Peanut Connecting System

[Doug71]

I know some people on here aren't fans of gadgets but I have just seen this on Axminster site, looks really handy for some of the units I build.

https://www.axminstertools.com/peanutr-2-connecting-system-package-720761
Anybody used one or had any experience of them? Wondered how easy/accurate it was to do mid shelf type joints as it doesn't show any?

 

[Orraloon]

400 quid

 

[Doug B]

Personally I wouldn’t be confident supplying a cabinet etc that was held together by screws into end grain in the case of solid wood as per their photos.

 

[Eric The Viking]

<Spock>Fascinating</Spock>
<McCoy>It's a joint, Jim, but not as we know it</McCoy>

Hoping Peter Millard joins this discussion soon, as I know he has tried various KD systems, including the Festool one for Domino slots and, IIRC, the Lamello Zeta ones too.

I haven't yet used either. There's one issue that would concern me: the keyhole approach.

I'd use KD fittings if I needed to assemble in situ but wanted to do everything but that somewhere else. They make a lot of sense. The Lamello and Festool systems grip and pull up the joint face-to-face (the force is perpendicular to he mating surfaces), and it's the connectors that provide all the strength.

With this one however, you slide the two mating surfaces, and to some extent rely on friction to keep everything in place.

• If your finish makes the surfaces slippery, or you are using MFC or MF MDF, or MF ply, that might be a problem.
• If you have a paint finish, banging on the edge, even with a block, might damage your finish.

Whatever the sales "puff" says, the joint strength can only be a fraction of the unmolested material (ply in the videos). I couldn't say whether other systems might be stronger, but the carcases evidently need to be in 18mm in order for the fixings to have sufficient strength. So you might end up with construction that is mostly a lot heavier than needs be otherwise.

You also need both the router plunge depth and the drill depth for the end of the mushroom to be spot on or the joint either won't go together or it will be loose. And it's only "adjustable" once it's apart.

Both the other two systems, to an extent, give you adjustable tightness of the joint. This works the other way - the initial fit will be snug, because you are compressing the wood fibres. Any movement might loosen it, but you most probably won't be able to tighten it easily, or knock the joint back apart again without damage, because you have compressed the wood fibres and the head of the mushroom is sitting in an indent inside the second piece of the joint.

It's a neat idea, but even if cost were no object, I'd struggle to find an application, given I have a Domino.

The Domino KD fittings are expensive, but you can get the starter kit for 85 quid less than the Peanut system: the KV-SYS D8, for the DF500 is 315 quid at Axminster presently. The kit to do about 64 DF700 joints, SV-SYS D14, is roughly 416, but it's not an exact equivalent to the DF500 kit, as it seems not to have the extra tooling for drilling and adjusting the fittings.

E.

PS: With 18mm ply (even 12mm) you could even sink carefully-piloted wood screws into the edge, with low expectation of splitting. Might be slightly cheaper too ;-).

 

[Doug71]

Thank you for the opinions, all good points.

I would only really be using it for middle uprights in the fashionable type shelf units that are split up in to different sized openings, mainly in birch ply.

I have both Dominos but haven't really played with their KD fixings much, I was liking the Peanut thing as there are no holes left or cover caps needed, as far as I can see even the Zeta leaves a small hole.

At the moment I often use Dominos with a couple of the Tounge Tite type screws to pull everything up as they only leave a 3mm hole (thank you Peter Millard), works fine but always looking to improve things.

I helped a friend assemble some Tylko shelving they bought, it had a really clever knock down/clip together system which worked really well if anyone knows what system that uses?

https://tylko.com/

 

[FullFat]

Just noticed that @petermillard has released a video on this

 

[Inspector]

I'm no expert on knock down furniture but the only way I would use those would be for hanging pre-finished high quality hardwood wainscoting assemblies to a wall that I didn't want fasteners showing on the faces. But then again regular keyholes cut with a router and screws would do the same.

Pete

 

[petermillard]

I’ve only had the Peanut 2 system and jig for a couple of weeks, and yes, the starter kit is a hair under £400 - though it contains everything you need to get started, apart from the router - but I would put these 15p connectors up against the £1.30 Lamello Clamex and £1350 Lamello Zeta P2 without hesitation. Ditto the ~£750 Domino and £1.80 apiece Connector fittings. I make many of these points in the video and I’d encourage anyone to watch it in full, but I’d be happy to answer any questions.

This jig is aimed at carcass construction - folks making cabinets and wardrobes and bookshelves and all the usual workaday fitted furniture using pre-finished sheet materials. There’s a mini jig out very soon that will answer many of the “ £400 for a jig!” comments and brings the price of entry way, way down, which should make it much more interesting to occasional users.

Hope that helps. P

 

[Spectric]

Hi

Is this looking like full circle? One minute systems are the way people are going, ie domino, mafell etc and now looks like jigs are making a return. I will watch the peanut video and probably have a few questions, if the peanut can do what a Lamello can do with lower initial outlay and reduced cost of hardware then it can only be good competition.

 

[Rorschach]

Just watched Peter's video and I am very impressed. Looks a genuine contender to the domino or lamello for a lot of people.

 

[custard]

Often you simply don't have a choice.

Custom cabinet making feeds my soul, but to actually feed the family I do yacht fit outs!

With boats you often have to get large components through small hatches or companion ways, and the only practical solution is to pre-build at the bench, knock it all down for delivery, and then re-assemble and install in situ.

The Peanut system has a few huge advantages, compared to most alternatives it's really cheap, it's invisible, you don't need any special knowledge or tools to assemble, and it can be taken apart and re-assembled a good few times without any problems.

I don't have one, but I can see that changing!

 

[craigs]

thats a good amount of faff, as a domino and Zeta owner, i dont think ill be changing anytime soon.

 

[petermillard]

It’s a great system. I should be getting my hands on the mini-jig this coming week - keep you posted.

p.s. Sold out at Axminster (don’t know how that happened...) but still available direct from Intelligent Fixings.

 

[petermillard]

thats a good amount of faff, as a domino and Zeta owner, i dont think ill be changing anytime soon.

It really isn’t, and nobody’s asking you to change. ‍♂ Also, speaking as a fellow Domino and Zeta owner, if you can’t see the benefits of this system vs the shortcomings of what you already have - and as fine as they are, all tools have shortcomings - then I don’t think you’re really being open-minded.

 

[Bristol_Rob]

Appears to be a lot cheaper direct from the manufacture

 

[petermillard]

Appears to be a lot cheaper direct from the manufacture

+VAT vs inc VAT.

 

[marcros]

interesting, particularly the future mini version. I have no need at the moment, but I can see a time when my daughter buys a house and needs furniture building making here and assembling miles away.

 

[Rorschach]

thats a good amount of faff, as a domino and Zeta owner, i dont think ill be changing anytime soon.

Certainly it looked more faff that what I have seen of the domino or lamello, but it only looked to be about the same as using a dowel jig and it has way more features than dowels and it's totally hidden which neither the domino or lamello can do.

You are also talking about a jig rather than a tool here. You can use any router, any drill to do the job, if your domino or lamello machine breaks mid job you can't just switch to another machine.

 

[robgul]

The @petermillard video showed the system with plywood - I wonder how good it is with MDF .... or (although I avoid it) chipboard? [I'm increasngly moving away from MDF too]

 

[Doug B]

Certainly it looked more faff that what I have seen of the domino or lamello, but it only looked to be about the same as using a dowel jig and it has way more features than dowels and it's totally hidden which neither the domino or lamello can do.

I think you’ll find the Lamello Invis mx2 is totally hidden the clue is in the title as they say.