Festool Domino

[Jim Becker]

Per, I happened to mention to Bob last night while having an IM chat with him that you should get the first Domino through his dealership...really, I did!

[Clinton Findlay]

there is a significant amount of threads on the Festool Domino in the Ubeaut forum, if you are interested.

xxxx

The Domino caused pages and pages of similiar argument on the ubeaut site, and what the arguments came down to were:
Against - its too expensive,
For - precision, repeatabilty, speed, adaptability, portability, value for $ (in that in a commercial operation it pays for itself very quickly)

One thing is for sure, those that buy it are going to swear by it.

It may be worth a look at the threads in this site....


Cheers,
Clinton

[Bob Marino]

In Germany it sells for 671 euros, roughly $820. I'll bet it will be around $850 to 900.

Bernhard

No price is yet 100% set, but will be offered at an introductory price, which is generally about 10% lower than list price. Intro price will probably be in the $700.00's for the tool.

Bob

[Daniel Hundrup]

They are $700. The introductory price is $660. I had the chance to use one at my local Woodcraft store this weekend. I ordered one! It is the answer Iv'e been looking for to join the rails & stiles & rockers on cradles I make. It will significantly ruduce the time I was spending joining these pieces.
Dan Hundrup, Lewiston, Id.

[Eric Wong]

Well, I bought a Leigh FMT last year....sort of wish I would have waited. But I love the FMT. Its just not quite as handy as the Domino.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I know some maloof style rocking chair builders who use and like it a lot. I don't think I'll want one.

[Mike Cutler]

Jim.
My last big project had over 400 M&T joints. Even with a dedicated benchtop mortiser the job was very tedious.
There was a lot of "tuning" as the project carried on.
A tool like the Domino would have let me reference everything to the benchtop, and hopefully aleviated some of the tuning, thus saving a lot of time.


I'll let the big boys give the tool a run for it's money, but it could be my first Festool purchase. Ya' never know.

[Gary Curtis]

In their book on Joinery, Taunton Press has a 4-page dissertation on floating tenons. They did a followup in the magazine where they did destructive strength testing on dowels, bisuits, loose tenons. Loose tenons are very strong.

Like a clunk, I just bought a Lamello $700 biscuit joiner. I think for sheet goods, it will continue to serve its function. But I want to build furniture, and for that floating tenons are the real answer. As someone mentioned here, the real advantage of the Domino is portability. My friend owns a window/door company and has a few Festool tools. For people in finish carpentry trades (especially flooring), Festool is a gift from heaven.

But I think I'll pass on the Domino since I am just a hobbyist and do everything in my shopl. To take advantage of the Domino technology, I'll use my router (mounted in the WoodRat) to cut the mortises, and then simply buy the loose tenon stock from Festool. I think the challenge for precision with Domino will be to clamp the workpiece while plunging the mortise. That's the challenge with Biscuits, but they allow for some lateral slop in the gluing up. Both pieces joined by the Domino have to be dead on, with no play.

So, added to the $800 for the Domino, throw in another $440+ for the Multi Function Table.

Gary Curtis

[Mitchell Andrus]

That's the challenge with Biscuits, but they allow for some lateral slop in the gluing up. Both pieces joined by the Domino have to be dead on, with no play.

Gary Curtis

If the Festool tenons are too restrictive, We can make our own tenons. We can make our joints as adjustable as they need to be. 1/16" should be plenty.

[Gary Curtis]

Mitchell, the Festool tenons get their strength from having tight-fitting shoulders. It's the cutting of the mortise that would demand exact placement.

Whereas Biscuits allow for a fair amount of lateral play without sacrificing strength. The Lamello machine I have is heavy, it has rubber contact points on the fence, and you only plunge straigth in for a cut. So placement is not a challenge.

The Domino certainly looks beefy, but the joint itself allows no margin for error. Besides, the cutting but oscillates left to right.I'm just thinking that work clamping is going to be an issue.

