Dowelmax vs. Domino: decision time

[Matt Meiser]

What I've found with the pocket hole jig is that the bit tends to bog as it enters the wood. Maybe this is because it gets side-loaded the way it hits the wood.

Another question on the Dowelmax: How do you align the dowelmax if you want to put dowels in the face of a panel. For example, say I want to use dowels for a shelf. At the edge you would use the T-Joint bracket, but how about in the middle? To use the Domino in this application, I know you could just use a fence.

[Greg Funk]

Another question on the Dowelmax: How do you align the dowelmax if you want to put dowels in the face of a panel. For example, say I want to use dowels for a shelf. At the edge you would use the T-Joint bracket, but how about in the middle? To use the Domino in this application, I know you could just use a fence.

You can use a fence as shown on the Dowelmax website.

[Alan Trout]

Matt, Remember you have 30 days return if you are not satisfied with Festools. So I say give the Domino a shot. I have always been of the opinion if you have more options it is always hard to find something you can't do. So you might get the expensive one now and after a year or so go for the Dowelmax.

Good Luck

Alan

[Bill Spievak]

I have used both, and I'm not really sure that one is a replacement for the other. That being said, I like the Domino - but I used and like loose tenons for years, so I think it is more a question of having an easier way to use loose tenons than any preference issues.

[Matt Meiser]

Greg, thanks--I just got off the phone with Chris at Dowelmax who pointed me to the instructions. I'd missed them since there wasn't a pretty picture to look at.

Alan, Dowelmax has a 60 day return policy too.

Searching the various forums I've seen 1 or two Dowelmax's for sale over the past year or so and 3 or 4 Dominos. Seems like the owners of both aren't giving them up. I'm starting to lean towards the Dowelmax based on cost--seems like there's very little more that the Domino will do over the Dowelmax. Its probably somewhat faster and is less messy, but not by a terrible amount. Plus I can try the Dowelmax for up to 60 days and if I'm not happy return it and get the Domino (or vice-versa for 30 days.)

[Mark Roderick]

I've never used either, but have used a biscuit joiner for many years. Aligning the long edges of boards - a table top, for example - is a common woodworking task. You could do this with a Domino but I don't think you could do it with the doweling tool, at least not without a lot of fuss keeping the hole spacing perfect on both boards. Something to consider as you make the choice.

For that matter, you might just buy a high-quality biscuit joiner, which (I think) will do just about everything the doweling tool will do and is much less expensive than the Domino.

[Greg Cole]

Matt,
Make sure to let us know which one ya wind up with....

"Greg, if you are in the Tucson area, you're welcome to come take my Domino for a test drive."
Thanks Bill, I need another push down a well greased hill. If ya weren't about 1,000 miles from where I hang my hat I'd take ya up on that one....
I will wind up with one, just a matter of when I decide to send Uncle Bob some $$$. Then again, there's a few helping or trying to help with Matt's slide to the next level down the hill.
Mark,
FWIW, Many Stickley table tops etc were assembled with dowels for alignment according to one of Bob Lang's books in my collection.....


Cheers.
Greg

[Glenn Clabo]

Mark,
This is why you may want to think about using biscuits as an equal to dowels.
http://www.dowelmax.com/test_results.htm

[Mark Roderick]

Yeah, I saw that test but I think it's a bit misleading. As I recall, they compare the strength of one #20 biscut vs. four dowels. If you wanted more strength with the biscuits just use more than one. The Dowelmax looks like a very well-made tool to me, and it certainly looks like the tool to get if you really want to use dowels, but I'm not sure there is any application where the biscuit joiner wouldn't be just as good, and it's a bit more flexible.

[Roy Wall]

Matt -

There is another product that uses 3/8" and 1/2" type dowels - they are loose tenons and the price is about $45 for both templates.....I'll try and look them up for another option to Dowelmax. You can also buy router bits to make your own loose tenons for this product ...trying to remember

[Matt Meiser]

I actually already have a biscuit jointer, but I wouldn't use it to replace a M&T joint. I'm not saying you shouldn't because each of us work differently, just that I want something beefier than a biscuit.

In a panel glue up, fastener strength is pretty irrelevant as the glue line is generally going to be stronger than the wood itself--the fastener is an alignment tool. And generally I don't use them anyway--I just glue the panels up already aligned because I've run into problems with biscuits in that situation--slight misalignment anyway and cutting into a poorly planned biscuit location for example. I doubt that will change even with a Domino or Dowelmax.

Places where I have used my biscuit jointer are where I couldn't easily do some other kind of joint to join two panels or a panel (plywood or veneered MDF) to solid stock. In those cases I've used biscuits placed about 2" apart and the pieces have come out very solid. If I get the Dowelmax, I'll probably keep the biscuit joiner to keep my options open.

[Kevin Murdock]

Are there any lower cost alternatives to the DowlMax?

Kreg has knock-off items as it's a (relatively) simple jig. I would think that the same would occur for the DowlMax.

[Matt Meiser]

Kevin, as I understand it, there are two major things about the Dowelmax that make it so good. First is that the dowels are closer together than most traditional dowel jigs. Obviously you could copy that at any price point. Second though is that it is highly accurately machined. That would be more difficult to copy, especially in plastic which Kreg seems to be fond of. The plastic works great in the pocket hole jig, but there precision isn't critical.

[frank shic]

matt, have you considered the tradeoff in speed? one plunge of the festool domino vs drilling three holes?

[James Pilchak]

I've never used either, but have used a biscuit joiner for many years. Aligning the long edges of boards - a table top, for example - is a common woodworking task. You could do this with a Domino but I don't think you could do it with the doweling tool, at least not without a lot of fuss keeping the hole spacing perfect on both boards. Something to consider as you make the choice.

For that matter, you might just buy a high-quality biscuit joiner, which (I think) will do just about everything the doweling tool will do and is much less expensive than the Domino.

Why don't you think the Dowelmax will work? While I have only tried to edge join 3' boards, I believe you can do just about any length you like. You can use either indexing method or line up to pencil marks. I think the Dowelmax website has videos showing all this...