Who Else Wants a Festool Domino?
Hands up. Admit it. If you don't have one, you want one. If you're a hobbyist or part-time woodworker it may not make sense to shell out a hefty wad of notes for one. However for a pro woodworker who depends on accuracy and speed to make a living—chances are that you have one already, that's if the type of work you do requires it. I am of course talking about the Festool Domino.
WHAT'S A DOMINO?
If you are a woodworker, you know what a Domino is. It's a hand-held power tool that allows you to cut mortises in your work piece so you can join your pieces using floating tenons (or dominoes as Festool calls them). First released in 2007, it allows for very quick joinery which can save time and money.
COST
The cost of these machines can be anything from $1000-$2000 depending on whether you buy the DF500 or the XL DF700, and also depending on what type of accessories set you get with it. So is it worth it?
INVESTMENT
For a professional woodworker, I would argue that it's an investment. If you need the tool, buy it. The initial investment may well turn out to be less costly than the time spent making jigs and setting up to cut mortises for floating tenons in another way. Scottish woodworker Neil McKinlay of Caleb & Taylor seems to have a similar point-of-view as you'll see in his hilarious take on the subject below. (NSFW and the "review" starts at 7:00)
COMPARISON
So, which one should you buy? The most comprehensive and informative comparison I've seen is by the folks over at Highland Woodworking. They have a full comparison table with all the specs and relevant info you could hope to find.
SATISFIED CUSTOMERS
Festool also have their brand ambassadors to thank for endorsing the Domino, but take into account that you are basically watching an advert when you view these videos. You won't get an unbiased opinion. Having said that, in my experience I have never met anyone who owns a domino say that they wouldn't recommend it. Domino customers seem like a happy bunch!
ALTERNATIVE?
Surely there must be an alternative, I hear you ask. The short answer is no, there isn't a comparable tool out there at the moment. I don't know why. Maybe Festool have the patents fairly well locked down in this area.
However, if you are on a budget and are looking for a tool that may do a similar job, then the Triton Duo Dowel Jointer may be an option for you. But be warned, it may take some modification on your part before you use it. Also be warned, it is not really a comparable tool. It does a different job. But some woodworkers may find it useful. Take a look at the review below. You may decide it's worth your while to modify, even though the tool isn't perfect out of the box.
CONCLUSION
Like I said earlier, the Domino is a highly sought after piece of kit. To be fair to Festool, they've created not just a great tool, but a great system. It is extremely clever on their part. Once you buy the tool, you need to buy the consumables (the dominoes) to go with it. Monopoly aside, this is a fantastic tool. Everything works just as it should. To prove it—Festool have a long line of happy customers that are willing to recommend it.
So, who wants a Festool Domino? [A sea of hands go up]...
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