both the stepped height gauge and the incremental gauge at the side are calibrated to give the distance from the centre of the mortice. I think that it is an improvement as there is less chance of error with one measuring method.

I am using my Nikon D7000 for stills and video. It is a lovely camera and I bought it after many hours of research made much easier (just like you telling me about the Domino 500 in your videos) when I found a US guy called Ken Rockwell - he loves the D7000 and so I bought it. It is a bit spooky that the new Domino is called the D700 and my camera is the same with just one extra zero!

Let me know when you buy either the new Domino or the Nikon camera!!!!!!

Peter

 

[Timtool]

thank you for the nice videos, it may have helped me somewhere to take the "plunge". Saturday morning i was gonna start on some shed doors that had to be done quickly as usual and i was figuring out how to do the joinery when i thought "why don't i get the XL now, as i got a few similar jobs coming on. I phoned my dealer and went and got it just like that.
I took some oil recharges for the surfix and the 14mm cutter, and i got those for free.
Didn't take any domino's though, as it's an outdoor door set i would have needed sipo ones. Instead i spent about an hour making 20 meters of 14mm domino stock using afrormosia hardwood cutoffs from a gate. That saved me about €100 worth of domino's including my labor time!

So far i like it though it gets really heavy after a while.

 

[Stone Message]

Good for you Tim,

I am not sure why you find it a bit heavy - I have pretty bad joints and had no problems at all. Well done for making your own doms - if they are not available from Festool then go for it.

Enjoy your new Festool.

Peter

 

[james burns]

yeah great review well done just wonder weather someone can answer this is this going to be available in 110v in the UK

 

[woodguy7]

Peter

Congrats on an excellent series of videos.  I am sitting on the fence ready to pull the trigger on the Dom.  My main use would be for internal doors but I am very much a traditionalist, mortise & tennon every time.  Do you think this would be strong enough for internal doors ?  I have a new Hammer spindle moulder on order & should get it just after Christmass so maybe I should just leave it & continue doing it the "proper" way ?  It is the speed factor that is appealing.

Thanks again, Woodguy.

 

[bellchippy]

Peter

Congrats on an excellent series of videos.  I am sitting on the fence ready to pull the trigger on the Dom.  My main use would be for internal doors but I am very much a traditionalist, mortise & tennon every time.  Do you think this would be strong enough for internal doors ?  I have a new Hammer spindle moulder on order & should get it just after Christmass so maybe I should just leave it & continue doing it the "proper" way ?  It is the speed factor that is appealing.

Thanks again, Woodguy.

My opinion is the larger dominos are definitely strong enough for doors e.t.c., and if mortises had been easy enough to cut in the end of a rail for example, mortice and tennon joint would have evolved differently .

 

[mattfc]

I am using my Nikon D7000 for stills and video. It is a lovely camera and I bought it after many hours of research made much easier (just like you telling me about the Domino 500 in your videos) when I found a US guy called Ken Rockwell - he loves the D7000 and so I bought it. It is a bit spooky that the new Domino is called the D700 and my camera is the same with just one extra zero!

Let me know when you buy either the new Domino or the Nikon camera!!!!!!

Great video and review.. I just need to find a large enough project to make an excuse to buy one

I have the Canon 7D so will need to add a couple of zeros! keep up the great posts.. found the watch one very very funny, I think you could do an update on it along the upgrade lines (found it very funny the rush were in to dump their old systainers and switch to the t-locks ???)

 

[Stone Message]

Peter

Congrats on an excellent series of videos.  I am sitting on the fence ready to pull the trigger on the Dom.  My main use would be for internal doors but I am very much a traditionalist, mortise & tennon every time.  Do you think this would be strong enough for internal doors ?  I have a new Hammer spindle moulder on order & should get it just after Christmass so maybe I should just leave it & continue doing it the "proper" way ?  It is the speed factor that is appealing.

Thanks again, Woodguy.

Dear Woodguy,

I too have a traditional background but even the traditions move with the times. Some of the things that we think are the bedrock of traditional woodwork are really an expression of what could be done with the tools and technology of the time. My father would rather spend an afternoon ripping timber lengths by hand with the most lovely rip saw which I cherish to this day. I would not dream of using it now unless it was the only way to tackle a job. Even a forensic expert could tell whether I used my TS55 or a hand saw once a job is completed. In many cases it comes down to what you feel about the job. There will always be areas where the old methods are still better as they allow the craftsman to be in touch with his work.

