Festool domino: benefits + price

[Mjward]

Hello

Last year I spent a lot of time doing bedroom renovations, mostly built-in wardrobes and dressing rooms along with the more general flooring/skirting/architrave etc.

This year I've got a significant amount of cabinetry to build: a home library as well as several living room display cases (shelving and cupboard units).

I was thinking of picking up a second hand df500 (as I believe that's the right unit for someone who mostly works in 18mm panels). I've seen one on local FB for £450 as the full kit including a sustainer of dominos etc and given the retail price seemed too good to be true, but is that where the 2nd hand mkt is on average?

With regards to the benefits of the domino, is it mostly spend of assembly of carcasses that is the main draw given it's seems a fairly quick way to get perfect alignment. All my units will be painted so hiding screw holes isn't really an issue but was wondering if the dominos are superior for providing strength for a bookcase for example.

Will most likely sell the unit on when finished with so not really worried about the cost, just trying to avoid getting scammed and want to make sure it will be of use in my situation

 

[Logger]

That does seem like a good price, but if local, can you go and have a look and see it working. If they are reluctant to let you see it working, then i wouldn't bother. Sometimes you get lucky with price.

I do similar jobs to you and held off buying one for quite a while. I eventually took the plunge a few years ago and almost immediately regretted not getting one far sooner. In particular, it is the doors in kitchens and wardrobes etc where it is a real saver. I always make my doors with tulipwood frames and MRMDF inserts, I really don't like full mdf doors. Gluing rails and styles is incredibly quick. I do also use it for alignment on bookcases and wardrobes etc and again, in my opinion, you save a lot of time so is worth it.

I have ended up with both the df500 and df700 which both are used regularly. For larger doors, I still do tenon and mortice joints however.

Cheers

Nick

 

[Rhossydd]

Sounds too cheap. Check it's not stolen, then if genuine, if it works.
No guaranties with FB.

 

[Mikebart]

If you can justify using it enough buy one , but I would buy new and yes it’s a lot of money but secondhand are also expensive so overall is the saving buying secondhand worth it.

 

[clive griffiths]

Yes I would go new to.
Clive.

 

[Doug71]

The Domino is a great tool for building cabinets and cupboards.

Will most likely sell the unit on when finished with so not really worried about the cost

Don't kid yourself, once you've used it you won't be parting with it........

 

[clive griffiths]

The Domino is a great tool for building cabinets and cupboards.



Don't kid yourself, once you've used it you won't be parting with it........

Yes Doug I know what you mean..
Clive.

 

[Mjward]

Thanks all! With regards to new vs old, all my tools so far were bought new as I like having a warranty etc. But also with secondhand, its the lottery you mention, both from a function perspective but also whether or not stolen etc.

Where I am sat with the Festool domino is knowing that this is a luxury item in my situation, its for my own house renovation i.e. I'm not on the clock. So to pay full whack I've just got to get my head around how beneficial it will be to the cabinetry I've got planned. That said, if I drop a grand on something I can sell for 500 quid after a couple of years, I won't lose too much sleep over it.

That does seem like a good price, but if local, can you go and have a look and see it working. If they are reluctant to let you see it working, then i wouldn't bother. Sometimes you get lucky with price.

I do similar jobs to you and held off buying one for quite a while. I eventually took the plunge a few years ago and almost immediately regretted not getting one far sooner. In particular, it is the doors in kitchens and wardrobes etc where it is a real saver. I always make my doors with tulipwood frames and MRMDF inserts, I really don't like full mdf doors. Gluing rails and styles is incredibly quick. I do also use it for alignment on bookcases and wardrobes etc and again, in my opinion, you save a lot of time so is worth it.

I have ended up with both the df500 and df700 which both are used regularly. For larger doors, I still do tenon and mortice joints however.

Cheers

Nick

re doors, I do similar but use redwood frame and MRMDF inserts. Thus far I've been using a Wealdon combination bit for the rails and styles as wanted a more decorative look for wardrobes but for the downstairs cabinetry will opt for something closer to shaker in style. I can't quite picture how you are using the domino to assist with the doors, assuming used to increase the strength of where the rails meet the styles?

 

[Mikebart]

The trouble with the domino machine is that if you are going to use it enough you need to purchase the cutter assortment plus dowels plus extraction.
The cost rises but to use it fully you will need all the bits.
Axminster price minus the extraction hose is £1100 ish
You move into the festool eco system which maybe a good thing or not.
I would love to be in the festool world but my work is a hobby not a living.

