Leigh dovetail jig, or festool domino jointer.
Not one of the basic Leigh's, the ones about the same cost as the domino.
Not one of the basic Leigh's, the ones about the same cost as the domino.
You can only buy one - which one
- Thread starter TRITON
- Start date
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You maybe comparing chalk and Wensleydale here, also which Domino ? I would think that the dovetail jig is more restricted because it can only deliver dovetail joints and there are many situations where you don't want a dovetail but when you do then it comes out the cupboard which is like my Woodrat. That is great for Dovetails but unlike the Leigh jig it also has other uses and I have done very few dovetails compared to many other jobs on it. I also have the Domino 700 which I am still not 100% happy with but in theory that can do a lot of joints which is why I got it, but for me the go to tool is my Dowelmax for 10mm dowels or the Jessem for 6, 8 or 12mm and I find dowels suit my needs albeit a slower process.
Do you have a birthday coming up, is this going to be a present in which case maybe the answer is both .
Do you have a birthday coming up, is this going to be a present in which case maybe the answer is both .
scooby
Established Member
Domino…
and an eBay dovetail saw
and an eBay dovetail saw
johnnyb
Established Member
Just sold my domino xl. Boat anchor springs to mind. Personally I like the leigh fmt. It's great at a useful size of m and t for furniture. Maybe 25-30mm deep. Twins, quads, dowels even. Dominoes are not placed accurately enough IMHO.500 is fine though. There is a slight learning curve with the fmt but not tricky. The leigh dovetail jig is OK if your in the swing and have used it often enough to not have to reread the excellent instructions book!
HOJ
Established Member
I've hankered after a Leigh jig for years, thinking of all the boxes and drawers etc I could make with dovetails or box finger joints..to this day never had a need for one, but the Domino machines have been a game changer.
Ollie78
Established Member
Totally different things. And it depends what you make.
For me if do dovetails they are normally a decorative joint on a box or something so I do them by hand, I have an Incra fence on my router table and that can do amazing dovetails but I don`t use it for that very often at all.
In contrast I use my Domino 700 all the time for dominos and oversized loose tenons etc. I find super quick and accurate. I actually prefer it in use to the smaller 500 because of the handle I don`t find it heavy or awkward really.
If you are going to be doing loads of drawers then you might look at a dedicated dovetailer machine which can be found for not much more than the leigh jig (not quite as versatile for spacings etc but dead quick).
Ollie
For me if do dovetails they are normally a decorative joint on a box or something so I do them by hand, I have an Incra fence on my router table and that can do amazing dovetails but I don`t use it for that very often at all.
In contrast I use my Domino 700 all the time for dominos and oversized loose tenons etc. I find super quick and accurate. I actually prefer it in use to the smaller 500 because of the handle I don`t find it heavy or awkward really.
If you are going to be doing loads of drawers then you might look at a dedicated dovetailer machine which can be found for not much more than the leigh jig (not quite as versatile for spacings etc but dead quick).
Ollie
That is what I find, makes a great oblong hole really fast but not always exactly where you want it, it takes only a small error to throw the joint out unless you go for the sloppy setting. That Leigh jig is not a cheap option at £1300 and the Trend version gets a lot of negative reviews but there are a lot of plans for homemade jigs around. Maybe the better option is to make your own loose tennons which could be very large and then only cut the mortices so just one process.
Domino, absolutely !
pgrbff
Established Member
I bought one of the first Leigh jigs, must be back in the 90's. I still haven't used it.
+1 for the Domino 700. I use it all the time, from external gates to drawers. I bought the Leigh jig years ago but have yet to use it on a proper job!
Rhossydd
Established Member
The dovetail jigs top out at £600, £300 less than a Domino outfit.
The expensive(£1200) Leigh jig is a mortice and tenon jig, not dovetail.
Depends on what you're making. I doubt I'd pay £1200 for a M+T jig rather than a Domino, but a Domino won't make visually wonderful dovetails liker the (cheaper) dovetail Leigh jigs.
domino. Have a look on ebay and facebook marketplace, I picked mine up for £400 with a spare systainer of dominos
scooby
Established Member
That’s a damn good price
Actually its the other way aroundI think Mr. Triton is seeking public opinion to sway him toward purchasing a Domino.
Mentioning Leigh's jig was just a diversion.
I'd like a domino, but i already have a biscuit jointer, and theyre pretty much the same, arent they My dovetail jig is the basic type, and ive always fancied the Leigh one as it does better and smaller dovetails, plus it does other more decorative joints.
Domino is really just a tool for narrower frame type cuts, and for boards, then the biscuit is just as good.
Hornbeam
Established Member
Dominos are vastly superior to biscuits except for edge jointing where I think the biscuit is better (not stronger)
I have a Leigh and a DF500. Use the domino all the time. Leigh collects dust but might use it if making lager runs of boxes/drawers
I have a Leigh and a DF500. Use the domino all the time. Leigh collects dust but might use it if making lager runs of boxes/drawers
Im not against loose tenon, been using that on big doors for years, as it can speed up some jobs, but maybe for smaller things like picture frames or small cabinet doors I'm not sure theres that much difference.
Actually its the other way around
A biscuit jointer is more or less a one-trick pony - aligning boards for glue-up. While it does add some strength to the joint, it is not that significant and rather accidental.
The Domino is closer to a doweler in terms of adding strength to joints. As a bonus - the Domino is just as quick for the alignment of boards as a biscuit jointer.
If you have the funds - the Domino is a no-brainer.
On the other hand - if you love the process just as much as the result - I'd look for a good (expensive) doweling jig. I have one and also own the Domino, but (since getting the right doweling jig for me) find that I reach for the doweling jig more often than the Domino in situations where I am joining no more than 2 boards in one setting. If I am joining more than 2 boards or at non 90-degree angles - then it is always the Domino.
If I had bought my latest doweling jig (I own 4) before the Domino, knowing what I know now, I would still choose the Domino before any other jointing tool.
Once exception - if I was doing mostly flatpack furniture (with confirmat screws and cam dowels) - then domino loses its edge. А good dedicated jig plus a cordless drill мakе hole markings and drilling а simple and fast task.