I would not hesitate to use the DF 700 on doors, both internal and external. You can still use your router door set (and panel raising) and then use the DF 700 for really strong joints. I seem to remember seeing a Festool video of just this process but I cannot remember where.

Thanks for the comments on the video.

Peter

 

[Timtool]

I wasn't convinced that the 700 could make strong enough joints until i got it, on some pressure threated pine outdoor doors i made, i used two 14x70 dominos per joint, and believe me it take a mallet to get them in all the way and once they are in there is no getting them out again. From that moment on i was convinced. The joints may have less glue surface than traditional ones, but they are perfect. Which honestly is an art to achieve with traditional joinery.

But what i would want is that festool provides us with some kind of documents or info about what they tested it on. Because i am sure they tested and perfected it for years. It would be handy to have their knowledge and experience to avoid having to go through the trial and error phase ourselves.

 

[woodguy7]

Timtool, you make a good point.  Festool must have testing data & it would be nice to see the results.

Well I have decided to go for the complete set but it will be 2 weeks before my dealer can get it.  Will report back when I've tried it.  I have 5 internal doors to make just now so I will try to delay them until I get it.  The time saving on these doors should just about pay for it.

Peter, thanks for your reply.

Woodguy.

 

[marrt]

Most excellent video.

 

[bellchippy]

Timtool, you make a good point.  Festool must have testing data & it would be nice to see the results.

Well I have decided to go for the complete set but it will be 2 weeks before my dealer can get it.  Will report back when I've tried it.  I have 5 internal doors to make just now so I will try to delay them until I get it.  The time saving on these doors should just about pay for it.

Peter, thanks for your reply.

Woodguy.

I think you will be pleased with your purchase, not only the time saving but the saving in materials about 3m of rail stock de pending on the style of door ( assuming 100mm stiles) on 5 doors.

 

[tiralie]

Great review!
Not sure I will ever buy but after watching this I sure know what it can do.
Thanks Peter.
Tim

 

[meatman]

Hi Peter
Just watched all three videos well done sir
Points that have been raised so far: about traditional mortise and tenon joints. I think if our friends Mr Chippingdale & Mr Sheriton would have adored the kit we have now and been first in the que, when the next new must have came out.

For the professional woodworker this new DF700 is a must have. I just need the rite project to justify the cost of this latest must have.
Meatman

 

[Stone Message]

Hi Peter
Just watched all three videos well done sir
Points that have been raised so far: about traditional mortise and tenon joints. I think if our friends Mr Chippingdale & Mr Sheriton would have adored the kit we have now and been first in the que, when the next new must have came out.

For the professional woodworker this new DF700 is a must have. I just need the rite project to justify the cost of this latest must have.
Meatman

Cheers Meatman

Fingers crossed that someone will ask you to do some big doors or a barn!! You could always run an ad in your local paper.

Peter

 

[Guy Ashley]

Peter

Well having watched your video's and your very detailed and informative precise of the Domino XL700, I have now sold my soul to the devil!!

Being a traditional joiner I have a Multico tenoner and a Sedgwick morticer and use them to create the usual mortice and tenon joinery, but thanks to you they are "dead men walking", Ebay listed, and an order placed for the Domino XL!!! [scared] [scared]

I should also give credit to our erstwhile colleague, Woodguy, who is also ordering one. If he, being a "thrifty Scot", is prepared to spend that amount of money they must be good! [laughing] [laughing]

Thanks again for the videos reviews, and Festool should look to retain your services, you have no doubt been responsible for an increase in their sales figures. 

Guy

 

[Stone Message]

Dear Guy

Many thanks.

I am so pleased that you have joined the 'DF 700 club' - you will not regret it. In the old days I had so many single purpose dedicated machines that, even though they were from the same manufacturer, shared no interchangeable parts or were in any way part of an 'integrated' approach. I have sold all but my bandsaw and planer/thicknesser and bought Festool kit. I am able to do the same tasks as before but more accurately, more quickly and with much more job satisfaction. I have re-discovered the pleasure of really accurate cuts and perfect joints made in a clean and almost dust free workshop.

I know that Festool in Germany have a YouTube channel. I would be delighted to provide something like that for the English speaking world.

Thanks again and enjoy your lovely new Festool tool.

Peter

 

[woodguy7]

Oy Guy, what do you mean "thrifty scot"  [blink]

It was you that told me that Shrouds don't have pockets  [tongue] :