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

[meatman]

Hi Guy
love the gate I have used lots of Idigbo to make lots of Stable doors for an old client. I agree about all the pitfalls but on a positive note it is a very cost effective timber to use.
One question about the field gate, why dose the top rail not taper from 5" to 4"
Meatman

 

[tiralie]

Not as "pretty" as Timtools doors, but this a 3.3m Raised Helve Field Gate that is going out tomorrow where the Domino XL was used as a hand held slot morticer.

Nice gate. I like gates and grids.
I like the Raised Helve design. The little curve (like a shepherds staff) and tear drop at the top (traditional) is a nice touch.
Is it designed that way to keep water (rain) soaking into the end grain?
Tim

 

[Stone Message]

Hi Everyone

I used the DF 700 to do the joints on the pedestal legs of my new bench. I said in the video that I would show you the finished creation...

It has a main vice and tail vice by Veritas - they are really good and I would not hesitate to recommend them. Almost everything else is made from either scraps from around the workshop or offcuts from my local supplier, Timbersource of Frome. I had to spend a total of £230 on everything, including the vices, some 4x2 timber and the large iroko top (which was ex-display from a kitchen showroom).

I hope that everyone with a DF 700 is happy with their purchase.

Peter

 

[live4ever]

The bench turned out superb!  Really like the addition of the outlets to the benchtop.  I really appreciated the review - of course, it made me drool a little (ok, a lot), but I think the DF500 will be enough for me and my pocketbook.

Now, do all Brits dress up all fancy for the shop, or is it just you?  [tongue]

 

[Stone Message]

Thank you - the bench turned out much better than I thought it would and so I am thinking of selling it now - but the buyer would have to collect.

I actually used both the DF 700 and the DF 500 on the bench build and, to be honest, the DF 700 on a project like this was total overkill. The DF 500 is a superb all rounder and, used correctly, can be used in some quite demanding designs. However, if you want to tackle large projects, like some that have been described above, then the DF 700 really comes into its own. Maybe one day you can have both!

You would be amazed what some of us wear in our workshops but in this case I was doing a shoot for a main headline photograph for a UK magazine and so I thought that I should look tidy (and breath in a little).

Thanks.

Peter

 

[flair woodworks]

I was really trying hard (and doing a good job) of completely ignoring the Domino XL because, well, I don't think I need one and don't want to believe otherwise.

But, alas, I have failed.

Great videos, Peter.  That was a great introduction.  I'm interested in seeing it for myself and trying it out.

 

[sako]

Excellent review of the D700 Peter.

 

[Kev]

Just a warning Peter ... if my wife uses extreme interrogation techniques, I won't be able to hold back. Both yourself and Paul Marcel will be named as people that drove me down the path of Festool extremism.

In some ways it's a shame ... but you must be aware that creating addictive tool reviews has it's consequences. You're not completely innocent in your actions.

...

On the other hand, I've got away with it so far - eh? What else do you think is really cool?

Kev.  [smile]

 

[Stone Message]

Hi Kev

Thanks for the encouragement.

I started moving over to Festool about a year ago and have a relatively small array of equipment. The dominos are brilliant but then so is my Kapex, Rotex 90, MFT3, TS 55 and all the little accessories that work so well together. My favourite (at the moment) is the OF2200 router. despite its size, I find it really easy to control and I am sure that its mass and power are part of the secret to its stability. My review is on YouTube and here on the FOG of course. The unsung hero that many of us forget is the dust extractor - I have the CTL26 and I have to say that my satisfaction with so many of the Festool tools owes a lot to the superb performance of the CTL 26 and the way that tool and extractor are so cleverly integrated by the Festool designers/engineers.

I have not done video reviews of either my Rotex 90 or my MFT3 - mainly because the video reviews done by Paul Marcel are so good. I may do something there if I can put some 'English' on it (ie to continue where Paul left off or look at them from a different perspective). The Rotex 90 is amazing and so quick to change from one task setup to another. I do a lot of fine work (small boxes and so on) and the RO90 is a dream.

