Thread: Domino Jointer

I wanted to buy one, but couldnt find it here in Japan I settled for a lamello, and saved some money
Cheers. Gary.

Hi Martini,
I was given a full demo of the Domino system yesterday. I went to our local building supplies place to order some concrete colour for work, but they know i do concrete for a living and woodwork for fun, so they thought it might be worth their while showing it to me.

Basically all it is is a loose tennon system, with the loose tennons being made out of the same materials used for biscuit joints and a bit smaller in most cases. the machine, which resembles a biscuit joiner, uses a sort of a drill bit to make the mortices, probably cross between a drill bit and a spiral upcut router bit. the bit oscillates from side to side to accommodate one of the 3 standard size "dominos".

It seems ok if you are going to do a lot of stuff that it suits, but i cant justify $1200 for it personally. it is quick,strong and versatile if you have enough work that suits it tho. Theres a demo dvd you can get from festool dealers free

I've handled one, and would've bought it without hesitation - I set my mental limit at $600. It appears to be superbly thought out and put together, but for the home workshop that already has everything.......if money is really no object its OK, but I think overpriced to buggery. It will not do larger M&T's either -max depth 25mm. A small joinery shop maybe could justfy it, but I would think that they'd be already set up with something else for M&T's. I don't think that they'll be a big seller.

My $1200 is reserved for a 10"TS.

Originally Posted by TassieKiwi

I don't think that they'll be a big seller.

One of the blokes at Carba-Tec Sydney gave me a demonstration of the Domino a few weeks ago. He told me that Festool had forecast sales of 11000 units worldwide for the first 12 months after release but instead sold 11000 units in the first month after release.

Regards,
Mirboo.

Originally Posted by Mirboo

One of the blokes at Carba-Tec Sydney gave me a demonstration of the Domino a few weeks ago. He told me that Festool had forecast sales of 11000 units worldwide for the first 12 months after release but instead sold 11000 units in the first month after release.

Regards,
Mirboo.

Carbatec vs accurate information....caveat emptor.

I also saw it at XXXXX-XXX 2 weeks ago. It is a great and accurate machine and the machine itself costs around $10?0. It is out of my reach though.

Originally Posted by TassieKiwi

Carbatec vs accurate information....caveat emptor.

I didn't say I believed him. Just telling you what he said. You'd would expect a huge backlog of orders if it was true. Production forecasts would be so out of whack, you'd wonder how they could possibly ramp up from forecast production of 11000 units per year to actual production of 11000 units per month.

Regards,
Mirboo.

Who was it who frst coined the idiom "a fool and his money are easily parted"? I'm not levelling any criticism at any particular individual here: except perhaps myself. I'm continually astonished at how much we mugs in Oz are prepared to pay for power tools. Companies are able to milk us for a price premium of about 50% over what the North American market is asked to pay. Check out JapanWoodworkerdotcom and others if you'd like a rude shock. By paying up we allow these companies to charge us obscene prices for what is, after all, just a well designed tool. Maybe it's time for a consumer boycott?

I generally agree with you, Ratbag. In Festool's case, America currently enjoys the lowest prices in the world. We pay a similar price to the Europeans for Festool (despite their higher wages).

11,000 domino machines in a month is pretty hard to imagine given it is still months away from release in North America.

If I used Festool machines in a business I couldn't afford the foolishness of getting vac bags etc from overseas, which is what I do now as a hobbyist.

I am still getting over the implications of Festool's price fixing, which is illegal in this country.

Greg

Sorry to belabour the point, but I've just seen something that beggars belief. In the latest F'tool flier they're selling a mini-systainer choc-a-block full!?? of a whole 50 (yes, that's right: Fifty!!) assorted jigsaw blades for a mere $249. Yes, you read it right...almost $5 per blade. Just below it I also see a set of 5 brad-point wood drills that I bought some 5 years ago as a F'tool branded set for $20 now rebranded as "Prowood-Zobo" for a mere $82.50.

I personally resent being treated as a fool. I don't think Festool will have a gerat future in this marketplace if they continue to insult our intelligence in this way.

The thing about the domino is that for making (shallow) mortises on a job site they probably can't be beaten, if such a thing is called for. I see that Festool has an introductory price of $300 ish on a systainer with 1200 loose tenons. I think that the stock is compressed beech, like a traditional biscuit. Discounting the cost of the systainer, the price per tenon is north of $0.25, plus ownership costs.

I wonder if for a hobbyist the beadlock system might be a reasonable alternative, especially since they offer router bits now to mill your own tenon stock. I haven't heard if there are any issues (apart from drilling straight into end grain)

I have a mortising unit on my combi machine, and, using end mills, it performs all of my loose tenon work very well. If I didn't I would consider:


1. Leigh M & T jig
2. Wood Rat (I'm not sure which would be first pick)
3. Domino
4. Router jig using endmills or upcuts
5. One of those dedicated hollow chisel things
6. Beadlock
7. Drill press attachment

Originally Posted by Ratbag

Sorry to belabour the point, but I've just seen something that beggars belief. In the latest F'tool flier they're selling a mini-systainer choc-a-block full!?? of a whole 50 (yes, that's right: Fifty!!) assorted jigsaw blades for a mere $249. Yes, you read it right...almost $5 per blade. Just below it I also see a set of 5 brad-point wood drills that I bought some 5 years ago as a F'tool branded set for $20 now re branded as "Prowood-Zobo" for a mere $82.50.

I personally resent being treated as a fool. I don't think Festool will have a gerat future in this marketplace if they continue to insult our intelligence in this way.

How's this? A few months ago Festool sold off all of their branded stock of these (admittedly high quality) bits on eBay for < $20.00. Now they are restocked at $82.00? Incredible.

The ex-carbatec bloke in Melbourne said that he's not scared to discount Festool:

Woodworking Warehouse. 512 Mountain Hwy (opposite Stud Rd intersection)
BAYSWATER: , BRAESIDE (03) 9720-8155

Ask fo Paul. Great JET prices too

Excellent, thanks for the tip.

Here's another stupid retailer story:

I was shopping for a CT-22 Vac, a not inexpensive little foray at the (unnamed) tool shop. I canvassed the bloke about a discount, he said that Festool's price policy prevented him from discounting or charging more. he then went on to say that since I was a hobbyist, he should be charging me more!

I walked past him into the back office, relayed that to the manager. I got $100.00 off on the spot, and an apology.

Greg