Thinking About a DF 500 Domino
#21
The choice between a 500 and a 700 is pretty easy to make.

Do you build projects that often require the long and large tenons? By often, it's 30% or more for me. If so , get the 700. You don't want to own and drive a big truck just because it becomes useful when you need to move once in a blue moon.

If you can, pick up the two machines in person, and lift up each fro say 50 times, and see how it feels. 90% of woodworkers told me the weight difference wasn't small when used on a regular basis.

Alternatively, if you have a biscuit joiner, add weight to it to simulate the two domino machines, and try the lifting (at least 50 times, more is even better).

Simon
Reply
#22
(07-09-2022, 04:56 PM)Handplanesandmore Wrote: The choice between a 500 and a 700 is pretty easy to make.

Do you build projects that often require the long and large tenons? By often, it's 30% or more for me. If so , get the 700. You don't want to own and drive a big truck just because it becomes useful when you need to move once in a blue moon.

If you can, pick up the two machines in person, and lift up each fro say 50 times, and see how it feels. 90% of woodworkers told me the weight difference wasn't small when used on a regular basis.

Alternatively, if you have a biscuit joiner, add weight to it to simulate the two domino machines, and try the lifting (at least 50 times, more is even better).

Simon

I've made my decision to buy the DF 500. Most of what I will use it for is making furniture, face frames etc. If I ever needed to make that big of a mortise I will use my router setup. By the time I buy the 700 and add the Seneca kit for smaller tenons I'm over 2K. I can't justify that. I will get the Domiplate. 

Can't wait to get started.

Thanks for all the help.
Reply
#23
Nothing to add regarding the 500 (I like mine), but I make my own dominos and keep different lengths and widths in different Ziplock baggies and mark their sizes on the baggies with a Sharpie.

I don't remember, did the 500 include the smaller bit for the mini dominos? That's a handy size.
Reply
#24
The domino is a good machine to get.
I use mostly the 5 and 6 mm cutters.
I did do one project with 8/4 , so I bought the 12 mm cutter.
So the point is, think about what projects you are going to do.
Some people love the 4 and 8 mm cutters, I just have never had to use them.
It's like the advice people give for router bits. Often it makes more sense to wait until you need the router bit to buy it.. otherwise, you end up with dozens of bits that never get used.
So, based on that, I would not get the systrainer full of assorted dominoes, unless you really like systrainers. I did the math when I was buying my domino.. Maybe the numbers have changed since then, but back then, it was cheaper to just buy every cutter and every domino individually, as festool charged approximately $80 for the systrainer back then (I don't remember the exact number). Now some people love systrainers. IF you are one of those people, it does make sense to buy the assortment. I am just pointing out that the assortment does not save you money.
Reply
#25
(07-13-2022, 12:55 PM)paul2004 Wrote: I am just pointing out that the assortment does not save you money.

That simply isnt true.

The assortment with 5 cutters and 1060 tenons: $365 (no taxes included) -- INCLUDING the systainer.
To buy the 5 cutters and the same nos (1060) and sizes of tenons separately: $380 (no taxes included) -- AND NO systainer.

Even if you considered the systainer worth nothing, the saving would still be $15.

Simon
Reply
#26
(07-14-2022, 08:02 AM)Handplanesandmore Wrote: That simply isnt true.

The assortment with 5 cutters and 1060 tenons: $365 (no taxes included) -- INCLUDING the systainer.
To buy the 5 cutters and the same nos (1060) and sizes of tenons separately: $380 (no taxes included) -- AND NO systainer.

Even if you considered the systainer worth nothing, the saving would still be $15.

Simon

And if you really want to save money on the domino assortment, and you find yourself in Germany, buy it there.  WAY cheaper.  I almost made a side trip across Munich one time to pick one up during vacation. (that assortment is currently like 215 Euros at Dictum, and the Euro and Dollar are about even right now.)

Reply
#27
(07-14-2022, 08:02 AM)Handplanesandmore Wrote: That simply isnt true.

The assortment with 5 cutters and 1060 tenons: $365 (no taxes included) -- INCLUDING the systainer.
To buy the 5 cutters and the same nos (1060) and sizes of tenons separately: $380 (no taxes included) -- AND NO systainer.

Even if you considered the systainer worth nothing, the saving would still be $15.

Simon

Ok, I apologize, when I crunched the numbers years ago, what I said was true.
I should have double checked the current pricing instead of assuming.
Reply
#28
(07-14-2022, 09:28 AM)paul2004 Wrote: Ok, I apologize, when I crunched the numbers years ago, what I said was true.
I should have double checked the current pricing instead of assuming.

No biggies here. We all do that because prices do change over time we tend to rely on our past memory.

Simon
Reply
#29
Well, I guess I'm the second guy LOL.

I figured if there was ONE Festool I would buy, it would be a Domino. But its actually turned out to be a sander.

I think it all depends on what you're using it for. For me, the Domino turned out to be an alignment tool, not a mortiser, depending on the size of the mortise of course. If I had a production shop and needed an actual mortiser, I would get an XL.

So in my work, it really ended up being a glorified biscuit joiner. I had constant problems with inaccurate alignment, tried every which way to hold the thing.

Bottom line - it was most certainly NOT the game changer I thought it would be. Maybe I wasn't using it to its full potential.

I put it on Ebay and sold it for $1100 in one day. I paid $850 for it and had it a couple years. I just couldn't justify that much money sitting on a shelf 95% of its life.
Reply
#30
There is open box Domino 500 on Festool site
This probably will not last long
$ 815.00  compare to $ 1,019.00

https://www.festoolrecon.com/
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)

Product Recommendations

Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.