I really hesitated when buying the MFT3 but now could not do without it. My old Radial Arm Saw needed replacement and that was going to be well over £1300 (thats probably about $7 Australian by now). By buying the MFT3 and TS55 saw I have just about replaced my RAS given that I already had bought the Kapex. I can now cut 700mm kitchen worktop cleanly which was impossible with the RAS - and my setup is portable with no loss of accuracy or flexibility.

The TS55 is a must have saw but I want to put mine into a CMS unit. Once there it will stay in that configuration and so I may just get a TS55R for rail sawing and to use with the MFT3. Now that the uninformed banter has died down and we have been able to have some hands-on with the new saw I think that it is a positive step forward with loads of value added fetaures, a number of improvements and Festool have kept the price the same.

Next on my list is the replacement of all of my Hitachi rechargeable drill/drivers. They all have dodgy batteries and so I hope to be able to do a gradual changeover in the next few months. Lithium Ion batteries are essential for rechargeable tools as the old Nicad and Nickel Metal Hydride tend to fall over too soon.

Thanks again.

Peter

 

[Holmz]

here are pics of my second and third domino XL projects, the first one i didn't take pics of!
...
and a cedar gate for a carport:



both have 2 (14x140mm) dominos per joint, homemade with afrormosia left overs (african hardwood that doesn't rot)
...

^I like it.^
How are the dominos oriented in the angled pieces?

 

[Stone Message]

When I made this Gate:

[attachimg=1]

I laid it out dry to mark then cut the brace to size. Then I marked the domino locations which went at right angles to the butting faces between the brace and the two uprights.

Peter

 

[Holmz]

Cheers Peter & Good morning.

I like it... it has a bit of a Greek or Egyptian look to it with the 'curled over' top part.
Is that side the latch side or the hinge side?
Looks like the small side convieniently was nestled up in the same piece of wood as the curled-over side emerged from(?).

And is it about 3" thick on the square side?
I am beginning to think that my idea of using 2"x2"s might be a bit undersized for a large gate?
But I am gathering some insight, and appreciated the DX-700 videos from the beginning of the thread.

Randal

 

[Stone Message]

Hi Randal

It was too long ago to remember how the various bits of wood were cut but there is a chance that the two uprights were part of the same piece. Yes it is about 3" thick. For a traditional 5 bar gate you do need quite substantial pieces and 2" thick would not give you the strength or the room for the various components of the gate.

The latch side is the smaller piece. If you send me your email address via PM I will forward the plans to you free of charge.

I think that the gate expert here on the FOG is Guy Ashley.

Peter

 

[bump]

woo hoo! took delivery of the domino 700 a few hours ago.
decision to go for it was partly based upon watching these tube movies earlier in the year.
i have wrestled with the notion of paying out so much money for a tool that essentially cuts holes...
nobody in their right mind would heft out such a large sum of money for a hole cutter then slate it.
so i guess that irrespective of what happens from here on in, this awesome piece of craftmanship will be loved no matter what.
"it's gotta be good because it's so expensive!"
i have loads of projects to do, from building a new kitchen and worktops, through refurbing 100 year old sash windows and frames to making over 20 doors for the house. after that i am looking to build a new property for myself and one for my geese, so the domino is going to see several years of hard graft.
after which i shall no doubt find more things to do with it.
i am also chewing over how i might use it for creating sculptures too. i have a couple of ideas using completely different methods...
anyhoo, thanks for posting these great videos, they have helped to lighten my pocket somewhat.

 

[Stone Message]

woo hoo! took delivery of the domino 700 a few hours ago.
decision to go for it was partly based upon watching these tube movies earlier in the year.
i have wrestled with the notion of paying out so much money for a tool that essentially cuts holes...
nobody in their right mind would heft out such a large sum of money for a hole cutter then slate it.
so i guess that irrespective of what happens from here on in, this awesome piece of craftmanship will be loved no matter what.
"it's gotta be good because it's so expensive!"
i have loads of projects to do, from building a new kitchen and worktops, through refurbing 100 year old sash windows and frames to making over 20 doors for the house. after that i am looking to build a new property for myself and one for my geese, so the domino is going to see several years of hard graft.
after which i shall no doubt find more things to do with it.
i am also chewing over how i might use it for creating sculptures too. i have a couple of ideas using completely different methods...
anyhoo, thanks for posting these great videos, they have helped to lighten my pocket somewhat.

