Why I love the Festool Domino

The Festool Domino is a wonderful, easy tool to use, so this review is about my experience with using the Festool Domino to make a display cabinet and bedsider drawers.

In a nutshell, the Festool Domino makes mortise and tenon joinery a breeze and it is well worth the money if you are a serious woodworker.

I have just completed, thanks to my Festool Domino joining system, the frame of an 1800mm high x 900mm wide display cabinet.  Most woodworkers have a variety of tools they use for joining timber.  However, this review focuses on the unique ability of the Festool Domino.

My Festool Domino allowed me to quickly and easily adjust the height and depth of the mortises through the flick of a switch.  It makes perfect mortises every time!  I have to say it simply is “one cool tool”

What can the Festool Domino Do?

I have not used the full capabilities of the Festool Domino to this point, but I am discovering new uses for it every time.

What I like most about the Festool Domino Joiner is that the tenons (biscuits) are much longer than the width used when joining timber with a conventional biscuit joiner.

For example depending on the size of the timber the overall length of a Domino tenon ranges from 30mm to 50mm. In other words there is a tenon of between 15mm – 25mm inserted into each piece of  wood, unlike the conventional biscuit where you have around 10 mm inserted into each side of a join. The tenon cannot rotate within the mortise, so it is  (as Festool calls it) “100% rotation-proof and far stronger than either biscuits or dowels”.   It also has a large gluing surface area for extra strength. Therefore, I am reassured of much stronger mortise and tenon joins.

So what can you do with the Festool Domino Joiner?

• Cut mortises long enough to take anything from a 30mm – 50mm tenon.

• The size tenons you can buy range from:
  • 5mm thick x 19mm wide x 30mm long
  • 8mm thick x 22mm wide x 40mm long
  • 8mm thick x 22mm wide x 50mm long
  • 10mm thick x 24mm wide x 50mm long

• Adjust the width of the mortise for a perfect fit, or have a little movement either side of the tenon.

• Cut mortises in an instant thanks to the oscillating turning movement of the cutter blade.

• It has a pivoting fence that allows you to cut mortises at different angles 0, 22.5, 45, 67.5, and 90 degrees.  For example I cut angled mortises across the joins of the display cabinet doors to further strengthen them.

• The Festool Domino Joiner fence height adjustment provides accurate stops for locating the mortise openings in the centre of the material for which you are cutting mortises – 16, 20, 22, 25, 28 and 40 mm thick material.

• The Festool Domino dust extractor port when connected to a dust extractor can extract up to 95 percent of the chips generated when used with a Festool vaccum.

• Viewing Window on the Festool Domino Joiner
  allows you to see the marks on your timber so you are assured of accurate and precise joins every time.

• Quick, precise adjustment for 5 different mortising depths depending on the size of the tenon being used.

• With the aid of the Domino Trim stop you can mortise material between 7/8″ and 2-3/4″ (22 mm and 70 mm) in width.

• Festool provide Beech made tenons for superior strength.

The video below will provide you with a wonderful introduction into how to use the Festool Domino effectively for making mortise and tenons.

What are Festool Domino Joiner’s weaknesses?

Well… to this point I have not discovered any weaknesses, other than price.  My complete Festool Domino kit was $1700 AUD  but in terms of ease of use I am sure  that over time it will more than pay for itself.  I personally have learnt over the years to buy quality tools from the start as they save a lot of aggro when making furniture.  You will find that quality made tools last much longer than mass produced junk produced for a low price.

If you are serious about your woodworking, do a lot of cabinet work or other woodworking that involves joining timber investing in a Festool Domino will be money well spent.  You will certainly have very strong joins!

Images:  www.festoolusa.com

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

4 Responses to “Festool Domino | Tool Review”