festool domino versus $1300 of other tools

[John Densmore]

hi all,
I've been woodworking for a few years with a decent garage shop (table and band saw, drill press, planer, jointer, hand planes, chisels etc.). I'm thinking about getting a domino primarily because it seems like it will speed up projects. To make mortises now I use either drill press and chisels or a router and edge guide. tenons are made with a dado blade on he table saw. it is a long and tedious process. A shoulder or rabbet plane would help with fitting and cleaning up the tenons.

Would you invest in the domino or a few other tools to help with traditional M&T? I think right now the big think that would help me is a shoulder plane for fine tuning. What else could help on both quailty and speed?

[glenn bradley]

This one will get a lot of chatter. Dominos do speed things along for certain types of construction. I do a lot of M&T and quite a bit of floating tenon. I have never been completely clear on why the Domino fails under so much less of a load than a floating M&T since that is essentially what it is. It may be that the pre-made Domino material is a contributor(?). I would think a properly scaled and fitting floating Domino should hold as well as a floating tenon. Also, the levels required to cause failure may make this a moot point.

Despite the probably numerous responses you will get here, the decision is one you will have to glean by reading and re-reading through them. Your preference for speed over process may contribute as well. A brad nailer will speed things along too but, I only fire up a compressor in my shop about twice a year; its a personal choice. I have methods and techniques that work well for me on M&T with the tools that I have; others may prefer something a little more automated. Your preference will come from your experiences. If, after reading through the responses to your thread you are still undecided I would do some more woodworking and decide later.

[Van Huskey]

For many the Domino is a game changer, others not so much. I am in the game changer camp, I have used just about every joint and joint making process around over the years and there is just nothing else that is as fast and repeatable at a Domino. There are times when even the 700's tenons are not big enough for a joint but those are usually the times for me it is faster to hand cut them than setup the mortiser and tenoning jig so I sold those off. Every once in a while I get nostalgic and consider buying new ones but the mood usually passes fast.

Honestly, I see no reason to even debate the subject as it is simple, go buy a Domino, use it on as many project or just plain playing around for the 30 day trial period, if you love it keep it, if you are indifferent or don't like it return it. Festool isn't cheap but they are happy to let you try their tools. You said your primary reason was to speed up your projects, if you take the time to learn how to use the Domino and the basic tricks (plenty of youtube content) I would be AMAZED if it didn't make a significant difference in your speed. For some people the journey is the reward, for me I am moving more toward racing to get years worth of designs realized, the longer I do this the bigger the list of "some day" projects gets and I am shifting more to getting those built than spending time on repetitious work.

[mreza Salav]

Glen, I don't understand why one would think Domino is anything but a floating tenon. And it's failure shouldn't be any different than a similarly sized floating tenon. A domino and the hole made by the Domino (tool) are typically very snug. I suspect those that have higher than expected failure don't use adequate glue.

OP: I used router (with edge guide), to make mortises, I've had a Mortiser, I have two different doweling jigs (Jessem) and they work great too (sometimes still use them) I bought the Domino 500. When I bought the 500 it I had a full house of cabinets to make (plus lots of other things) and speed was important. I don't regret getting it. In fact for all the passage doors I made I should have had bought the 700 as well.
Since then I have sold the 500 and bought the 500 (you can do pretty much everything you can do with 500 with 700 and more).
I still think there are times that one should use a true M/T but for almost every other occasion Domino will do it.

These days I'm making a couple of mitered frame doors (the door is bowed) and I'm re-enforcing the joint with 8x70mm dominos.

20161105_135026.jpg

[Van Huskey]

Glen, I don't understand why one would think Domino is anything but a floating tenon. And it's failure shouldn't be any different than a similarly sized floating tenon.

My guess is the genesis is FWW Jan/Feb 2009, the Domino didn't fair well in the test. There is a lot to say about the way they employed the Domino though. They made a right angle with 2 pieces of 3/4 x 2 1/2" stock and used a single 10x50 Domino, the Domino stayed intact and the wood failed around it. The Domino was over half the thickness of the stock, I would have used a pair of 8mm or maybe 6mm Dominos and longer than 50mm BUT the 700 did not exist at the time.

[Cary Falk]

I'm waiting for the patents to expire and the clones to kick in. Can't be to long now. Bosch should have one waiting in the wings.

[Matt Day]

I'm with you Cary! Now to google and find out when that will be.

Edit: looks like they first sold in 2007 but I couldn't find a patent date with a quick search. But patents generally last 20 years so we're probability half way there! ;-)

[Max Neu]

I remember reading an article (I think fine woodworking)where they tested the domino's strength,and shop made tenon's made a much stronger joint than using the festool domino's.I am guessing it's because the domino's are compressed and don't absorb glue as well as a shop made tenon.That being said,if you get a domino machine,you always have the option of making your own tenon's if you fell like you need some extra strength.

[Tom Giles]

If I had $1300 to spend and my shop wasn't well stocked with tools yet I'd hold off on buying the domino. I'd buy a "few other tools to help with traditional M&T" and learn to master that part of the craft. Then I'd spend what I saved on more wood.

Unless you are in it for profit, is speed really that important?

[Mike Cutler]

John

Take Van's advice seriously.
Hold off on the Domino until your next big project, then buy one. If it works better for you, and speeds things up, keep it. If not return it.
I don't think it's the correct tool for every M&T job, but I bet it would cover a good percentage of them.
I would pick the 700 over the 500 only because I know the scale of projects I tend to do.
I personally wouldn't buy the tenon assortment they sell with the Domino, only because I know that I wouldn't use 1/2 those sizes. I'd either run off a bunch of tenon stock, or just buy the individual bags of the sizes I would need at the time. That kit is pretty $$$$. It would be very easy to make the tenon stock in bulk yourself.

I understand about speeding up the process, even when not for profit reasons. I have a hard time these days getting into the shop to build the projects I need to get done because of work. If I want to finish more projects, I either have to retire, or find a faster method. Bringing the cutter to the material is definitely faster in a small shop environment.

[John Sincerbeaux]

I don't own a Domino. I own a Multi Router which is the double the price of a Domino and ten times the versatility. However, if I were you I would buy the Domino. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is "accuracy". With the Domino you will get speed and spot-on accuracy. Who doesn't want that?
Buy one!

[Mike Cutler]

I don't own a Domino. I own a Multi Router which is the double the price of a Domino and ten times the versatility. However, if I were you I would buy the Domino. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is "accuracy". With the Domino you will get speed and spot-on accuracy. Who doesn't want that?
Buy one!

John
Have you ever done an informal comparison between the two? Pros and cons?
I've been looking at those Multi Routers for a long time, and just kind of wondered

[Cary Falk]

Unless you are in it for profit, is speed really that important?

Sometimes it is more of a want than a need. Some people are tool junkies like me and that's ok. I woodwork so I can collect tools. I don't do a lot of M&T. If I did I could justify the cost in my head whether it sped up the process or not.

[Cary Falk]

I'm with you Cary! Now to google and find out when that will be.

Edit: looks like they first sold in 2007 but I couldn't find a patent date with a quick search. But patents generally last 20 years so we're probability half way there! ;-)

It didn't seem to take this long for clones of Track Saws, biscuit jointers, or Oscillating Multi tools to come out.

[Martin Wasner]

Used Castle machines sell for slot $1500. For an extra $200 you'd have something far more useful