purchasing a domino

[tezza111]

Hi Everyone

I know the domino has been covered many times on here but Im after some up to date advice.

I mainly do fitted furniture and am being asked to do more and more stuff where i need to be able to conceal the jointing method as opposed to the usual screws thought the sides that i usually use on mdf work. Im tempted to buy the domino.

Can anyone answer or give advice on the following.

Whats the difference essentially between the two different models?
Wheres the best/ cheapest place to buy?
Are there any essential accessories that I might need that don't come out of the box?
Ive got a cheapish shop vac made by co tech. Works great and hooks up to my dewalt jigsaw chopsaw and track saw. Will the domino hook up to this? The female part of the hose outlet is 33mm

Thanks for any advice on these queries and I'll be grateful for any other advice on the domino

T

 

[srp]

One's big and the other one's small. If you're doing 18 mm stuff all the time you only need the small one
Google Nuts and Bolts Somerset - i can never remember the name of the place (their trading name is different to their web name), but that's the cheapest Festool supplier at the moment, and they're very good.
I use the attachment that centres the domino in the end of a narrow batten a lot, and always when I do face frames. The arms that fit on the sides for repeating domino spacing on wide panels gets a look in now and again, as does the non-Festool attachment called a Domiplate. There's a load of info on all these attachments if you do a search - Youtube and the Festool Owners Group forum especially.
The extraction tube on the Domino is 27mm, so you'd need some sort of adaptor - old plastic waste pipe fittings and a roll of masking tape will get you started (which is what I used before I got a Festool dust extractor).

 

[tezza111]

Thanks alot spt. Thats got me started.

T

 

[custard]

Don't get the 700 unless you're making gates or something that needs whopping great tenons. I've got the 500 and the 700, but for furniture sized projects I much prefer the 500. Yes there is an adaptor that allows you to use smaller bits on the 700, but the minimum plunge depth on the 700 is deeper, which means it needs a fussy work around to deal with things like tenoning drawer fronts to drawer sides. Also the 700 is so much bigger that it can get quite awkward to use with smaller components.

Which ever Domino you buy there are two tips I recommend,

1. Calibrate the plastic window with the etched scale, Festool don't guarantee that it's factory calibrated. You'll find guidelines on the internet or by Googling "Rick Christopherson's Domino Manual".

2. The Domino ships with a split plastic sleeve that secures the plunge mechanism. Don't chuck this away as it's really useful for cutting off short lengths to make custom plunge depths!

 

[marcros]

I got mine from nuts and bolts. I think the web name is bunny's bolts or something like that.

 

[shed9]

Nuts and Bolts are here;

http://www.powertool-supplies.co.uk/dom ... g-machine/

They are a superb dealer.

I also have both machines and have to say I believe the 700 to be the superior of the two. I also have the Seneca adapter and IMO it gives the edge to the 700. The weight of the 700 is not a disadvantage over the 500, its actually its strength, that weight equates to more stability.

You will be happy with either, but the 500 has limits.

Just my £0.02

 

[Woodmonkey]

Shop around, they are by no means the cheapest supplier at the moment, nearly £100 less here
http://www.dm-tools.co.uk/product.php/s ... 6GuW8twaAh

 

[Skeety]

The prices do vary and change. When I bought my DF500 at the beginning of May Nut's and Bolts were the cheapest, bought from another dealer at the Festool Roadshow with the Systainer full of Dominoes and cutters plus the cross stop and spacer block, £5 more but got my hands on it there and then.

Works out at £627 delivered from FFX here:

http://www.ffx.co.uk/tools/product/4014 ... full%20set

You will need to add the Systainer of Dominoes to come to the figure above.

I have bought a lot of kit from these guys and the service is first class. Used to use D&M's quite a lot too but FFX normally get my business now.

Once you have the domino you will wonder how you ever lived without it

Jon.

 

[Claud1]

+1 for ffx tools or felixstow fixings you can't go wrong

 

[tezza111]

Thanks everyone for advice. I mainly use 18mm/19mm for carcasses and for drawers 15/16mm.....so I'm thinking the 500 will do me for now. Ive been looking at some youtube videos and Peter Parfitt amongst others. Can anyone recommend any other videos or guides to the domino. Ive checked out Fog and that looks like a great resource so thanks for that.

Any other advice is welcome......

t

 

[Woodmonkey]

Half inch shy has some useful ones

 

[Giff]

+1 for half inch shy on Utube he is a Festool guru. I started with a DF 700 and thought this and a biscuit jointer ( which I had) would cover everything. I was soon convinced that Domonos were far superior and got the DF500 as well. I agree with Custard that the DF700 can be a bit unwieldy but it has got the extra plunge depth (limited to 28mm on the 500) and I have used it a lot with through tenons even in 8 and 10mm ( max 70mm). If I only had one it would be the DF700. The only other "add on" if you are doing cabinets and face frames is the Domiplate from Seneca Woodworking, very accurate. FFX below are good on price as well. Geoff
http://www.ffx.co.uk/tools/product/4014 ... ner%20240v

 

[tezza111]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. Some good advice here and Im going to explore all the avenues. What i really love about this forum is that even though things have been covered in the past you people seem to be more than willing to help out again..........there is nothing more annoying than the comment "search the forum' so thanks again

 

[tezza111]

Hopefully I can help someone else out one day with some advice! cheers

 

[Skeety]

Good luck with your Domino purchase

Only had mine for 5 weeks after using one for a couple of projects that would have been a nightmare without one. Rebuilt a 6FT Teak garden table and reduced it to 5FT and added so much strength to it with Dominoes. Made a Lazy Susan for said table, Dominoes were essential. Always used biscuits before, since the Domino arrived that's all I have used.

Currently re-working a Rabbit\Guinea Pig home and there will be plenty of Dominoes in that too along with plenty of pocket holes.

Think the biscuit jointer will be up for sale soon.....

Jon.

 

[tezza111]

Thanks Jon!.....just need to raise the last couple of hundred quid. I did consider my children's piggy banks and trust funds
but after careful consideration decided that NO tool is worth steeping that low.

Thanks again

T

 

[DiscoStu]

I bought a 500 a couple of weeks ago, got it with it's own systainer, a systainer with domino assortment in, the trim stop, cross stop and all 4 cutters all for £649 from Axminster. Still a lot of money, but it was about £150 cheaper than buying the bits separately.

 

[jonkat]

I burnt out my Lamello biscuit joiner so I had to choose - Domino or Lamello - the DF500 won and I've never looked back, but why dopes someone always find it cheaper than I found it ! :shock:
Jon.

 

[DiscoStu]

I got it from Axminster so hardly hidden, they were just doing a deal for a couple of month.