I’m interested in buying either one not sure which one. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Discussion Forum
Get It All!
UNLIMITED Membership is like taking a master class in woodworking for less than $10 a month.
Start Your Free TrialCategories
Discussion Forum
Digital Plans Library
Member exclusive! – Plans for everyone – from beginners to experts – right at your fingertips.
Highlights
-
Shape Your Skills
when you sign up for our emails
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. -
Shop Talk Live Podcast
-
Our favorite articles and videos
-
E-Learning Courses from Fine Woodworking
-
-
Replies
http://www.woodcentral.com/articles/reviews/articles_729.shtml
Consider the Grizzly G0540. You can make your own tenons or buy the Domino tenons. Every shop I know has been using the slot mortiser long before the Domino came out. The Domino is just the portable version of a slot mortiser. Plus the G0540 is $448 with shipping.
http://www.grizzly.com/products/item.cfm?itemnumber=G0540
Last year it was $100 less.
I'm still amazed at how folks are drooling over the Domino. The slot mortiser technology goes back 50 years and folks act like it was just invented by Festool!
PatCap, I should have the Domino in hand late next week as it ships Friday or so I've been told. I like the portability of this tool and it's features. It's my first Festool of any sort and I'm looking forward to using it. I purchased the vacuum system Festool makes as well.
RGJ
Pat:
You might want to check out the Festool Owners Group and in particular this thread:
http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=347.0
Just heard from McFeely's that my Domino will be shipped March 30th.
As noted in the FWW review, the dust collection performs an important cooling function so if you don't have the Festool dust collector, you will need to get that or find a way to hook up your own dust collector to it. With the vacuum, tenons, bits and accessories it really is a $1,200 purchase.
BTW, there some great videos on the site that might help you make a more informed decision. "Clintholeman" has some great posting with videos (I think).
Hastings
PS Someone asked exactly the same question in exactly the same way a few days ago and I gave him the answer above. The search and advanced search functions didn't find the thread with "Festool Domino Leigh". I was going to ask if you had used the search function before posting but it wouldn't have done any good if you did! ;-)
"With the vacuum, tenons, bits and accessories it really is a $1,200 purchase."
Looong low whistle. I would have to get a lot of use and save a lot of time to justify spending that much on a one trick joinery machine. Especially when you can get one of these http://woodrat.com/woodrat.html for $650. I'm not trying to dis anyones choices, just my opinion.
Rob
Rob:"I would have to get a lot of use and save a lot of time to justify spending that much on a one trick joinery machine"Humans have a tendency to apply a new tool to their existing practices rather than ask how it might change those practices for the better. Remember, this tool has been out for a year in Europe and Australia and judging from some of the posts, it is having a profound influence on the design and construction of furniture and cabinets.My personal prediction is that in a few months you will start seeing postings on Knots raving about how the Domino is saving time and improving the work! (Feel free to remind me and if I'm wrong, and please prepare a large serving of himble pie ;-)For the past few months, I have been setting up shop; I held off on a biscuit joiner and the FMT, which I had been considering so the tool cost isn't so bad. The vacuum will have many other uses. At Kelly Mehler's class, I used the Festool vac with ROS and it's just great, so the vac is the first element in a system that I will put together.So I may be wrong, but I think the Domino will turn out to be much more than a "one-trick pony" once the market better understands its potential. The pace of change in the US construction industry is glacial, and I think woodworking follows suit, so there will be a lot of skepticism and caution at first. (It is my opinion that this is why Festool chose to launch it in the US a full year after its launch in ROW).Why not keep your powder dry? Wait and see until there is more practical experience and see if it might not have greater utility for you?Hastings
To the OP, it depends on what you are looking to do. The FMT may be more versatile; the Domino sure is fast.
I was at JLC live in Providence this past weekend and saw the Domino in use. I thought it was kind of silly at first, then I saw how fast and accurate it is. It's really a nice tool. I can't stress this enough; it was really fast.
Now, I have no dog in this fight-I try to stay out of any threads mentioning Festool. I just wanted to chime in and say how impressive the thing is in use. Let's face it, the FMT ain't cheap either, especially when you factor in a router.
If I had the money, I would buy the Domino over the FMT. I don't, so I won't be. I sort of agree with what Hastings said-it can change the way you approach joinery. If your shop time is limited, this thing can be an asset.
Maybe someday I'll know a little something.
I think the primary difference between the Leigh FMT and the Domino is speed. I have the FMT and what it does, it does extremely well. The FMT will perform joinery the Domino will not (small M&Ts).
Steve
Check this out. The set up for each cut is probably not much more than the Leigh or the Festool, it has very few moving parts that can break, the unit is priced for do it yourselfers, and not only that, it may be the only woodworking tool still Made in America. http://www.shopnotes.com/issues/090/extras/plunge-router-mortising-jig/
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled