Festool's Domino -a new tool to join wood

[Frank Pellow]

In the thread: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=26629, I mentioned this new tool, but I think that it deserves it's own thread.

I am very impressed by innovation and good design and the fact that Festool is so good at both makes their tools very attractive to me. I see some aspects of both innovation and design in every Festool tool that I own or have heard about.

Now, with Domino they have done it again. This new tool is being released in Germany early in 2006 and, if it makes it to North America during 2006, there is a very good chance that it will be my next Festool tool.

There has been a lot of discussion about Domino on the Festool Owners Group on Yahoo, but very little here on Saw Mill Creek. I think that many non-Festoolies will be interested in the technology, so I am listing the following links that were assembled by Matt Schenker and placed onto the Yahoo forum.

Main Domino page from Festool's German Web site:
http://www.festool.de/artikel/artikel_weiterleiten.cfm?id=5146&CFID=1051098&CFTOKEN=23b545aa36496094-F7021B66-FC7C-48D3-AC322DE62D123395

Domino, translation of screen 1:
http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=de_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.festool.de%2Fartikel%2Fartike l_weiterleiten.cfm%3Fid%3D5146%26CFID%3D2025937%26 CFTOKEN%3De3e5d13fe72ee5af-CCF42C78-A4FD-E0F8-78D44BE2F3B1BC0A

Domino, translation of screen 2:
http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=de_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.festool.de%2Fartikel%2Fartike l_weiterleiten.cfm%3Fid%3D5144

Domino, translation of screen 3:
http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=de_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.festool.de%2Fartikel%2Fartike l_weiterleiten.cfm%3Fid%3D5143

Domino, translation of screen 4:
http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=de_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.festool.de%2Fartikel%2Fartike l_weiterleiten.cfm%3Fid%3D5142

Domino, translation of screen 5:
http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=de_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.festool.de%2Fartikel%2Fartike l_weiterleiten.cfm%3Fid%3D5141

Domino, translation of screen 6:
http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=de_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.festool.de%2Fartikel%2Fartike l_weiterleiten.cfm%3Fid%3D5140

Domino, translation of screen 7:
http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=de_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.festool.de%2Fartikel%2Fartike l_weiterleiten.cfm%3Fid%3D5139

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Isn't that just a loose tenon Frank? Or am I missing something here? I usually do this late at night. :)

[Mike Henderson]

Or a big biscuit. Frank, since you seem to know the most about it, why don't you explain it and tell us why it's great. What can I do with it that I couldn't do before? Or what can I do faster, easier, and at less cost with it than I can with other tools?

Mike

[Bernie Weishapl]

Frank that looks like the beadlock system. Am I out in left field on this one?

[Lee DeRaud]

Pre-fab loose tenon uber-biscuits and a dedicated router and mortise jig?
If nothing else, it appears to have great potential for separating our German (and Canadian) brethren from large wads of Euros.:cool:

[Dev Emch]

When Frank posted this, I dropped my undies and ran right over to the site. So I had already read and downloaded the PDF in german before the english translation link was posted.

In short, this is a floating tenon. What makes it unqiue is that you get the advantages of the beech biscuit in a full size floating tenon along with a tool that cuts a wonderful pocket for this item.

As the article said, some methods have their advantages, one method (dominos) has them all.

You dont need to use this method, but it sure can cut down on a lot to time esp. if your using lots of these. As a pro, I am already adding up the time savings and its clear that beast will be paid for in time savings in no more than a couple of months.

So for me, its worth it. Too bad the release date didnt make our christmas shopping season.;)

[Mike Cutler]

Frank.

It looks llike a nice production setup. It being Festool, I'm sure the quality is pretty high.

I'm not a loose tenon fan personally, more of a "stick in the mud traditionalist" I guess. However if I were to incorporate loose tenons I think I'd go with the system/method that Mark Singer utilizes. More flexibility in tenon stock selection.

