Domino and Biscuit Joiner

[Handplanesandmore]

The Sawstop is a POS... there I did it... let's roll. LOL

Since sawstop and the domino joiner are now both owned by the same parent company, the domino joiner must be another POS too.




Simon -- a passionate (aka "entrenched") domino user

[fredhargis]

Yes, there is at least one aftermarket provider, Taylor Tools. They do not have a complete selection of sizes, but they do have many of the smaller ones. When I use up the tenons I have, Taylor Tools will be my first stop.

[Handplanesandmore]

Yes, there is at least one aftermarket provider, Taylor Tools. They do not have a complete selection of sizes, but they do have many of the smaller ones.

That's the one I came across on amazon. I thought they were the festool brand.

Simon

[Tapper]

Lumber Yard said.....


"The Sawstop is a POS... there I did it... let's roll. LOL"

Now that really advances the process and adds to the quality of the discussion. 

Doug

[Lumber Yard®]

Lumber Yard said.....


"The Sawstop is a POS... there I did it... let's roll. LOL"

Now that really advances the process and adds to the quality of the discussion. 

Doug

I did my best, thanks. 
To be absolutely clear, it was a joke.

[lincmercguy]

"This thread points up the differences in people and how they prefer to work, IMO. There are three distinct categories:

1) Those who have only a biscuit joiner and use other methods for M&T joints (count me in)
2) Those who have gone to the Domino and think it's the "bee's knees", and
3) Those who have and use both"

I was a 1 before. I like M&T because of the functionality, I don't feel any loyalty to it. It's kind of like how I use a jig to cut dovetails. I use dowels as well.

I just got the Domino (so I won't be selling it), and I really like it so far. It just seems to me that the biscuit joiner is redundant now that I have the Domino. I mainly wanted to find out if there was some use for the biscuit joiner that I was missing (aside from being cheaper) that the Domino couldn't cover.

I'm not looking to start dust-collector level argument.
There is usually more than one right way to do something. I won't fault someone for using a different technique.

I've been a hobbiest for a long time. I'm starting to build some things to sell, so I'm starting to consider build time for them.

[wood-chips]

I own both domino 500 and Porter Cable biscuit jointer.

I almost exclusively use the domino for projects. However I do use the biscuit jointer when I building construction grade projects where precision isn't a big factor. Using the biscuit jointer saves on using expensive dominos in this case. However as others have said, finding tight fitting consistent size biscuits is a crap shoot at best, that's why I only use biscuits on construction grade projects.

[Capel Sion]

The only thing I haven't done with a Domino that I could do with the long-ago-sold Mafell biscuit joiner is the installation of a biscuit-shaped metal hinge (made by Lamello and so not inexpensive) into a matching cut made with the BJ. Both kinds of machines have knock-down inserts but the Domino-type inserts seem less expensive than the Lamello-type inserts. The Domino knock-down inserts are very easy to use.

The Domino is a better-designed machine than a biscuit joiner for many kinds of M&T joint. This is partly because a domino-insert is more like a tenon than is a biscuit; and partly because the Domino machine configuration makes it more versatile than a biscuiting machine. For example, it can penetrate to greater depths and has a variety of tenon thicknesses compared to the single thickness of the biscuits. It can be used on round stock. And biscuits make relatively poor tenons in many applications.

The build quality in a biscuit joiner that matches the build quality of Domino machine is perhaps found only in Lamello. The Mafell I had was well built but they don't seem to make one now. I suspect that if they did it would cost as much as a Lamello BJ. Lamello BJs are not significantly less in price than a Domino.

When does the Domino patent run out? There will probably then be clones made by other manufacturers that will be down to a price rather than up to a standard. :-)

[fredhargis]

This is partly because a domino-insert is more like a tenon than is a biscuit;

Come on, it's not "more like a tenon"...it IS a tenon.

[AHill]

If the only comparison is Domino vs. biscuit joiner for the purpose of aligning panels for glue-up and assembly, it probably doesn't make sense to buy a Domino. Where it shines is what it was designed for in the first place - mortise and tenon joints using loose tenons. Almost every professional woodworker who uses it for M&T cites is saves them money because it dramatically reduces the time it takes to create the joint. And, for those not aware, you can adjust the Domino to cut a wider mortise to allow for some slight adjustments in assembly. It's a brilliant design and very easy to use. If I'm making an Arts and Crafts chair or headboard, a Domino is vastly superior than any other method in terms of time and provides just as strong a joint as the more fussy doweling jigs or other methods.