Thread: DIY Furniture: Dowelmax or Festool Domino?

Ron Dunn has one and likes it a lot. I have a Domino and like it too, but your reasons seem to indicate the Dowelmax is a good choice for you.

Groggy is right, I do have a Dowelmax and I like it better than any other dowelling device I've ever used. It is my preferred method of joinery.

I don't think a Dowelmax can do everything of which a Domino is capable. I've seen a PDF somewhere, can't remember where, which showed a Domino being used to construct a fold-out dining table. It showed off some great capability, but I also suspect that table was made by an expert, beyond the skills of the average Domino user.

There is a lot of debate over joint strength. I think either device is capable here. Perhaps the Domino has the edge in joints which are under considerable stress-and-release, like someone rocking back in a chair. I don't make chairs, not important to me.

Dowelmax is silent without electricity. If you use an electric drill you will still make noise. A corded drill is better than cordless, particularly if you are drilling dense Australian hardwoods. I solved the noise problem by buying a second-hand brace with parallel jaws, so I can use round-shanked bits.

If you decide to buy a Dowelmax, I recommend you order the metric version. Order the 6mm and 8mm guides at the same time as you buy the main unit. They're not cheap, but I find that 6mm and 8mm are much more usable than 10mm in typical Australian timber dimensions. Most hardware stores in Australia sell 6mm, 8mm and 10mm dowels. You can buy in bulk from Elraco, Timbecon, and probably others.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Very good points, Ron. Thanks for the tips and insights. I think I will go with the Dowelmax unless anyone can pipe up with a good reason why the Domino is better. I like the way that you can use a manual drill with the Dowelmax. So cool. I have visions of a far different world in the future, one where energy, electricity, cordless drills and oil are all much harder to come by (anyone here heard of Peak Oil?). I think this tool may be a treasure in those times to come.

Talking of hand drill's, here's one I'm getting from Amazon.com:

Don't want to hijack my own thread, but this reminds me that my old Dad had a huge Millers Falls manual drill I can ask him for too. Looks a bit like this, big brute it is:

Originally Posted by US-Oz

Hi guys,

I'm trying to decide between a Domino and a Dowelmax. The advantages of the Dowelmax are:

• Low price compared to Domino, durability (the Dowelmax is a one-off lifetime buy, whereas the Domino will need new brushes and bearings in a few years)
• Noise (Dowelmax is wonderfully quiet)
• Non-proprietary consumables (Dowelmax works with ordinary dowels, Domino requires special Festool biscuits)
• Dowelmax makes stronger joints (see their stress tests at dowelmax.com )

The only advantage the Domino has is speed, as would perhaps be required in a commercial production shop. That's not me.

What say you guys?

looks as though you've already made up your mind, but

if you really anticipate putting new brushes and bearings in a Domino in a "few years" it sounds like you intend making 10,000s of joints. In this case the speed of the Domino (both in joint setout and joint cutting) would be a VERY distinct advantage.

the cost of the dowels or biscuits are IMO irrelevant
Lignum has a post which shows how to make your own biscuits and there's low tech tools for making your own dowels.


joint strength is, again IMO, just sales talk.
both systems will make a joint of with more than enough strength for everyday use



ian

"whereas the Domino will need new brushes and bearings in a few years"

1. Not with noncommercial use... it would take several life times.
Plus the dowelmax also will wear, the bushes after much use will become sloppy like any dowel jig.

2. The domino is surprisingly quite for a power tool, it would be no louder than a quality power drill and you'll hardly hear it over the vacuum cleaner anyway... oh yeah thats right domino has a dust extraction connection!

3. To get the strength that dowelmax quote you need to use high quality dowels(they clearly state this), good quality dowels are not that cheap considering you need several for every joint.
Domino's can be made very easily... for free from offcuts!(and yes dowels be can to but not as easily)

4. Thats a very subjective subject, if the joint(M&T/Domino/Dowel) fails due to strength clearly its the designers/design fault nothing to do with the actual joint. I mean if you know a joint will near a shear strength of 2000kg and you've used a section of say 50x20mm... its gunna break no matter what joint method you use isnt it!