Not taking anything away from the Festool, just a personal observation. It will be interesting to see it once it hits the states. It looks like it could be a real time saver in the right application.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

"I dropped my undies" Now Dev, that's got to violate SMC TOS. :) Now get those undies back up there; it's cold in these here parts.

[Mark Singer]

It seems like some company is always inventing something many of us have been using for years and giving it a new name and a new twist....I remeber for example we were all using nails and some wise guy added a spiral thread on some and called them screws and I thought....nah that will never sell...shows you how much I know....I knew glue would make a big hit....things were always falling apart...but how they got permission to make them from Gorillas, I will never know:confused:

[Mark Singer]

Seriously,
Either use dowels, or make your own tenons and if you start with the mortise it is real easy to match the tenon...you really don't need a $2500 MultiRouter either (sorry David)

[John Lucas]

Not to douse Franks excitement...in fact I look at the tool potentially in the same way. It is a loose tenon machine but way more powerful than a biscuit jointer...simply by area and depth. It is a "beadLOCK" type of loose tenon mortise cutter but with power...probably no different in holding power. I think it is good to make these comparisons...that is all we can do for the moment. If it is an $800 machine...it is one thing. If it is $2500, another. The price line will be key to acceptance here. One comparison is the Domino versus the Leigh M&T machine-when that product was first announced I thought it was too expensive...bt now really like to use it. But again it will be a dollar consideration. We will have to wait...knowing that Festool will bring a quality product to the marketplace. They are very innovative...can't help but keep a watch for it.

[Dev Emch]

All good and valid points.:D

In my own case, I use biscuits in only one operation in the area of my kick space on my own design. These are here more for alignment than anything else.

For most mortise and tenon joints, I still prefer the traditional way. Not because its cool but for other reasons. I still prefer to draw bore these joints. It gets things nice and tight at the cheek lines and it locks the joint. But in so doing, it also pulls the tenon into the mortise thus preloading the tenon fibers axially. If the tenon was cut in place, then it has long fibers reaching deep into the work item to which the tenon is attached.

On the other hand, if I use a loose tenon, then I am placing the glue joint between the same work item and the now floating tennon (i.e. substitute dominos if applicable) into a permanent shear load. If this glue joint fails, the joint will come apart.

The glue joint within the mortise which holds the draw bore pin is actually not nearly as preloaded as the other side may be. So in this type of traditional joint, it may be wiser to just use a machined (traditional cut) tenon.

After re-reading the PDF file I downloaded and thinking about it for a bit, I am now not nearly as excited as I once was. This new system does *NOT* provide me with the same level of alignment in my own application and it is not a true substitute for a traditional draw bore mortise and tennon joint which is a staple for me.

See, it always pays to think about things and look at the problem from an introspective point of view.

[Alan Turner]

I am pretty excited about the new Domino system, but I suspect that its price point will dampen that excitement. A decent, simple horizontal slot mortiser is anywhere between $2700 (Invicta) and $4500 (Griggio and Fleder), from what I seem to recall. So if you could do loose tenons for a good deal less, I thought: what a great tool. But, after further thought, Festool will probalby be selling this guy for around $2500, and for that I would rahter have the HSM. Oh well. Still, this would be a great job site tool. Think stairs, for example.

[Noel Hegan]

I had a chance to use the new Domino tool at a recent WW show in England. Was quite impressed with it and I remember a few points that the Festool guy highlighted such as "self indexing, no need to put indicator marks on the timber". Once the first hole was bored the indexing system used that hole as the reference point. Various indexing spacing can be dialled in. The cutter, similar to a router cutter, oscilates to create the hole and various sixed holes can be dialed in to suit the range of tenons.
The tool has typical Festool build quality with a smooth plunge action. Retail price in the UK is somewhere in the region of £550 or so. This puts it just above the price point of Lamello Top 20S biscuit jointer in the UK market. Don't know if this will be an indication of US pricing. Daresay it'll be on the UK site shortly: www.festool.co.uk (http://www.festool.co.uk)

Noel

[Bob Marino]

I am pretty excited about the new Domino system, but I suspect that its price point will dampen that excitement. A decent, simple horizontal slot mortiser is anywhere between $2700 (Invicta) and $4500 (Griggio and Fleder), from what I seem to recall. So if you could do loose tenons for a good deal less, I thought: what a great tool. But, after further thought, Festool will probalby be selling this guy for around $2500, and for that I would rahter have the HSM. Oh well. Still, this would be a great job site tool. Think stairs, for example.