Well bumped Bump !

You might want to look at the Domino connector system - certainly useful for worktops and also beds and other furniture.

Welcome to the FOG.

Peter

 

[bump]

woo hoo! took delivery of the domino 700 a few hours ago.
decision to go for it was partly based upon watching these tube movies earlier in the year.
i have wrestled with the notion of paying out so much money for a tool that essentially cuts holes...
nobody in their right mind would heft out such a large sum of money for a hole cutter then slate it.
so i guess that irrespective of what happens from here on in, this awesome piece of craftmanship will be loved no matter what.
"it's gotta be good because it's so expensive!"
i have loads of projects to do, from building a new kitchen and worktops, through refurbing 100 year old sash windows and frames to making over 20 doors for the house. after that i am looking to build a new property for myself and one for my geese, so the domino is going to see several years of hard graft.
after which i shall no doubt find more things to do with it.
i am also chewing over how i might use it for creating sculptures too. i have a couple of ideas using completely different methods...
anyhoo, thanks for posting these great videos, they have helped to lighten my pocket somewhat.

Well bumped Bump !

You might want to look at the Domino connector system - certainly useful for worktops and also beds and other furniture.

Welcome to the FOG.

Peter

thank you for the welcome peter,
oddly enough i had a pack of them inside the container when i opened it.
it didn't say it came with them.
anyhoo, i took a look at them and figured they would be useful for the cedar bed my daughter wants me to build her next year and possibly for assembling my cedar worktops for the kitchen. they are made from just over 2 inch thick cedar but it's cut from a single tree, so no joins or glued bits, it's all one piece. it's being built as an "L" shape into the room with a tree stump as the legs on one end.
the wood has been weighted and left indoors for the past 8 months to acclimatise and bend however it wants within limits.
i will probably get on with it around january or a touch later.

anyways, thanks for the heads up, i shall watch out for more of your very cool movies.
my daughter thinks you are one of the most entertaining craftsmen on the tube.

 

[Steven Owen]

Hi Paul and Everyone

As you can see the third and final part is now available up above.

In my conclusions I mention the cost of the Domino DF 700. Here in the UK it comes in at £924 and so is not cheap. But, a top of the range Lamello biscuit jointer (the TOP 21) is about £885. I really wish I had mentioned that I have not only sold my staionary morticing machine but also my top of the range Lamello - the latter having been bought about 12 years ago. Now I believe that the new Domino is far more capable than the Lamello and is only £50 more. If one takes into account the price of a reasonable staionary morticer and the Lamello you can get both the Domino DF 500 and the Domino DF 700 together for the same price.

It was Paul Marcel's video that persuaded me to get the DF 500. I hope that I can now help you come to terms with the fact that you really do need a DF 700 and buying makes such good sense. If you have £1000 in the bank the interest rate is below inflation so your money is losing value all the time. Now is the time to invest in something that you know you want and will make you feel good every time that you use it.

For UK members, keep an eye out for The Woodworker magazine as my written review of the new Domino will be in there soon followed by several other bits of Festool kit.

I am now going to give my workshop a makeover and try and get my new bench finished.

Thank you for taking an interest in my videos.

Peter

The DF 700 is $1980 Canadian Dollars.  Basically we’re paying the equivalent of £1201 GBP for a DF 700 in Canada.  You’re getting the XF 700 at a bargain compared to us.

You did a great job with the videos.  If Spielberg was directing your video would have been 213 minute long with 7 alternate endings.  The last thing you want is Spielberg directing your tool video.

You have a couple of Jump cuts in the videos.  You can smooth them out by using a 1/2 second fade to black and fade back into the next scene.

Depending on the video editor your using. You can insert 1 second black background video and put a transition 1/4 second fade-out and fade-in from each scene into the 1 second of black footage placed inbetween each clip. 

It’s a trick used on TV to fade in from commercials preventing jump cuts.  It will
add some extra polish to your videos.