Thread: Should I buy a dowelmax or a festool domino?

I own a Dowelmax. I'm perfectly happy with it ... as a bit of a dowelling nut I've got a collection of jigs, and this is by far the best.

If you work in the city (or nearby) I'm happy to do a show-and-tell.

I don't own a Domino, so I can't compare the two first-hand.

Originally Posted by Ron Dunn

I own a Dowelmax. I'm perfectly happy with it ... as a bit of a dowelling nut I've got a collection of jigs, and this is by far the best.

If you work in the city (or nearby) I'm happy to do a show-and-tell.

I don't own a Dowelmax, so I can't compare the two first-hand.

Ron, I think you need to re-read your post?

Rob,

I am in the middleof my first Domino project after biting the bullet.
I am a new hand at serious woodwork ,and as I have said before, SWMBO believes my hobby is collecting tools and woodwork magazines.
To date she has been correct. To be completely committed I bought a cedar slab and also looked at that for a few weeks, before dissecting it into usable pieces. I am now am in the middle of making two bedside tables based on the article in the latest issue of Australian Wood Review.

I also looked at the dominatrix for a long while and then made many test mortices before realising that unless I was committed to a project, then the expenditure would prove SWMBO correct.

I have learnt a lot about the Domino and myself in this project. So far 80 mortices later, I am beginning to understand her. It is incredibly accurate providing you ensure you measure accurately and the indexing face on both pieces is common. (A couple of stuff ups here, but I now get the message)

SWMBO is staggered that I can produce something that looks accurately cut and assembled in a relatively short time. I did 40 mortices in 35 minutes and they all connected accurately. Wonderful!!
I am unsure of the alternatives apart from hand produced M&T joints and I would still be producing these.
Tomorrow I glue up.
When I learn how to post some pictures I will show the product of the first serious engagement with a great tool.

Chris

Ron

What size drill guide(s) do you have?

I'm thinking of buying the 8mm and 6mm guides in addition to the standard 10mm guide that comes with the jig.

I normally use 8mm dowels. Do you think the standard 10mm is enough for most common work?

I bought the jig with 6mm and 10mm guides. I've just ordered 8mm guides because I found the 10mm were too big for a lot of work. I think the sweet spot for most common furniture joinery is 6mm for aligning panels during glue-up, and 8mm*50mm for the rest, with 10mm reserved for the occasional big stuff.

Rob, I am very much a new woodworker and I have just embarked on a Domino inspired construction of two bedside tables (latest issue Australian Wood Review). To make myself more committed, I bought a red cedar slab, which I admired lovingly before dissecting. The carcasses of the tables are now complete and ready for glue up. 80 Domino mortices later (40 in 35 minutes) and a few stuff ups, due to inexperience and haste. SWMBO is staggered that I am actually moving from collecting great pieces of woodwork equipment and magazines to construction.
Moving to glue up tomorrow. When I work out how to post pictures I will share progress.

Chris

Sorry about the previous post. Fat fingers

Rob,

Sorry I repeated myself. I thought I lost the first reply as it didn't post immediately. I dont understand this system yet. Same story though.

Chris

Originally Posted by Ellemcbeast

Rob, I am very much a new woodworker and I have just embarked on a Domino inspired construction of two bedside tables (latest issue Australian Wood Review). To make myself more committed, I bought a red cedar slab, which I admired lovingly before dissecting. The carcasses of the tables are now complete and ready for glue up. 80 Domino mortices later (40 in 35 minutes) and a few stuff ups, due to inexperience and haste. SWMBO is staggered that I am actually moving from collecting great pieces of woodwork equipment and magazines to construction.
Moving to glue up tomorrow. When I work out how to post pictures I will share progress.

Chris

Sorry about the previous post. Fat fingers

Chris,

I take it from your comments that you consider the cost of the domino justified as it allowed you to produce professional results without a long learning curve.

From the reviews I have read, the Dowelmax doesn't take too much learning to produces perfect results. I assume Ron would agree with that.

I'm yet to be convinced that the Domino is worth the money.

To me the most versatile and best desgned dowelling jig on the market is the Ossie Jig. See it at the woodwork show.

Rob,
The high cost of the Domino has passed and the operating pleasure continues.

There is great satisfaction in the accurate joints it can create. Yes the purists would say that is cheating, but I have put myself under pressure to get productive at a high standard from the tools I have collected.

Speed and accuracy are new travelling mates for me and I am enjoying their company.

Chris

Rob,

Here is the web address for a downlable paper On Getting the Most from the Festool Domino
http://www.festoolusa.com/Web_files/...no_Machine.pdf

This paper helped convince me.
Chris

artme, the Ozzie Jig is good, but in most cases the Dowelmax is better. They're also equivalently priced.

I think the good features of the Ozzie Jig compared to the Dowelmax are:

* Australian made
* Mirror-image system makes edge-jointing boards faster (assuming boards can be conveniently held in parallel)
* End-registration stop makes it easier (very marginally) to align a corner joint

The things I don't like about the Ozzie in comparison are:

* No in-built clamping
* Less accurate alignment during external clamp pressure
* Less accurate to do offset dowels (supply your own spacers)
* More difficult to do accurate, parallel sets of dowels (ie, 3 * 5)
* Two separate kits needed for the set of 6, 8 and 10mm
* No guide bushes - wear the guides and throw away the jig

I think the only thing I can do with an Ozzie that I can't do better with a Dowelmax is make plantation shutters, as shown on the Ozzie web site.

I don't make shutters, so these days the Ozzie sits on the shelf alongside the Veritas 32mm, the Stanley, the Record, and the Haron (let me remove that bad taste from my mouth).

I just put a link to a video showing a comparison of these two, but I put it in the Festool forum..duh. I thought it was an interesting video. Both do a great job.

This may turn into a slinging post like the other one

But asking which is best, IMOP they can't be compared

I have a Domino use it all the time and it is a joy to use.

Now if I owned a Dowemax I would say I use it all the time and it is a joy to use

If you follow my drift
les