Yikes, Alan!!

$2500.00??:confused: :eek: :confused:

I am not sure of the price but nowhere even close to that number. Probably in the Lamello Top 20 range.

Bob

[Frank Pellow]

Seriously,
Either use dowels, or make your own tenons and if you start with the mortise it is real easy to match the tenon...you really don't need a $2500 MultiRouter either (sorry David)

I am pretty excited about the new Domino system, but I suspect that its price point will dampen that excitement. A decent, simple horizontal slot mortiser is anywhere between $2700 (Invicta) and $4500 (Griggio and Fleder), from what I seem to recall. So if you could do loose tenons for a good deal less, I thought: what a great tool. But, after further thought, Festool will probalby be selling this guy for around $2500, and for that I would rahter have the HSM. Oh well. Still, this would be a great job site tool. Think stairs, for example.
Where are you guys getting such a price? My guess (and I have no inside information) is that, if and when Festool sells this in North America, it will sell for an introductory price of between $350 and $425 US. I grant you that that's still a LOT of money but almost an order of magnitude less than the prices that you mentioned

[Frank Pellow]

Isn't that just a loose tenon Frank? Or am I missing something here? I usually do this late at night. :)
Yes Alan, when you look at it that way, the mechanism within the wood is not new. What is new (well, new as far as I know -Dev might correct me with some ancient, and no doubt heavy, tool from ACME Woodworking Tools Inc :D ) is the machine to produce the holes. I expect it to make the job of installing tenos (which I like much better than biscuits) fast and accurate.

I will change the word "way" in this thread's title to the word "tool".

[Mark Singer]

I was specifically talking about the Multi Router which I stated as "MultiRouter" and it sells for $2695 and David Marks uses it.

http://www.djmarks.com/photos/multirouter/multi.jpg

Specifications
* Constructed of heavy aluminum castings.
* Computer controlled machining of all parts.
* Three axis operation: X Axis-8 inches, Y Axis-8 inches, and Z Axis-6 inches.
* Thompson Linear bearing and hardened steel rods.
* Adjustable stop collars.
* Gas cylinder counter balance to offset the weight of the router.
* Removable locator pins on work surface table.
* Chip deflector.
* Work table tilts to a full 45 degrees.
* Accurate scale for height selection of Z axis.
* Designed to accommodate most routers.
Price: $2695.00
Sorry it was $195 more than I stated:rolleyes:

http://images.scrippsweb.com/DIY/2003/09/18/wwk105_1fc_e.jpg

[Christian Aufreiter]

I was specifically talking about the Multi Router which I stated as "MultiRouter" and it sells for $2695 and David Marks uses it.

http://www.djmarks.com/photos/multirouter/multi.jpg

Specifications
* Constructed of heavy aluminum castings.
* Computer controlled machining of all parts.
* Three axis operation: X Axis-8 inches, Y Axis-8 inches, and Z Axis-6 inches.
* Thompson Linear bearing and hardened steel rods.
* Adjustable stop collars.
* Gas cylinder counter balance to offset the weight of the router.
* Removable locator pins on work surface table.
* Chip deflector.
* Work table tilts to a full 45 degrees.
* Accurate scale for height selection of Z axis.
* Designed to accommodate most routers.
Price: $2695.00
Sorry it was $195 more than I stated:rolleyes:


WOW! I'm impressed of this attempt of doing a fair comparison. :confused: :rolleyes: I wonder how useful this Multirouter would be if you want to join two kitchen countertops at a customer's home.:eek: :confused: While a loose tenon is definitely not a revolutionary joint the Domino opens doors to a new level of applications.

