Fest**l - finally going to do it

[Bodgers]

After swearing up and down I'd never buy anything Festool, I've caved and decided to get a Domino DF500. I have some projects coming up that will reduce the time down a fair bit, and with workshop time being limited at the moment, I think at least until I eventually retire, it will be a while before I can really get into hand cutting dovetails and tenons.

Question is, where is the best place for the best price (I would also consider a refurb). I am off to the Harrogate woodworking show next month - is there any chance of a discount there?

Also, does anybody cut their own dominos? If so what is a good way to do them?

 

[pike]

They fix the price pretty much everywhere. I usually use ffx or powertool supplies.

It's also worth looking at the domino "rods" so you just cut the length you want.

Someone might have a £50 voucher spare. I just checked mine but it ran out in August.

 

[marcros]

I would but the cutter and domino kit. That will last you a while as a hobbiest. If you want to do decorative through dominos you could make some but I wouldn't bother for standard ones.

 

[DiscoStu]

Definitely getting the set and a set of dominos makes sense.

As for where to go... I did see Axminster saying that they wouldn't be beaten on power tools recently. So worth checking out their price.

Oh and welcome to the slippery festool slope! I started with a domino, then a track saw, now have a CXS, Midi extractor and a Rotex. Before I owned any Festool kit I laughed when I saw the price of the Rotex and joke about what idiots would pay that for a sander. Well I'm now one of them!


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[Bodgers]

Oh and welcome to the slippery festool slope! I started with a domino, then a track saw, now have a CXS, Midi extractor and a Rotex. Before I owned any Festool kit I laughed when I saw the price of the Rotex and joke about what idiots would pay that for a sander. Well I'm now one of them!


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Yes, this is the worry

 

[Cordy]

Here and Here should get you going

That is what I am considering

 

[Ali]

I think Axminster sent an email saying they would price match now - that is pretty good. You don't have to go down to an axminster store either, though it is fun, as you can place orders over the phone.

Get the kit when you buy the domino, you won't regret it.

 

[Bodgers]

Here and Here should get you going

That is what I am considering

Yeah £150 for a box of dominos is what I was hoping to avoid. Might buy a decent round over router bit and have a play around.

 

[Cordy]

Bodger

You do get some extra drill bits too :lol:

 

[petermillard]

Yeah £150 for a box of dominos is what I was hoping to avoid. Might buy a decent round over router bit and have a play around.

Trouble with buying the set is that you get fixed quantities of various dominoes *and * cutters that you may never use. The Domino comes with a 5mm bit (assuming it's not the XL you're buying) so buy a bag of 5mm doms for a tenner and see how you get on with them.

Using it for a while to figure out what sizes you're likely to need, then buying the appropriate cutter(s) and doms. could well be a better use of your cash than having funds tied up in hardware and stock you have no use for.

HTH Pete

 

[DiscoStu]

I went down the set route which got me all the cutters and various dominos in a systainer. I think I got mine all in a deal for about £600 which is probably a very good price now. I've never regretted having a choice of dominos and use all sizes. I then just buy replacements as required. I seem to recall that I saved around £100 but buying the dominos and machine together.


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[geoffshep]

I took the plunge and now have a few Festool products and have to say I am still very impressed. I recently got the DF500 and a set of dominos, which included the other cutters. Shop around, and look closely at the "sets' or deals they offer as they vary greatly - when I got mine, the domino machine and the accessory box bought separately was cheaper than the two items combined as a set.

I usually shop around these sites, and have ended up getting most of my big stuff from Nuts and Bolts (powertoolsupplies) and spares and accessories from toolset. FFX is also good. Now that Axminster say that they will price match I would be interested to see if they would honour that promise.

http://www.toolfest.co.uk

http://www.powertool-supplies.co.uk

 

[Claud1]

Like DiscoStue I got the mix of Dominoes and cutters its the best bet if like myself you don't know what you will try to make next, but if you know that you won't use them why bother. I have also got the XL domino with all cutters and dominoes. I used to use FFX all the time but then about a year ago they tried to charge me extortionate delivery so now I use N&B or Axminster which ever is the cheapest

 

[Paddy Roxburgh]

I've never bought a domino. Cut them on table saw and knock off the edges with a block plane or use a roundover bit on router table. Recently I bought a couple of these http://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/Onl ... us_60.html

leave long strips slightly over thickness do both sides on the router table referencing from the same face and then pass through thicknesser till the quirk has been planed off, do a good few meters at a time and cut to length when necessary.
Also you can save a few quid buying the CMT bits from ebay, they seem just as good as the festool one the machine came with. I got the 700 with the Seneca adaptor for the smaller bits. Very useful machine. As well as using it as intended I have used it on a variety of traditional tenons doing multiple plunges to get wider mortises and squaring up the corners with a chisel, not necessary if you have a mortising machine but a lot easier than using a router and a lot quicker than a chisel.

 

[Nelsun]

I know I've seen a video of someone showing their method for making dominos but I can't find it off the top of my head. I was sure it was Paul Marcel aka "HalfInchShy" and it was one segment in a longer video. He's well worth checking out for getting up to speed with a domino as his breadth of knowledge on the finer points is vast IMO. Prepare to spend considerable time going through his stuff though as there is a lot! https://www.youtube.com/user/HalfInchSh ... ery=domino

 

[Woodmonkey]

I would get the selection box, you will find all sorts of uses for it if you have the whole variety of sizes to choose from. Some jobs you could get away with using bigger or smaller ones so you end up just using wherever size you have most of left in your box. I made some oak dominos up for an outside project which was easy enough, but unless you have plenty of time on your hands it's far easier just to buy them, the cost can easily be priced into the job.

 

[pike]

I got the set and as a hobbyist I'm glad I did, as has been said already, I didn't know which I'd be using and it's lasted years at the rate I make things. I've got the XL too and for that I bought domino rods, also the external type which are made of Sipo.

I then bought the tracksaw too but haven't slipped any further..

 

[Nelsun]

Resistance is futile #-o

 

[pike]

 

[chippy1970]

Lol until nine years ago I'd look at Festool and think who the f would pay that much for tools. I'm now an owner of quite a few lol

Get the full set you won't regret it, n&b ,axi or ffx

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