To Festool or not to Festool !

[Waka]

If you want to buy something with the best dust extraction on the market then buy Festool, if not then buy some other make.

 

[woodbloke]

It is true though that there is no competitor for the Domino. Things like this would have taken ages without it.

True enough. If you were in business making this sort of 'stuff' then the Dominatrix has to be an essential and you'd be out of your tree not to have one. But as an amateur or hobbyiest you'd probably find an alternative way to cut 300+ m/t's...
It's the old time issue again :wink: - Rob

 

[p111dom]

It is true that their dust extraction is excellent especially on the Domino and track saws however the extraction on my Jet SS is rubbish as is the extraction hood on my thicknesser so there's always dust and chippings in the shop. I find the extraction on the OF1400 ok if you're not going all the way through like cutting a rebate but when routing an edge, with the lower section of the cutter exposed, it makes about as much mess as my other routers. That's not take away the good work they have done in improving tool extraction but I mitigate against the health hazards of dust by running a jet filter and wearing an airshield. There's an argument for good extraction on site which to me is semi valid. A mate of mine renovates houses or rather project manages it and has lots of different trades all with their chosen brand of tools in completing work so unless they're all kitted out with Festool, there's still a significant amount of clean up to do before the painters are called in. As for doing work in an occupied house, if a tradesman started dragging all his kit into the house, my wife would show them the door no matter how good the extraction is so work would still be done on the drive.

 

[p111dom]

It is true though that there is no competitor for the Domino. Things like this would have taken ages without it.

True enough. If you were in business making this sort of 'stuff' then the Dominatrix has to be an essential and you'd be out of your tree not to have one. But as an amateur or hobbyiest you'd probably find an alternative way to cut 300+ m/t's...
It's the old time issue again :wink: - Rob

But I am a hobbyiest who is not in the trade but for this particular tool I have found it to be worth the money. You have to bare in mind that I have a mortiser that cost about £220, a tenoning jig that cost £100 and a biscuit jointer that cost around £150 that now don't get used. Total cost was £470 which is pretty close to the cost of a Domino machine. The Domino is quicker and more versatile which for me, justified the cost (although I still have all the other machines too ).

I've used the Domino heavily in the last 6 big projects using every 5,6 and 8mm Domino in my systainer so while I'm not an industrial user, I use it quite a lot. In fact the biggest cost would be the fact that if I relied on this tool for and income, I'd really need two just in case. I know many tradesmen who have say a Dewalt cordless set as their main tools but carry a Ryobi one set as a back up. A cheaper back up alternative is not an option with the Domino.

As for the OF1400, I simply like the feel, soft start and quick stop and the ratchet system for bit changes. The common power lead for the Festool range is a big bonus too eliminating many a trip hazard in the shop. I bought this second hand for about the same price as a new T11 so in this case I thought it was a bargain. I doubt I'd have bought it new though if I were in the trade. I'd more likely to have bought 2 T11's or 625's to safeguard income generation.

So oddly IMO, I find the opposite to be true. If I were in the trade, I'd worry about a long repair time leaving me toolless so would opt for another brand. For a well heeled amateur where it's not the end of the world if it breaks and takes a couple of weeks to get it fixed, I find Festool make more sense.

 

[Chems]

I find the extraction on the OF1400 ok if you're not going all the way through like cutting a rebate but when routing an edge, with the lower section of the cutter exposed, it makes about as much mess as my other routers.

Have you got this Dom?

http://www.mtmc.co.uk/product.aspx?ProductID=38860

Designed to combat that type of cut.

 

[p111dom]

No Chems but it is interesting. I use guide bushes a lot with a porter cable convertor and you wouldnt be able to fit them at the same time. I have an idea as to how to remedy the lower extraction problem but that's on the to do list like everything else.

 

[woodbloke]

For a well heeled amateur where it's not the end of the world if it breaks and takes a couple of weeks to get it fixed, I find Festool make more sense.

Your straying into Wakansian territory here...some of us are well heeled (even if pensioners :wink: :lol: ) and some, unfortunately aren't, like me. Even if I had the available wedge to splash out, I doubt the Dom would get used more than a few times each year, which on a £sd/use basis makes no sense whatsoever.
Part of the fun of being a hobbyiest woodworker is making stuff without the time constaints which to me is one of the main reasons for buying a Dom. The other issue is that different ways of working can be played around with...hence my increasing fascination with Japanese joinery techniques. I suspect that if you mentioned that a particular knotty problem could be fixed with the quick application of a Dom you might find a katana whistling in your direction at neck height!
Doms are a useful solution, but not the 'be all and end all' - Rob

 

[p111dom]

I suppose. It depends what you are making really. Currently I'm makig a lot of furniture for the house. Desks, storage units etc and they all require M&T so I'm using it all the time but I will be making a jewellery box later this year which I think will be the first project for a long time when it will not get used.

 

[chippy1970]

I find the extraction on the OF1400 ok if you're not going all the way through like cutting a rebate but when routing an edge, with the lower section of the cutter exposed, it makes about as much mess as my other routers.