The Domino is said to cost approx EUR 580 (without VAT) here. The Lamello Top 20 sells for ~ EUR 600 (without VAT) in Austria. So I second Bob's estimation.

Regards,

Christian

[Mark Singer]

You can add a slot Mortiser to a MiniMax or Felder jointer/planer for about $1000... that is a nice way to go and for another 8 or 9 thousand you get the rest of the machine

[Paul B. Cresti]

It seems lots of companies come out with new ideas all the time. If we keep changing all the time we will never get any work done and make the tool manufacturers rich :)

I most definately do not see this as replacing a M&T joint in my shop. Now that I have switched to loose M&T using my MM FS41 with the horizontal mortising attachment, I am set for life. What I have experienced so far is since my styles & rails are now being crosscut via my EFSTS and then mortised on my HSM I am getting perfectly square frames. I no longer worry about shoulders or cheeks off a hair. With a HSM there is no limitation to size or oreintation of either the mortise or the workpiece size. The only limiting factors is the length of travel on your table and the bit size. Since all of my tenons are sized on the planer I can get a perfect fit all the time. Try doing mortise on the end of a 6ft long style on a Multirouter or the Leigh FMT!

The only thing I can see for this Domino is provide another alternative to the Lamello. I have a PC biscuit jointer and it is relagated to joining tops only. It has done a great for that because I realy do not ask much of it. I just do not need much precison at all on a biscuit. Now this is not a bad thing necassarily but leave it to the Germans and they will redesign the wheel if you give them the chance;) (this is just a joke folks). I just recieved my new Felder Rl 160 dust collector, oh I mean my new MM 160 ;), and it took 3 months to get here and then another two weeks to get the "special plug" I needed! Talk about annoying. I have a decent amount of Festool stuff pretty much all of my hand held power tools is of the green/black flavor with some exceptions. They make nice tools, very ergonomic, well built.... but eventually the return on your investment just is not there anymore. In this case, especially for my use, it just does not seem to be there (at least for now :))

[Mark Singer]

Christian,
The multirouter is a shop tool like a tablesaw....it is not intended to go to jobsites..For joining countertops I use "draw bolts" and a router and a template and it is fast and simple ..

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:bulz4TNUA9oJ:www.cabinetmart.com/69-1420312.gif (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cabinetmart.com/69-1420312.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.cabinetmart.com/69-1420312.html&h=278&w=200&sz=12&tbnid=bulz4TNUA9oJ:&tbnh=109&tbnw=78&hl=en&start=7&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddraw%2Bbolts%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%2 6lr%3D%26sa%3DG)

[Mark Singer]

Paul,
I agree ith you, but you know the Domino effect...one person will get one ...post the gloat and there will be Dominios all over SMC.....what was wrong with just simple checkers?:confused:

[Frank Pellow]

…
My guess (and I have no inside information) is that, if and when Festool sells this in North America, it will sell for an introductory price of between $350 and $425 US.




...
The Domino is said to cost approx EUR 580 (without VAT) here.
...
Christian

I will do some comparison and some extrapolation from the figure quoted by Christian.

The new TS 55 circular saw lists for 475 Euros on the Festool German site.

The introductory price of the TS 55 in the USA is $395.

If Festool follows the same pricing formula, the Domino will have an introductory price in the USA of $482 which I would round down to $475. So, that is my prediction -$475 US That price is more than my earlier guess, but this time , the price is based on more than just a hunch. We will see how close my prediction is if Festool does, indeed, sell the tool in the USA.

Oh yes, in top of that, you will need to buy Festool's dominos -but I do expect them to be reasonably priced.

[Frank Pellow]

Paul,
I agree ith you, but you know the Domino effect...one person will get one ...post the gloat and there will be Dominios all over SMC.....what was wrong with just simple checkers?:confused:
Good one, Mark. :)

[Christian Aufreiter]

I will do some comparison and some extrapolation from the figure quoted by Christian.

The new TS 55 circular saw lists for 475 Euros on the Festool German site.