 

[Mjward]

The trouble with the domino machine is that if you are going to use it enough you need to purchase the cutter assortment plus dowels plus extraction.
The cost rises but to use it fully you will need all the bits.
Axminster price minus the extraction hose is £1100 ish
You move into the festool eco system which maybe a good thing or not.
I would love to be in the festool world but my work is a hobby not a living.

I'm one foot in festool in that I have the MIDI extractor and 125mm ROS but hear you, it's not a bare unit investment. The one on local FB is 450 Inc the cutter assortment and dowels. Only used a handful of times etc. still on fence whether to ask to see it in action or just sack it off and get new

 

[Mikebart]

I'm one foot in festool in that I have the MIDI extractor and 125mm ROS but hear you, it's not a bare unit investment. The one on local FB is 450 Inc the cutter assortment and dowels. Only used a handful of times etc. still on fence whether to ask to see it in action or just sack it off and get new

It does sound cheap but it may be genuine only one way to find out.

 

[BucksDad]

Sometimes the cheaper ones are 110v version so check that...

 

[danst96]

That sounds way to cheap, especially considering it comes with the sustainer and dominos, that alone is at least 200 quid. Might be worth a look though

 

[Logger]

Thus far I've been using a Wealdon combination bit for the rails and styles as wanted a more decorative look for wardrobes but for the downstairs cabinetry will opt for something closer to shaker in style. I can't quite picture how you are using the domino to assist with the doors, assuming used to increase the strength of where the rails meet the styles?

I do use the domino to join the rails and stiles. It adds strength, but it also makes alignment far easier. I use it with a decorative edge as well. My rails and stiles are normally 22mm with 9mm mrmdf inserts. I tend to use 8mm dominos. I machine the profile with a spindle moulder and scribe the rails with the scribe block on a tenoner rather than router cutters, but both create the same results. You can still easily use the domino against a scribed or profiled edge. The machine is very stable.

I have found that you find that you can use a couple of cutters for most jobs. I use dominos mostly for cupboard doors and cabinets and use 8mm for a lot of jobs. I buy the 800mm lengths of dominos from Axminster and cut to the required size.

You can sometimes just get lucky with a great deal. You do need to be careful obviously. A couple of years ago, I got a radial arm saw from a joiner closing his business. When I collected, he had a Wadkin EQ spindle moulder for sale. I wanted a 2nd machine, but had a scm machine which meant all my tooling was 30mm bore. The Wadkin was 1 1/4 inch bore so was no good with all my other tooling. Ended up with it, all the blocks (about 8) and 140 sets of cutters all for £1,000! I eventually ended up with tenoners, 3 dust extractors, a thicknesser and all the ducting for a bargain. So worth checking, you do sometimes get lucky.

Nick

 

[seanf]

£450 as the full kit including a sustainer of dominos etc

If the separate systainer also has the additional cutters then that is about £400 lower than the price used machines and the extra accessories go for on eBay. Either it's a bargain or it, and the seller, needs very careful checking

See here for an example - you can scroll down to see the original listing details

Sean

 

[Spectric]

Sometimes the cheaper ones are 110v version so check that...

Don't let that put you off as I only buy 110 when possible and not only for the safety aspect. They can be cheaper, my Makita tracksaw was £100 less than the 230 version and for the sake of a transformer not really an issue BUT make sure it has not had a hard life working on sites as this is where most 110 stuff gets used.

 

[paullap]

Hi I was like you, kept looking at secondhand deals, Most of them at that price are a scam, Unless you can see it working don't bother, I have just spent £1100 from DM tools Twickenham, I just love this tool, Only had it for a week so early days, A very impressive tool. You will not regret getting one, accurate and fast. The issue I have is, I have a CT15 dust collector and I don't know what connector I need to connect to the domino tool, so can anyone advise please

 

[Adam W.]

Hi I was like you, kept looking at secondhand deals, Most of them at that price are a scam, Unless you can see it working don't bother, I have just spent £1100 from DM tools Twickenham, I just love this tool, Only had it for a week so early days, A very impressive tool. You will not regret getting one, accurate and fast. The issue I have is, I have a CT15 dust collector and I don't know what connector I need to connect to the domino tool, so can anyone advise please

You need the dust extractor attachment which came with the Domino jointer. Fit that on to the machine and just plug the vacuum hose into it.

 

[paullap]

Hi I don't think I got a connector with it, I will have to double check to make sure I haven't removed it from the box and put it somewhere, I am always putting things down and forgetting where I put them

 

[paullap]

Looking at the advert from DM tools and and the one from Axminister tools I cannot see any hose connector?.