Have you got this Dom?

http://www.mtmc.co.uk/product.aspx?ProductID=38860

Designed to combat that type of cut.

I use my OF1010 and Midi vac with that chip catcher and its almost dust free when routing edges.

 

[p111dom]

Think I will splash out and get one then. Will order it on line if it's in stock but my dealer won't have it and like I say ordering anything from Festool takes ages. I mainly bought the 1400 as that was what was recommended for the Leigh jig but it can be a bit heavy for this. The biggest problem I have with the 1400 is that the larger radiused section of the base is on the wrong side of the router for a right-hander. Consequently I use it left handed on the Leigh to allow the wider base onto the fingers. The other way round it's a bit tippy. I had thought the OF1010 might be better for this but ruled it out immediaty as the one I saw had the poorest looking fence of any router of a similar size. I haven't seen one for a while in the flesh so hopefully in the mean time they've upgraded it as a slightly smaller router would be nice.

 

[chippy1970]

Yeah the fence is pretty basic but I do like it in a way, less to go wrong :lol: you cannot adjust the faces of the fence like you can on some others but to be honest I dont miss that. I love the dust extraction on the 1010 but what I have noticed its a pain doing freehand stuff with all the dust extract bits fitted you cannot see the cutter clearly. Great when you dont need to see the cutter though it gets every bit of dust.

I got rid of my old Elu 96e a few months after getting the 1010 but I think I would still like to have the small 615 Dewalt just for everyday site stuff chopping out hinges on door linings etc the Festool is too good for such menial tasks :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[ramp34]

so the domino seems to be a worthwhile buy from what people are saying, is there anything it cant do?

 

[p111dom]

so the domino seems to be a worthwhile buy from what people are saying, is there anything it cant do?

Make the tea! :lol:

 

[Chems]

so the domino seems to be a worthwhile buy from what people are saying, is there anything it cant do?

There isn't really a comparable system on the market, there is the dowel max, and the miller dowel I think it is. But neither offers quite the package the domino does. The problem with that is I think Festool has caught many a new customer this way, by offering that bit extra, the gudie wings, trim stop, range of sizes that the other systems don't offer they've got customers who wouldn't have shelled out for festool. And then once you have one green machine you end up getting more. I know, and so does my bank balance!

 

[woodbloke]

... is there anything it cant do?

Something fairly straight forward:

like this perhaps? - Rob

 

[petermillard]

There isn't really a comparable system on the market, there is the dowel max, and the miller dowel I think it is...

Closest as a hand-held all-in-one plunging tool is probably the Mafell Duo Dowel jobbie - here - though obviously being Mafell, you're not saving much over a Domino, though I suppose dowels are easier/cheaper to come by than dominos??

Re. the router fence; haven't used one since I've been able to put the router on a guiderail - can't imagine a situation where I'd want to use a fence, to be honest, but that may just be me and the kind of work I do. <shrug>

Pete

 

[wizer]

Things like this

Dom is 'Festival Domino' a typo? I only scanned the article, but it seems like it is. If so, that's got to be the fcuk up of the year!

 

[p111dom]

Things like this

Dom is 'Festival Domino' a typo? I only scanned the article, but it seems like it is. If so, that's got to be the fcuk up of the year!

Looks like it Tom. I have to confess that I didn't notice it when it came out but thats because I didn't write the insert, just the rest. Not that I'm passing the buck or anything :lol: . The Mag is under different stewardship these days and they have taken on board past criticism about such errors and I've spotted very few in recent months.

The current editor now emails me the finished article for proofreading before it goes to print now so while I'm denying all knowledge of this error, I guess I can't use that excuse in the future.

Perhaps they have Macs. Since my wife started working from home I rarely get a chance to get on the computer and consequently most forum post I now do on my iphone. The spell checker on that thing is an absolute looney. It auto corrects words sometimes without you even noticing it. The worst one for me whas when I posted a question about General Finishes. I must have hit a wrong key and it auto corrected General to Genital.

Stupid thing! :evil:

What can I say. These things happen. Still, it was over a year ago.

 

[wizer]

Yeh I thought it would be the mag and not you. That's just the biggest error I've seen in a mag. I generally don't read that one, twas a good article otherwise.

 

[Oryxdesign]

Think I will splash out and get one then. Will order it on line if it's in stock but my dealer won't have it and like I say ordering anything from Festool takes ages. I mainly bought the 1400 as that was what was recommended for the Leigh jig but it can be a bit heavy for this. The biggest problem I have with the 1400 is that the larger radiused section of the base is on the wrong side of the router for a right-hander. Consequently I use it left handed on the Leigh to allow the wider base onto the fingers. The other way round it's a bit tippy. I had thought the OF1010 might be better for this but ruled it out immediaty as the one I saw had the poorest looking fence of any router of a similar size. I haven't seen one for a while in the flesh so hopefully in the mean time they've upgraded it as a slightly smaller router would be nice.

You should have got one with your OF1400 when you bought it. If you haven't had it that long perhaps you could ask your dealer to get you one.

Simon


If you look http://www.festool.co.uk/Products/Pages ... us-GB-240V it lists chip deflector under scope of delivery