The introductory price of the TS 55 in the USA is $395.

If Festool follows the same pricing formula, the Domino will have an introductory price in the USA of $482 which I would round down to $475. So, that is my prediction -$475 US That price is more than my earlier guess, but this time , the price is based on more than just a hunch. We will see how close my prediction is if Festool does, indeed, sell the tool in the USA.

Oh yes, in top of that, you will need to buy Festool's dominos -but I do expect them to be reasonably priced.

Frank, the TS 55 costs EUR 475 (WITH 16 % VAT) in Germany. The Festool rep I talked to mentioned EUR 580 (WITHOUT VAT) for the Domino. As you've already read on the Festool website, the Domino is advertised as an alternative to common dowels and biscuits. The comparable handheld power tools for doweling and "biscuiting" are probably the Mafell Duodowel machine and the Lamello Top 20. As a consequence, I think the Domino should be competitively priced – at least in Austria/Germany. And EUR 580 just seem to be right.

Regards,

Christian

[John Bailey]

Because I travel in Europe quite a bit in the summer, I keep a web-site bookmarked to give me current exchange rates. At the current exchange rate for euro's, the 580 euro figure would be $682.25 US. I would think it costs a bit to get them over here, so my guess is between $750 and $800. I bet Festool is just lovin' all the discussion - nice cheap advertisement.

My opinion, which is worth the proverbial quarter and a cup of coffee, (which, of course, is about $4.25 now) is that this is about the same amount as buying a LN Dovetail saw($125), set of rip and crosscut LN Tenon saws($340), standard set of LN chisels($300) and a LN Tite-Mark III Long marking gauge($119). That adds up to $884. We all know we can even find more expensive hand tools. If those were my only options, I'd go for the hand tools, but that's just personal preference and I'm not a pro, so the speed and efficiency of the Festool doesn't mean as much to me. Others would choose to buy the machine, and I'm sure they would be thrilled with their purchase, and rightfully so.

John

[Lee DeRaud]

Paul,
I agree ith you, but you know the Domino effect...one person will get one ...post the gloat and there will be Dominios all over SMC.....what was wrong with just simple checkers?:confused:They roll off the table during the setup?

[Lee DeRaud]

I was specifically talking about the Multi Router which I stated as "MultiRouter" and it sells for $2695 and David Marks uses it.
Sorry it was $195 more than I stated:rolleyes: At least: I don't think that price includes the pneumatic hold-down widgets in your first picture. (I don't think DM's machine has them, at least I never noticed them on the show and I don't see the air tubing in the other picture.)

[Frank Pellow]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][SIZE=3]Because I travel in Europe quite a bit in the summer, I keep a web-site bookmarked to give me current exchange rates. At the current exchange rate for euro's, the 580 euro figure would be $682.25 US. I would think it costs a bit to get them over here, so my guess is between $750 and $800. ...
John, that has not been the the way the Festool prices tools for the North American market. Their tools are much cheaper here, and I stand by my preduction.

Would you care to mnake a bet? :)

[Mark Singer]

John, that has not been the the way the Festool prices tools for the North American market. Their tools are much cheaper here, and I stand by my preduction.

Would you care to mnake a bet? :)

I have bet on Poker.....never on Dominos;)

[John Bailey]

Frank,

Canadian or US dollars??

John

[Frank Pellow]

Frank,

Canadian or US dollars??

John
John, my thought was more like the loser buys the winner the beravge of his choice, should we ever meet (which I would like to have happen).

I recently lost a bet to Bob Marino re the inital offer price on the Festool TS55 circular saw so I now owe him such a beverage. :( In that case my guess was higher than Bob's.

John, I will buy you a beverage of your choice if the inital offer price in the USA on the Domino is more than $500 (US). :) Of course, we must remember that Festool might never sell the Domino in the USA. :(

[Rob Blaustein]

Now what's all this talk about "loose tendons?" I don't see what's so great about them. My aunt had a loose tendon in her knee and was always hobbling around. What's that? Loose tenon? Oh, never mind.

