# Festool Domino Jointer worth the $800?



## agallant (Jul 1, 2010)

Only reply if you have one, had one or have used one. What are your thoughts? Is it worth the $800?


----------



## TheWoodNerd (Aug 30, 2009)

Assuming you do work that needs strong joints with near-perfect alignment, then yes, absolutely. It will change the way you work.


----------



## agallant (Jul 1, 2010)

Will it do joints strong enough for say an entrance door?


----------



## TheWoodNerd (Aug 30, 2009)

Here's a guy doing beautiful work with a Domino


----------



## reggiek (Jun 12, 2009)

I have one - I bought mine used but I would have purchased new also.

This is an excellent machine. Easy to set up and use (no harder then a bisquit jointer). The domino is stronger by far then bisquits….and more stable then round dowels. I use mine alot for mitre alignments and lining up coopering (glueing up several boards for a top or seat). There is nothing as good on the market…and nothing cheaper that does the same thing as well.

I have tested the strength of the joints and find them very strong and very stable. Certainly nothing is as strong as a joint using the material itself, whereas loose tenon joinery - dominos, dowels and biscuits not being part of either the two joining woods will not be as strong….but the domino is more than adequate and stronger by far then biscuits and dowels.

I used mine to put together redwood outside furniture (using sipo dominos (made for outside use))...these items have taken alot of abuse - temperature from 110 degrees down to 8 degrees…had a tree branch fall in the middle of them (crushed a table)....none of the joints have failed though, even after being crushed by the branch.


----------



## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

Have one, use it and like it. Worth the money.

As the WN states above, it will change the way you look at joinery and opens up options not available without it.


----------



## DanLyke (Feb 8, 2007)

I have one. I think it's worth it.

I'm not so sure about an entry door, as the only person I know who makes them goes for through tenons. As deke suggests, do you think 4 50mm loose tenons is sufficient for an entry door? Probably.

As everyone else said, it changed how I thought about and used joinery. However, everybody's preferred style and use pattern and economic situation is different. How do you currently do joints? Do you enjoy carving mortises? Do you have a backlog of projects you'd really like to get done, or are you in the shop to enjoy the process of shaping wood?

For me, it's fantastic for the "I need to stick this piece to that piece, how do I…?", Domino is almost always the strongest fastest easiest answer.


----------



## agallant (Jul 1, 2010)

Well I guess they hold their value pretty well so if I don't like it I can always put it on ebay but from everything I have heard they are great. I think I am going to pick one up this weekend.

Thanks for the input guys.
-AG


----------



## TheWoodNerd (Aug 30, 2009)

Remember, you have 30 days to try it out and return it with no questions.


----------



## TheWoodNerd (Aug 30, 2009)

Oh, one other thing to remember. You MUST have some kind of dust extractor. I used a shop vac with a makeshift adapter for a while, but a Festool DE is so much nicer.


----------



## croessler (Jun 22, 2007)

I do not own one but had the opportunity to borrow one while building a bookcase recently. After a short learning curve I found it very useful for the case assembly and for the fixed shelves. I was VERY impressed with how it allowed me to apply the face frame to the case flawlessly.


----------



## doorslammer (Aug 17, 2008)

I've used one before, but don't own one. Wish I did, but I opted for a Mortise Pal as a cheaper alternative for loose tennon joinery which I love. Probably not as fast as the Domino, but effective.


----------



## DrDirt (Feb 26, 2008)

I'm like doorslammer. I have used one and think it works awesome. But I don't/wouldn't use it enough to push me over the edge to buy it. I end up using a plunge router and a jig from Fine Woodworking with loose tennons, or the true square mortising route (drill press and chisel for me) when I do some Arts and Crafts.

I see it as a hybrid between dowels and a biscuit joiner. It does alighnment but also has (very) real strength unlike biscuits. and the joint cannot rotate.
If it fits the kind or projects you do…go for it and don't look back.


----------



## Domer (Mar 8, 2009)

I have had mine for close to two years. It is a great tool. Quick accurate. Works really well with large pieces and end joints on long pieces as you take the Domino to the wood instead of vice versa.

If you value your time at anything, It is well worth the cost.

Domer


----------



## extremehobbiest (Mar 23, 2010)

Have had mine since it was introduced. It is my primary go-to tool for joinery and what it does, it does extremely well. It is well worth the $800 to me.


----------



## mcase (Oct 31, 2009)

Like Deke I'm not a Festool can do no wrong type. But the domino is unique technology and no else has anything like it. I've had one for years. Let me give you some pluses and minuses. On the plus side it is very quick and accurate. You can knock out plywood cases of high strength with great speed. But, if you use it in solid wood I would recommend that you make your own tenon stock and skip the dominos. Smooth sided tenons seem to hold solid wood much better than the rough-sided dominos. This is actually good news since you can both save money and produce furniture quality joints by using your own tenon stock. Another trick is to join your mortises into one longer mortise. In this way you can really do more with this machine than the book would lead you to think. One other thing I should add, don't imitate the festool demo nonsense where the reps give the domino a quick dip in glue and put into the joint. You need to take the time to glue up both the tenon and the mortise like any other tenon joint. The only real downside and one that addresses your second question is that the Domino only cuts a mortise 1" deep. This is the major limitation to my mind. Many joints are fine at 1", but a door is not one of them. I admit nothing is absolute. I once made a bathroom door using multiple biscuits and its still fine after years. However, its in a house with no kids or teenagers. If it were I would be more concerned. When I build doors now I use the $160.00 Mortise Pal with a 4"x1/2" bit to get a deeper wider mortise. You could certainly make a door with the Dominio , but its certainly not the best choice, just the easiest. So the domino is a great addition to any shop and makes many joints quickly and well. The depth is the only real limitation. Its ease and accuracy for the vast majority of work makes it well worth $800.00


----------



## rblaiklock (Sep 29, 2009)

Absolutely. It gives both speed and accuracy. The quality of the manufacturing is impeccable. When you take it apart to change the bit, there's a 'pop' as the rod comes out of the cylinder - the fit is that tight!


----------



## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

Here's the new Domino, in case your doing large work.









The normal size Domino is worth every cent and the resale value
is awesome as well.


----------



## CplSteel (Jun 22, 2012)

used it, it is awesome, not worth it. Not worth it for me because I just don't do enough work that needs loose tenon work. I would use screws (pocket or otherwise) if the joint is for rough work or, if it will be seen or can be an artistic element, I would go with dovetails/fingerjoints/through dowels or mortise and tenons. If I did more work that it would help with I would get one.


----------



## rockindavan (Mar 8, 2011)

I've used one on a variety of situations. I prefer standard m+t joinery, but there are some situations that make it much easier. Where it excels is if you don't have a proper means of making good m+t joints. Then it is well worth the money.


----------



## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

Is it legitimate to set criteria as to whether people can respond to a thread? Just wondering.

I admire the Domino, but can't justify the cost, for all the usual reasons. I can't wait until Harbor Freight comes in with a clone. Probably sell for $29.95, with 60% off on sale.

Seriously, no one has mentioned the Wood Rat. Their facebook infomercial is worth a look. Seems like a very versatile machine, but very expensive. Currently I just use a Delta bench top mortiser, which I like very much, and a tenon jig modified to use on my shaper. Makes perfect tenons, quickly.


----------

