Festool Domino

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Lonsdale73

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If anyone is in the market for one of these (and I know at least two are) AND have an account with a well known online auction they might find they have a 10% off voucher which would enable them to pick up a brand new DF500 for around £476.
 
Where was this when I Axminster took all my money about 3 weeks ago, still it took me at least a year of waiting for a deal to come up before biting the bull it and just buying it.
 
Horsee1":15z8fobk said:
Where was this when I Axminster took all my money about 3 weeks ago, still it took me at least a year of waiting for a deal to come up before biting the bull it and just buying it.

Are you pleased you did all the same?
 
I think I was incredibly lucky when I got mine. I got it from Axminster but got the full set of dominos, all the accessories and cutters and I'm sure I paid well under £500. Never seen the same deal since and I confess I wasn't waiting for it.


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DiscoStu":2gy9f0t0 said:
I think I was incredibly lucky when I got mine. I got it from Axminster but got the full set of dominos, all the accessories and cutters and I'm sure I paid well under £500. Never seen the same deal since and I confess I wasn't waiting for it.


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Blimey, you couldn't be disappointed with that price. Are you pleased with the device, does it work as you'd hoped?
 
Ah the Domino is great. It's just accurate and easy. You do need to spend a few seconds thinking about what you're doing but then it's straight forward. All I would say it that you do really need to use it with an extractor. I love it though. It was my first Featool purchase as there was no other cheaper alternative that really does what the domino does. Anyway that has now seen me start on my Festool journey as I now have a TS55 and will be aiming to get the OF1400 at some point.


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DiscoStu":3pqlyj9x said:
Ah the Domino is great. It's just accurate and easy. You do need to spend a few seconds thinking about what you're doing but then it's straight forward. All I would say it that you do really need to use it with an extractor. I love it though. It was my first Featool purchase as there was no other cheaper alternative that really does what the domino does. Anyway that has now seen me start on my Festool journey as I now have a TS55 and will be aiming to get the OF1400 at some point.


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Hmm, not sure if that's good news or not, sounds expensive! I'm being a good lad, there's a parcel in the hallway which I believe must be my Domino but I have dashed to open and start playing with it, not till my chores are done at least.
 
DiscoStu":nqytpdpc said:
All I would say it that you do really need to use it with an extractor.

+1

In fact I'd go further, an extractor is absolutely essential, especially if you're morticing at 20mm or deeper. Otherwise the machine can't clear the chips fast enough, so the cutter overheats and starts wandering off line, you probably wouldn't notice while making the cut but when you come to fit the joint you'll find it's misaligned. I've heard a few new users moaning about the accuracy of the machine and it turned out they were plunging way too fast and without any extraction.

there was no other cheaper alternative that really does what the domino does

If you can't run to a Domino the Dowelmax jig is pretty impressive...provided you can track down a reliable source of quality dowels. I know a couple of serious furniture makers who use a Dowelmax for their dowel work and it's way, way more accurate than the run of the mill dowelling jig. Not cheap...but still a lot cheaper than a Domino!

Good luck.
 
For £476, that would be tempting.

Still like standing at a mortiser, however I've read a bit about them lately, and if I was a full time cabinet maker, it would be top of my 'to purchase' list.

Still under £500 seems to be a very good deal.

Jonny
 
Still like standing at a mortiser

Nothing wrong with that Jonny. You can do everything a Domino can, plus quite a few other things besides (like haunches to name just one rather important omission from the Domino playbook), just you're a bit slower getting the projects finished and out the door.
 
Jmac80":3dicgt3z said:
What am i missing lol?
I never EVER get 10% discounts or any discounts on ebay... and i have over 4000 feedback.

Check your summary page. They don't announce it and if you don't scroll down far enough you might not even be aware that it's there. It's the second time in approx one month they've run this 10% promotion.
 
Yep if time was money Custard, the Domino would be my workshop baby. It's ok for DIYers like me to blah blah about standing at a mortiser all day, as I'm not having to price a commission or charge a client.

I can completely understand why it would be a popular choice for furniture makers trying to find ways of cost cutting. But the things is rendered useless should the client want any kind of through/visible wedged tenons, or can you square a through cut off by hand?

Does the packs of tenons you buy, swell when they are glued similar to biscuits

Jonny
 
JonnyW":1t1tooal said:
But the things is rendered useless should the client want any kind of through/visible wedged tenons, or can you square a through cut off by hand?

I've never used a Domino for a through mortice but I guess it could be done although, to my eye at least, a through wedged mortice and tenon would look absolutely horrible with rounded ends, like an industrialised and tacky version of Arts & Crafts.

Having said that it's also pretty tricky to make a through mortice with a hollow chisel morticing machine, because the auger rarely runs completely concentric to the chisel so you often get a little scallop where the auger peeks out beyond the chisel line. Doesn't matter in a traditional M&T as it's covered by the tenon shoulder, but looks very sloppy on a through M&T. There are some long winded work arounds but I personally either cut through M&T's with a router then square the ends, or I'll cut the mortice completely by hand.

Here's a job I did with loads of through M&T's, these were all cut by hand, doesn't actually take all that long, fitting the wedges and building jigs to allow proper clamping on through M&T's takes more time.

Elm-Table-&-Stool-copy.jpg
 

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custard":28d2tnk4 said:
JonnyW":28d2tnk4 said:
But the things is rendered useless should the client want any kind of through/visible wedged tenons, or can you square a through cut off by hand?

I've never used a Domino for a through mortice but I guess it could be done although, to my eye at least, a through wedged mortice and tenon would look absolutely horrible with rounded ends, like an industrialised and tacky version of Arts & Crafts.

Having said that it's also pretty tricky to make a through mortice with a hollow chisel morticing machine, because the auger rarely runs completely concentric to the chisel so you often get a little scallop where the auger peeks out beyond the chisel line. Doesn't matter in a traditional M&T as it's covered by the tenon shoulder, but looks very sloppy on a through M&T. There are some long winded work arounds but I personally either cut through M&T's with a router then square the ends, or I'll cut the mortice completely by hand.

Here's a job I did with loads of through M&T's, these were all cut by hand, doesn't actually take all that long, fitting the wedges and building jigs to allow proper clamping on through M&T's takes more time.


You could use a domino machine to make the hole and then square the ends if so inclined.
 
That's absolutely lovely Custard. Well done mate. There is something about knowing a piece has been made 'completely' by hand.

I absolutely love seeing wedged through tenons - it's a pity most machine made hardwood doors all seem to be stopped or blind tenons as some folk call them.

Yes that's what I was thinking Ed, you could Domino the mortises then square the corners off. I suppose no other than what you could do with a router.

Thanks for sharing that Custard.

Jonny
 
My compliments to you Custard, very nice, "Barnsley" I presume.

Been saving up my Oak off cuts to make one of those stools.
 
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