RB
Emily Latella Professor of Woodworking
SMC University

[Bart Leetch]

I no longer have to try to out do the Joneses I married one.

Plus that I'm so slow that even equipment like this wouldn't make a difference.

Thank goodness I only do this for a hobby.

So a good straight edge & a circular saw get done what I need to do.

Did you ever notice some manufacture will come out with just the gizmo that you think will work oh just so great to do what you want to do, right after you just purchased the gizmo that you thought would work oh just so great to do what you wanted to do. Like I just got my old Unisaw set up I though great I now have the saw I've always wanted.

THEN FESTOOL............ YA RIGHT THEY CAME OUT WITH THEIR SAW SYSTEM.

IN CAPS SOMETIMES WE JUST NEED TO BE SATISFIED WITH WHAT WE HAVE & NOT BE REACHING OUT TO GRAB MORE.

[John Bailey]

Frank,

Your on!! Actually, if I ever get to meet you, I'll go for the beverage anyway. By the way, I'm a vegetarian health food nut. Hope they have good carrot juice in Toronto.

John

[Frank Pellow]

Frank,

Your on!! Actually, if I ever get to meet you, I'll go for the beverage anyway. By the way, I'm a vegetarian health food nut. Hope they have good carrot juice in Toronto.

John
I have no idea if they do, having never consumed carrot juice.

Don't traditional beer and wine made by small establishments and with no yucky aditives qualify as "vegetarian health food"s?

[John Bailey]

Frank, Good Point!

When in Rome, do as the Romans!

When in Canada, do what ever the loser of the bet does!!

Wine and beer it will be.

John

[Frank Pellow]

Frank, Good Point!

When in Rome, do as the Romans!

When in Canada, do what ever the loser of the bet does!!

Wine and beer it will be.

John
That assumes that you will be visiting me rather than me visiting you. Either would be great with me (I would even drink carrot juice).

[Mark Singer]

Are we still playing Dominos or are we having a romantic dinner with wine , beer in Rome....I am so confused:confused:

[John Bailey]

Ah, I think it must be wine if in Rome. Of course, that would be after a day of sight-seeing all the beautiful Italian bandsaws.

John

[Frank Pellow]

Details of this Domino machine, including an animation, are now available on the Festool UK web site. Go to http://www.festool.co.uk/ then look under "Whats New".

[Ian Barley]

Because I travel in Europe quite a bit in the summer, I keep a web-site bookmarked to give me current exchange rates. At the current exchange rate for euro's, the 580 euro figure would be $682.25 US. I would think it costs a bit to get them over here, so my guess is between $750 and $800. I bet Festool is just lovin' all the discussion - nice cheap advertisement.

My opinion, which is worth the proverbial quarter and a cup of coffee, (which, of course, is about $4.25 now) is that this is about the same amount as buying a LN Dovetail saw($125), set of rip and crosscut LN Tenon saws($340), standard set of LN chisels($300) and a LN Tite-Mark III Long marking gauge($119). That adds up to $884. We all know we can even find more expensive hand tools. If those were my only options, I'd go for the hand tools, but that's just personal preference and I'm not a pro, so the speed and efficiency of the Festool doesn't mean as much to me. Others would choose to buy the machine, and I'm sure they would be thrilled with their purchase, and rightfully so.

John


In the UK the Domino is £436 plus VAT - TS55 is £289 plus vat - I think that Frank's guess is pretty good on this one.

[Michael Ballent]

Details of this Domino machine, including an animation, are now available on the Festool UK web site. Go to http://www.festool.co.uk/ then look under "Whats New".

The Australian site I think is the best of the Festool sites... videos, 3d flash, and non 3d flash animations.

http://www.festool.com.au

Got to see a lot of toys that are not available in the US like the TS75 Circular Saw. :D

[Frank Pellow]

In the UK the Domino is £436 plus VAT - TS55 is £289 plus vat - I think that Frank's guess is pretty good on this one.
For those of you who may not have read through this entire thread, my prediction that Ian is referring to for an introductory price in the USA (should to tool ever get introduced into the USA) is $475.

