Price of dominoes

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Good day all:

Why would larger dominoes be so much cheaper than the smaller ones? Large are available in bulk and not small, and the price per domino is way cheaper. This is except the largest one, which suddenly becomes way more expensive. (Same price for 500 as for 1800 of one slightly smaller.)

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[Jim Becker]

I buy the 750mm long "cut to your own length" stock for the 10mm, 12mm and 14mm Dominos I use most of the time and will soon do the same for the 8mm when my "assortments" run lower. Not sure on the price thing you ask about...I never looked at it, honestly.

[Andrew Hughes]

I only buy the little ones. The other sizes I make up for a perfect fit. Tight or loose what ever I need

[Jim Dwight]

I haven't purchased any although I got some 12mm with my domino (it was gently used). I often use wider loose tenons and find it easy to make tenons out of scrap. I also don't have space to store multiple sustainers full of tenons.

[John TenEyck]

Yes, make them from scrap from your project wood. In addition to costing nothing but a few minutes of your time the tenons will have the same seasonal expansion/contraction as the parts they are glued into.

John

[Prashun Patel]

I buy the taytools knockoffs for the 5mm. Only because it’s a pain for me to plane and shape stuff that small and I use them for cabinets where I may need so many, the time saved is worth it.

For big ones I make my own. I shi I had as many projects as I did nice qs scrap that is really used for nothing else but making loose tenons.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

This is actually my first time to buy them other than those that came with the kit. I have been making my own and I admit to mixed results. I always seem to be a few microns too thin or too thick, but eventually I get it right. It also is not safe for students to make them at their skill level, and lately I am too swamped to do it after class. In the past two months we have built 12 large shutters (8 and 10 feet tall), 10 mahogany tables, a mahogany bar, 10 pine tables, and 10 picnic tables, all with one less trainer than usual, and fewer trainees. I broke down today and said, “Let’s just order these things!” I am surprised at the cost.

[Prashun Patel]

I know this really negates the benefit of using dominos for joinery, but I don’t care; it works for me.

I make my tenons just a shade thick. made a tiny planing atop bench hook and use a block plane to tweak my tenons. I also roundover the bigger ones on a router table (I have the 700). But for the small ones up to the max size of the 500, I just bevel the ends and shoot them to width on a shooting board.

This is al if I’m making for myself. If you are doing scads, check out Taytools....

[Dave Sabo]

Always make me scratch my head when guys shell out $1000-$1500 on a tool that saves time/labor and then worry about the cost of consumables.

But, you say, 40-50 cents for a little piece of wood is a bit excessive?

May be, but isn’t a grand plus for a glorified drill / router also excessive?

[Jim Dwight]

I there was a competitor that would make mortises as easily and quickly yet accurately - and was cheaper, I would have bought it instead. All the bits I bought are CMT. It isn't just cost, it is also storage space and a desire for wider tenons than are commercially available. But if I did this for a living - time is money - I might buy them. I might still buy some little ones sometime, they are more of a pain to make. With a table saw, planner, and router table they are silly simple to make, however.

[glenn bradley]

Yes, make them from scrap from your project wood. In addition to costing nothing but a few minutes of your time the tenons will have the same seasonal expansion/contraction as the parts they are glued into.

John

This is what I do. I have so much scrap around, a couple minutes setup and I can make more dominoes than I will use all year. I put them in sandwich bags and toss them in a drawer. At some point I finally get low and run another batch. As to the original question, look at many of our supplies. You will find the more common sizes priced lower than larger sizes. Why are 1/4" spiral bits cheap and 5/16" spiral bits expensive?

[Dan Cameron]

Yes, make them from scrap from your project wood. In addition to costing nothing but a few minutes of your time the tenons will have the same seasonal expansion/contraction as the parts they are glued into.

John

Since most domino joints involve one side which is cross grain, the best choice of material is one with the lowest available expansion/contraction, not the project wood. Thus the choice of beech for dominos.

[Dave Sabo]

Thank heavens Festool invented the Domino.

I don’t know whaT some of you would do without it.

Fast, strong, easy and cheap joints can be made with a variety of tools. I guess some have never considered a plunge router and a jig? Leigh has one if you love buying tools. Prob. a lot of stationary mortise machines sitting idle and collecting rust too. Several drill jigs out there to use with your hand held drill and dowels. Your drill press, forstner bit, and a good sharp chisel is pretty darn fast if you’re even reasonable talented. No rizontal mortisers have been around for like 50 years too.

Lots of ways to enjoy this hobby. Like I said, I just find it curious that some will spend big money on a tool, the be a skinflint on consumables. If fiscal sensibility is priority, why not buy an regular priced tool and consumables and have time and money left over. Man is a funny animal though.

[Jim Becker]

Not sure why any of us who have chosen the Domino method for joinery should be chided for that choice/preference but I'll agree that one should always consider consumables when making that choice. That goes for the hobbyist as well as folks doing work for money as well as for any kind of tool or method.

[Jacob Mac]

Here's why I make them, I forget I ran out of a certain size, and I don't want to wait. Then after I made enough to get done with the project, I promptly forget I need to order some. Wash rinse repeat. Scrap wood, resaw a little thick, swipe with a block plane and keep on moving.