Im not saying the dowelmax is no good, on the contrary its a good quality product and very efficient in the right hands. You are correct the price difference between the two is significant... but if you were really worried about saving the dollars you would buy neither and make a jig to do the job

Originally Posted by Harry72

"whereas the Domino will need new brushes and bearings in a few years"

1. Not with noncommercial use... it would take several life times.

You have more confidence in these parts than I do. I've had to replace such parts on a Dewalt and a Bosch tool, but maybe Festool is the exception.

Plus the dowelmax also will wear, the bushes after much use will become sloppy like any dowel jig.

As for the Dowelmax wearing, I doubt it will be fast. They say that the bushes are "Carbo-Nitride hardened (60 Rockwell @ .015"/0.38mm Deep) and black oxide coated steel". Rockwell 60 is extremely hard, much harder than a drill. That's even harder than my fancy knives.

2. The domino is surprisingly quite for a power tool, it would be no louder than a quality power drill and you'll hardly hear it over the vacuum cleaner anyway... oh yeah thats right domino has a dust extraction connection!

That's right, I forgot to add the vacuum into the equation as an extra expense.

3. To get the strength that dowelmax quote you need to use high quality dowels (they clearly state this), good quality dowels are not that cheap considering you need several for every joint. Domino's can be made very easily... for free from offcuts!(and yes dowels be can to but not as easily)

I'm still looking for where they say you need to use expensive high quality dowels with the Dowelmax. Do you have a page on their website where it says this? Thanks. And do you have a link to where it shows how to make these odd looking dowels for the Domino "easily"? Thanks again.

Im not saying the dowelmax is no good, on the contrary its a good quality product and very efficient in the right hands. You are correct the price difference between the two is significant... but if you were really worried about saving the dollars you would buy neither and make a jig to do the job

The whole point of the Dowelmax seems to be that any hands are "the right hands". If you look at the reviews from Amazon and such, you'll see that guys have had their 11-yr old daughters making perfect joints with it.

Thanks for the input.

I haven't used a Dowelmax but on youtube they certainly look the part. I have doweling jigs,
biscuit joiner and a Domino. I now only use the Domino it is so good I rarely use the other methods of joining
les

Originally Posted by US-Oz

.The whole point of the Dowelmax seems to be that any hands are "the right hands". If you look at the reviews from Amazon and such, you'll see that guys have had their 11-yr old daughters making perfect joints with it.

.

Yes, but as I don't have an 11 year old daughter to do the work, I'll stick with my Domino.

Originally Posted by Honorary Bloke

Yes, but as I don't have an 11 year old daughter to do the work, I'll stick with my Domino.

I think there are child labour laws against this aren't there?
Dominoes are so easy to make its ridiculous, but only those who use a domino would know that.
I do pretty much all my joinery using the domino and I still think DTs could be done with it as well.

I have the Domino and love it! The advantage with it is that you can cut a mortice in the middle of a panel (Shelves etc.) where the Dowelmax can't. Also the Domi can cut at nearly any angle.
The domi is very expensive but I consider mine to be a once in a lifetime purchase. It will be interesting to see which way you go.
Cheers Steven

Originally Posted by Stevenp

I have the Domino and love it! The advantage with it is that you can cut a mortice in the middle of a panel (Shelves etc.) where the Dowelmax can't. Also the Domi can cut at nearly any angle.

Steven, they have a page on making shelving at the Dowelmax site:
http://www.dowelmax.com/diy-shelving.html

To the other Domino fans, I'm pleased you are happy with your purchase. I wonder how you'd feel if you owned a Dowelmax too...

Considering that the Dowelmax and Domino do comparable jobs at vastly different prices, the enthusiasm here for the Domino is a tribute to the Festool marketing department.