[Kent Parker]

If the tenon was cut in place, then it has long fibers reaching deep into the work item to which the tenon is attached

Dev,

Really excellent observation.!!;) Thanks!

Cheers,

Kent

[Jim Becker]

When Frank posted this, I dropped my undies and ran right over to the site.
Isn't it a little hard to run with your undies around your ankles?? ;)
-----

Frank...interesting looking tool.

[Bob Marino]

For those of you who may not have read through this entire thread, my prediction that Ian is referring to for an introductory price in the USA (should to tool ever get introduced into the USA) is $475.
Frank,

The tool will be here - when, not if.;) :D ;)

Bob

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Frank,

Your on!! Actually, if I ever get to meet you, I'll go for the beverage anyway. By the way, I'm a vegetarian health food nut. Hope they have good carrot juice in Toronto.

John

Aren't hops vegetables?

[Frank Pellow]

Frank,

The tool will be here - when, not if.;) :D ;)

Bob
That's good news Bob. :) I will likely purchase one :) (but not until 2007 :( ).

[Frank Pellow]

Aren't hops vegetables?
They are certainly one of my favourite plants :D .

[Scott Larson]

I had the opportunity to take a look at an operational cut-away model of the Domino during a recent visit to FestoolUSA. While visiting my brother in Santa Barbra before New Year’s I figured I would call Festool and see if they had a DX 93 sander on display (I’ve been thinking about picking up this sander but my local Festool dealers have never had one in stock to try out). The gentleman who answered the phone said that although they don’t have a have a traditional showroom, he would see what he could do. A few moments later he returned to the phone to let me know that if I came by in the afternoon, that Christian, the CEO of FestoolUSA would show me the unit. Apparently a lot of their staff was off for the holiday but they had a small crew answering last minute orders (taking advantage of the rebate offers) before the end of the year.
<o></o>
I figured that I don’t often get the chance to meet the CEO of a tool company who’s products I really enjoy using so, after lunch at La Super Rica I headed up to <st1><st1:city w:st="on">Goleta</st1:city></st1> to take a look (but I digress).
<o></o>
While there, Christian was kind enough to show me a few of the products that are being submitting to UL which included both the Domino and the Precisio CS50.
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The Domino was a cut-away model that could be powered using a drill so that you could see how the gear box operated. As shown on the links provided by Frank, the cutter oscillates as it plunges to make the mortise. The gear box to complete this task appeared pretty complicated but, as one would expect with Festool, very robust and well though out. If memory serves me correctly, different cutter sizes are available which allow for the cutting of different thicknesses of mortises and then loose-tenons (e.g., dominos) of different sizes will be offered. Christian said that he hoped UL approval would occur this Fall/Winter (fingers crossed). The tenon material is beech. While the website sometimes refers to the domino as a “biscuit jointer”, my impression is that this tool is capable of being used in many more applications, particularly those requiring greater strength, than a traditional biscuit. I kind of conceptualize it as a powered Beadlock device with greater flexability. Assuming the pricing is in the neighborhood that Frank suggested, I will likely pick up one of these upon introduction.
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I’ll describe the Precisio in another post once I get a bit more time.
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Finally, I need to thank Festool for being so kind as to take the time to show me these treats and offer such hospitality to an average consumer/user. It’s though positive interactions with an organization like this that long term customers are made.

-Scott

[Simon Auchterlonie]

Howdy guys, Just a quick note to say that a few of the UK sites already have this machine for sale on their websites and should try taking delivery around the end of January.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/name/domino/sfile/1/jump/0/product-Festool-DF500-Domino-Dowel-Jointer-377925.htm

http://store.protrade.co.uk/default.asp?s=domino

http://www.mtmc.co.uk/product.asp?P_ID=17164

SimonA

[Jay T. Marlin]

Well I'm convinced.

Bob, I'll take three.

[Dennis O'Leary]

:d .........:d