Domino vs slot mortiser

[James Hart]

I'm sure there's a killer thread on this somewhere, a search for Domino gets so many hits it's still hard to find.

I picked up a really solid overarm router table and had planned to build an X,Y table on it, mount another router in the horizontal position, and make my own version of the multi-router. This project alone will probably cost me about 15 hours and $100 or so. On top of this, I'm looking at a 6 square foot chunk of shop (garage) getting used up. I should be able to get about $400 for this setup should I decide to change directions.

I've had a hard time getting past the price of the domino, but after picking up a Festool Sander and a dust extractor, I'm quickly seeing why people lose it over this stuff. I've read many of the Domino threads here and elsewhere and see how quickly and accurately it can do what it does.

Woodworking is strictly a hobby for me. I plan to make mostly tables and cabinets. Like many of us, time is at a real premium for me. As much as cutting mortises appeals to me, getting things done and having them last a few generations is really more important.

Is the Domino a 100% substitute for the functionality of a slot mortiser? Can you give me some examples of where I still might have to set up a jig and`a plunge router?

Thanks,

Jim

[Joe Mioux]

I would say that each has its place in some woodworking workshops.

I have the domino and have considered purchasing a slot mortiser for my MM FS30.

However, the price of the slot mortiser has kept me from buying. What was I thinking? the Domino cost me more than a slot mortiser would.

Maybe someday I will buy a slot mortiser.

The drawback i see to the Domino is the size of the Dominoes. Sometime I will want to make one larger mortiser rather than several smaller ones.

just my 1ct

joe

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I'd not make a direct comparison. The Domino is a fast easy way to get a pretty good little loose tenon accomplished.

It's not perfect and certainly not flawlessly accurate - but what is?

The slot mortiser (a good one anyway) is slower (at first) but once set up you can wail away at a very good clip and it is about as accurate as you are ever going to get. It also allows you a wider range of mortise geometry. And a good slot mortiser will be around a lot longer than the Domino.

If you are only buying one, you gotta state your priorities before you make a purchase decision.

[James Hart]

If you are only buying one, you gotta state your priorities before you make a purchase decision.

Cliff,

I had hoped that mentioning that time and quality are keys for me, and I'm planning to make mostly tables and cabinets.

What other priorities are you referring to in making a decision like this?

Do you have a Domino? In other threads some of the users seem to feel the larger loose tenons are pretty substantial. When you say 'pretty good little loose tenons', do you feel they are more for alignment than substantial joinery?

Thanks,

Jim

[Dan Lautner]

I have a Domino and love it. Fast accurate strong joints. The only time I would want a SM would be for very large joints like doors or a table. I would stay away from a SM that attaches to the j/p because the table move moves rather than the head. If the head moves, supporting large work pieces is much easier.

Dan

[Jesse Cloud]

First of all, the Domino is pretty near zero risk. Since Festool has fixed prices, the only way you can get a break is to buy used, so the used Festool market is very hot. What I'm saying is that if you buy it and then don't like it, you can sell it on Craigslist for darn near what you paid for it....

I have a Domino at home and we use slot mortisers at school. For my time and money, the Domi is the hands down winner for most jobs. The setup time is much less than with the mortiser. The cutting process is also much faster, not to mention zero clean up when you are done. Also, there are lots of times when its easier to take the tool to the work, rather than the other way around.

The main limitation to the Domi is the length of the tenon. Width is fixed, too - but you can easily use multiple tenons. I would find that constraining only for big doors and huge tables, no problem for cabinets and small to medium tables.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I had hoped that mentioning that time and quality are keys for me, and I'm planning to make mostly tables and cabinets.

Only you can assess the value of these things. For my money it was the slot mortiser I wanted. Others would do it differently - have done it differently.


What other priorities are you referring to in making a decision like this?

Well I mentioned durability and production issues And flexibility. They are important to me.


Do you have a Domino? In other threads some of the users seem to feel the larger loose tenons are pretty substantial.

No I don't like Festool. For them it's all about dust collection (and you pay for that). I let my dust mulch on the floor till I bloody well feel like cleaning it up.


When you say 'pretty good little loose tenons', do you feel they are more for alignment than substantial joinery?

David Dundas has a frame type Z chair he built with the Domino. He's a Creeker. His chair is damn impressive. you can search his posts.

The joints you make with the domino are going to be plenty substantial so long as you do it right.
The same is true of a dowel max.

There have been plenty of high-falutin studies comparing commercial doweling and M&T. The Doweling tends to make for pretty damn strong joinery. Of course those CNC dowel drills will put half a dozen (or more) dowels in any given joint.


It's less the tool than it is the craftsman.