Festool domino joiners

Martin Roper

Martin
Senior User
$1000 for a 500? Unless I could convince my wife that it has SawStop technlogy built in, I doubt I can get spousal approval.

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AllanD

Allan
Corporate Member
I have had the 500 for years and use it frequently. My project for the fall will be a large front door and then a large farm table. So I am planning on justifying my purchase of the larger one based on how much I will save over the purchase of both projects from a manufacturer. That's my plan and sticking to it. If you try to talk me out of it I will stick my fingers in my ears.
 

Rwe2156

DrBob
Senior User
Have one, not the game changer I thought it would be.

Very expensive alignment tool (biscuits), time intense face frames (pocket screws).

What's left for me is any application for floating tenons.
 

JimD

Jim
Senior User
All joints can be used successfully including biscuits. I plan to keep my biscuit joiner and will use it occassionally, mainly to help align boards when doing glueups. But there are very few circumstances where a biscuit joint is any where close to the strength of a mortise and tenon joint. I used number 20 biscuits for a leg to apron joint once, for instance. It predictably failed. I have used mortise and tenons for this previously and will in the future. None have failed. A number 20 biscuit penetrates only about 1/2 inch into each piece. Even the small domino machine can make a roughly 1 inch deep tenon. In addition, biscuits are only about 1/8 thick. Dominos range in thickness from 5mm to 14mm. 5mm is about 1/10 of an inch and 14mm is about 5/8. I think it is pretty obvious that a 1/8 thick biscuit will not make a joint as strong as a 14mm domino tenon will make. Especially since my 700 can make that joint 2 3/4 inch into both pieces.

Both biscuits and smaller dominos can be used for alignment of pieces during glueup. That is the only situation I can think of where they are comparable.

The only door where a biscuit might work is a small cabinet door. Even there a domino would work better. I would never use a biscuit for any joint on a bed and I hope others so not either. Beds see racking forces that will split a biscuit quickly just like my leg to apron joint that failed. I do not use biscuits in cabinet construction either. I can't think of how they could be used successfully. They just are not thick enough nor do the penetrate deep enough for stressed situations. Suggesting they have similar strength is just wrong. Several magazines have tested them and they were not close. Biscuits were close to simple butt joints. Even pocket screws were much stronger.
 
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