Maybe the Domino fence has rubber feet or something to minimize movement of the work during the cut. So the portability of the machine is a minus because I'll do everything in my shop. But finish carpenters will love it, I bet.

Gary Curtis

[Bob Childress]

The Domino certainly looks beefy, but the joint itself allows no margin for error.

Not quite true, actually. Only the first mortise has to be exact. There is an adjustment on the Domino that then allows the remaining mortises to be cut slightly oversize (laterally) for an accurate fit. In fact, Festool recommend using it that way.

I should think clamping would be no more difficult than clamping to use a biscuit joiner.

[Bob Marino]

Not quite true, actually. Only the first mortise has to be exact. There is an adjustment on the Domino that then allows the remaining mortises to be cut slightly oversize (laterally) for an accurate fit. In fact, Festool recommend using it that way.

I should think clamping would be no more difficult than clamping to use a biscuit joiner.

Bob,

Exactly correct.

Bob

[Dave Falkenstein]

One of the big advantages of the Domino as I see it, and as reported by some test users, is the advantage of taking the tool to the work, rather than handling the material to cut mortises. On large pieces of material, the ability to locate mortises accurately and manipulate a relatively small tool to cut the mortises seems to be a great way to do the job. Much of Festool's sucess is related to the concept of taking the tool to the work, in addition to portability.

[Jim Becker]

Be nice, folks...

Jim
SMC Moderator

[John Lucas]

Wow, is there a lot of heat in this post. I will first say, Marry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
Now, as one who has a couple of hundred hours with the Domino Joinery System...it is a real nice tool. Can't do everything; can do a lot. When I first started to review it, I thought of it in terms of methods and tools it would replace. One such was or is the Leigh M & T JIg. That is a real nice tool. It costs about the same as the Domino but is very different. There are joints that the Leigh will do and the Domino will not. And visa versa. It took me sometime to get to the point where I do NOT ttry to compare it tool for tool. But I do enjoy looking at woodworking in a new way. Here's wahat I mean.
Take the basic kitchen base cabinet. You have your way to make it so that it works, is strong and yet easy to produce. In my case, I find that I dado the bottom floor/shelf in place then glue and obliquely nail. The back, I rabbet, glue and nail, the cross members and corner blocks, much the same. I know that many do it differently but I want to build strength into the unit, so this is mine "plain vanilla" approach. I have used the offset tongue and groove with pocket screws that Marc Sommerfeld was promoting. I liked it but it had some shortcomings... doweling, the same thing. Using the Miller Dowel, the same. So when I look at the base cabinet as a whole series of steps, it was easier for me to see using the Festool Domino Joinery System.
There was a comment about the tenons being so tight fitting that assembly would be difficult. And I think this was corrected by those who pointed out that you only make one mortise of a series tight and the others can be cut with some side-to-side play. (also great way for handling seasonal expansion/contraction of wood.)
I haven't yet found anything to dislike with the Domino. When I look at our work in term of the broader picture, I find that the Domino can really excel. Take for example a simple bedside table. The top pieces can be Domino'd for panel glue up. If that were only use, I would stay with biscuits.) The breadboard ends can use Dominos and only the center Domino be exact fit. The aprons to legs can be using Dominos and maybe multiple rows if size permits...certainly the 10mm Dominos would do very well. If there is a bottom stretch and cross shelf...Domino's and the drawer can be Domino'd versa dovetails, unless aesthetics are the call. Actually, I am now making drawers with Walnut Domino tenons...easy to make and I cut them "through" so the neat ovals show.
As I have said, I have had a few hundred hours with the new tool and have done a lot, but haven't come close to all that it can do. My suggestion to all keep an open mind and consider it like any other tool that comes on the market and how you can use it to do a better, more efficient and cost effective way. It is not an expensive tool if it can allow you to do your job better and more efficiently.
A happy new year to you all.