Jointery?

[Kent E. Matthew]

I have heard a number of people here rave about the Domino by Festool. I am sure its a great tool, but for my sensabilities 800 dollars for this tool is just too much. What other methods and tools are out there for fast, accurate jointing?

I remember seeing a jig similar to a dowel jig that drill three or four holes. It came with a bit that you could make your own spline. I can't seem to find any information on this tool. Can anyone direct me to it? Thanks.

[Dewey Torres]

I think you are referring to the beadlock system.
http://www.beadlock.com/index.html

[Gary Curtis]

Kent, I bought and use the little Floating Tenons called Dominos. I didn't buy the $800 tool from Festool used bore the mortise holes. I just got a 5mm, a 6mm, an 8mm and a 10mm straight bit for my router and cut the mortise the way I would for any other material stock.

I don't need the portability of the Domino machine. So I use a wall mounted router in a jig to do the job. Same results ---- much cheaper method. Not quite as flexible as the Domino. Festool sells a bag of Domino plugs for about $15.

I'm still too new to compare the results of my personal Domino method and biscuits. I have the Lamello Biscuit Jointer, which is the best. A recent thread here on this forum hashes over the advantages of biscuits. A year into woodworking, and both methods seem good to me.

Gary Curtis

[Mike K Wenzloff]

Uh, how fast does joinery need to be? Tenons are pretty quick to make even by hand.

I have used the Beadlock system on store fixtures built on-site before as well as other loose tenon methods for in-shop built store fixtures, such as a WoodRat and hand-held routers and jigs. I suspect the Festool would be a good bit quicker, but no better.

Short of the Domino, those other methods mentioned are not really any faster nor better than good ol' mortise and tenon joinery.

Take care, Mike

[Rod Sheridan]

I think most methods come down to practise and organization as far as speed are concerned.

I have a hollow chisel mortiser, which makes fast accurate mortises. I leave the 6mm chisel in it since that's the most common size I use for frace frames etc.

The tennons are cut on the shaper, one pass and both faces are completed.

A tenon jig on a tablesaw could be almost as fast, and left setup to match face frame sizes.

A slot mortiser also is very fast, and could easily be used with home made or purchased floating tenons.

The Domino, allows you to take the tool to the work, which is ideal for some applications.

Regardless of which method you use, organization of your tools and workspace, good drawings and work habits build speed and accuracy.

regards, Rod.

[Kent E. Matthew]

I think you are referring to the beadlock system.
http://www.beadlock.com/index.html

Thank you that's it. I have been pouring through all of my Workbench issues trying to find that.

[Dewey Torres]

No problem.... and hey, your in Pueblo right down the road!

[Paul Steiner]

Speed, budget, application, look, personal preference all play a role in joinery choice. But right now the domino is the hot new tool and alot of people are buying it because they have to have the hot new item, whether they need it or not. My guess is that 50% of the people that buy it actually need it.
I started using mortise and tenons with a router(on a homemade jig) and a tablesaw, because I had these tools and I did not have money to buy anything else. Now I have a pocket hole jig and biscuit joiner, but it took a long time for me to work my way to projects that absolutely had to have that tool.

For $800 you could buy a hollow chisel mortiser, tenon jig, 3 doweling jigs, a biscuit joiner, pocket hole jig and still have money left.
The tools above create stronger or comparable strength joints to the domino.
But if you need a Domino, I have heard it is nice too.

[Joe Scharle]

Look into the Woodrat or Router Boss. Demos are on youtube too.

[Chuck Tringo]

If your willing to spend a little more than the beadlock, I would look at the Dowelmax, its quicker, doesn't require proprietary tenon material (3/8 dowels are pretty easy to find) and based on reviews, is much easier, more flexible and more accurate than beadlock. I have the dowelmax and love it, almost went for the beadlock for $$ reasons, but am very glad I went with the North American made Dowelmax from our neighbors to the north.

[Joe Vincent]

As said by others, there are so many different methods of joinery that you'd really need to spend some time looking into a number of them and thinking about which one is the best for you (at least to start) which would be determined by what you think is the best combination of skill required and cost of tools.

The Domino looks pretty neat. I've not used a Domino but can see why others would buy one. I think the Dowelmax is an excellent tool, and cheaper than the Domino but still not cheap. Take a look at their web site. Such a tool is great for some applications, but not optimal for others. But that's the nature of woodworking, it seems to me. Many different methods and tools, each having its advantages based on the project. Bottom line is there is no ONE right answer. It'll take some looking into, and some trial and error most likely. But I hope you enjoy the process.

[Chris Padilla]

Kreg pocket holes, anyone?

[Peter Quinn]

I have spent more than a domino costs on a tool to make mortises. Bigger mortises. I have used a domino, slot mortiser, router, hollow chisel mortiser, bridgeport, drill press and chisel, and hammer and chisel to make mortises. Never a chain mortiser, though I looked for one for my old RAS. Each has its strengths and associated costs. In any event you can make a strong mortise without a domino, and a strong mortise is a good joint.

You can also use the bead lock, and they sell router bits to make your own bead lock stock to save money there. Dowels are quite strong and have many useful applications. Some decent dowel jigs are as cheap as $40, some more versitile ones cost more, but still less than a domino, and Freud is releasing a power dowel tool that seems to operate on a similar basis to the biscuit or domino jointer. Costs less than a domino but more than most biscuit jointers. Oh, and an entry level biscuit jointer has many joinery applications. And don't forget some combination of pocket screws, dowels, bead lock, biscuits, loose tenons. Lots of options to keep two pieces of wood very close together.

[Paul Steiner]

I love my kreg pocket hole jig. Well worth the $100.

[Neal Clayton]

i would prefer a router jig over the domino, the aftermarket ones (trend, leigh) are much more versatile, imo, especially in creating angled and oddly sized joints.

the only drawback with router jigs is they don't make square tenons or square mortises, so aren't immediately compatible with the tenons that you'll get out of a router/shaper bit. in that case a proper square mortiser would be better, arguably necessary.

depends on what you want to build.