I’ve just recently had the pleasure of testing out a brand new tool that isn’t even available to the public yet, and it’s amazing. It’s a Festool Domino,
and you should think of it like a biscuit jointer that cuts mortise and floating tenon joints instead of biscuit joints. Yeah, I know. Really exciting. Well here’s the deal:
It’s lightweight and handheld, like a biscuit jointer, but the cutting tool is a mortising bit instead of a circular saw blade. The motor sends the spinning bit from side to side so that as you press the machine into the wood (like you would a biscuit jointer) it actually cuts a very precise slot mortise.
(I know! Fantastic!) The action is very smooth, and it cuts through the wood like butter.
You can register it just like a biscuit jointer, with nothing but a center mark. Plus it has all sorts of improvements over the biscuit jointer, including click-stops on the angle and height adjustments. There are 4 depth of cut settings, and 3 width of cut settings, plus you can use the tool with any of 4 bit diameters. So that means if you need a small joint like a biscuit, you’ve got it but better. But it also means that if you need a much much stronger, more precise joint you’ve got way more options!
After cutting the mortises you put the joints together with floating tenons.
Festool sells them in them in stock sizes, just like biscuits or dowels, ribbed for glue and everything. Which is totally convenient, and what I’ll be using most of the time. Just think about it though… there’s nothing keeping you from making your own tenon stock out of the hardwood you’re using, or from just using the tool in place of a mortiser for regular mortise and tenon joints. The world is a happy place again!
Until now in order to make mortises I would have needed a slot mortiser (which I have not had since I left school,) a multi-router (I don’t have one of those either,) a regular router (talk about pain-in-the-ass set-ups and lots of room for error,) or a mortising chisel on a drill press (seems kind of hinky to me, but works in a pinch.)
This tool is brilliant, and in true Festool fashion, they’ve thought of everything! It comes in a case that clips together with the other Festool cases for easy storage and transport.
The power cord disconnects from the tool so that you don’t have to follow the cord all the way to the outlet to plug in another Festool. And of course it’s designed to work with the Festool dust extraction system which is just another feature that makes Festool so darn awesome.
You won’t be able to buy it here in the states until 4/1/07. I know, I hate to wait too. (Ha, I don’t have to! Yay for me! Ok yes, I’m a tool geek.) But that’ll give you a little time to save up, because it’s sort of pricey. $800-900 for the tool, plus the domino dowels and 4 cutting bits. Plus if you don’t have a Festool vacuum, you’ll need one of those and while I know that seems like a lot of money…all I can say is it’s so, so worth it. You know, if you value quality, precision, smart-design, ergonomics, and all things good. If you like cheap, flimsy tools that you’ll have to replace every year this is not for you.
My advice is to defer all of your holiday gift credits to April 1st, 07.
Festoolusa.com