Watching a bunch of YouTube videos regarding building a table, it seems the "gold standard" is the use of a Domino from Festool. What is the real difference between a domino vs a dowel of the same size? What about 2 x dowels right next to each other?
The idea that Domino joinery is stronger than dowel joinery is erroneous in my opinion. It depends on the situation. When Festool makes the comparison, they use one Domino and one dowel. Of course, that is just stupid. A person can use as many dowels on a joint as he can physically make holes for. I use the Dowelmax jig and it makes it easy to put an array of dowels to do the best job for the particular joint you are working on. I haven't used a Domino cutter but it seems like a nice, if wildly overpriced, floating tenon cutter. I just don't think it can make a stronger joint than a skilled user of a good dowel jig. If you go on the Dowelmax website, you can see comparisons of various joint methodology with calibrated destructive testing. I think the Domino is among the methods. Of course you have to consider the source but that is true of the Festool claims as well. "Strongest" is often a meaningless term anyway. In most cases, all the joinery techniques are gross overkill and you would need to do incredible violence to a project to tell any practical difference after it is complete.
i have the domino . i am sure that in most projects strength is not the issue . either method is plenty strong .the domino is a system .it is far faster to work with . i use it in joinery trimming houses .imagine the time involved if i put a couple of dowels at the miters of all the window casing in a house . it might be more accurate to compare biscuits to the domino tenon . biscuits have a little wiggle in the joint ,while domino register the joint tight . if your dowels work for you keep at it . they are more hands on ,far less expensive and work very well
You're comparing loose tenons to dowels. While I'd bet using the Domino for loose tenons would be easier, I'd also bet the difference in strength is strictly academic.
Dowel joinery has been around for hundreds of years. It is up to the user as to how secure the joint is. Convenience (domino) is one thing, but good joints can be made using dowels. The domino just substitutes convenience for skill. Personally, I like the idea of perfecting a skill over depending on a machine to do it for me.
The Domino was a complete game changer after 18+ years of a variety of projects. Your work should be strong enough without a dowel or a domino. Neither is meant to make wood stronger.
For lining up, joining, and the flexibility of the domino… this is a great tool. Get the right size to your average workpiece. I have the 500 and it does a fine job, for large farm tables you would want to XL. If I get to that point, I will buy the larger one in addition to mine.
I was able to prep all the parts for my last project within about 30 minutes including marking, drilling, and testing and everything was perfect when I dry fit it.
So just to add a wrench in the gears, how about domino to biscuit? I can see doing dowels somewhere a little bit of strength is required but if it for alignment of panels is there a benefit to the domino over biscuits? Seems like setup and use time would be about the same.
I "think" the domino simply brings speed, accuracy and convenience to the game. We have been making great furniture for centuries without it, so it is not anything new (floating tenon is just that).
So if you want to make fast accurate floating tenons, they are hard to beat. I don't have one, but if I did I would use it from time to time. There are a number of popular YouTube woodworkers that are doing projects with them, so folks think that is how it is done. The joint could just as easily have dowels or floating tenons or just a regular mortise and tenon.
I do have to say that prior to dropping over a grand on a hand tool for floating tenons, I would buy a much better hollow chisel mortiser for the shop.
Watching a bunch of YouTube videos regarding building a table, it seems the "gold standard" is the use of a Domino from Festool. What is the real difference between a domino vs a dowel of the same size? What about 2 x dowels right next to each other?
I like dominos better then dowels. The weird thing with dowels is they seem like they are too loose or too tight.
Dominos are pretty easy to make dowels. And dowels are not
The Domino was a complete game changer after 18+ years of a variety of projects. Your work should be strong enough without a dowel or a domino. Neither is meant to make wood stronger.
For lining up, joining, and the flexibility of the domino… this is a great tool. Get the right size to your average workpiece. I have the 500 and it does a fine job, for large farm tables you would want to XL. If I get to that point, I will buy the larger one in addition to mine.
I was able to prep all the parts for my last project within about 30 minutes including marking, drilling, and testing and everything was perfect when I dry fit it.
totally agree im building a dresser right now and used it yesterday,saved me a lot of time.yeah there expensive but for the quality of the tool,you get what you pay for.i also wouldn't compare a domino to a bisquit,totally different tool.i also used my bisquit jointer putting together the top,works great for keeping boards aligned during glue up.you you cant see the value in a domino dont waste your money,but i consider mine well spent for what i do.i never hesitate investing in quality tools.
A biscuit is an alignment aid. While it does add some strength to the joint, that's not what it's used for. It's used to hold boards aligned to one another. Both dowels and floating tenons strengthen a joint as well as provide alignment. The Domino is a game changer for me also. I struggled with dowels. The Domino machine just works. Yes, verrrrrrry expensive. Worth it.
well i guess the same could be said for the domino,the mafell does dowels the domino does tenons,their both useful tools that save time.i mean if you would only use the tool a few times a year yeah probably not worth the cost but if you have regular use for it why not.maybe the ones that put these tools down are the one's that cant afford them?id buy the domino again in a heart beat.
All are the best at what they do, and all the lesser expensive versions (if they exist) are severely lacking. Can you get by with less, sure, just not as quickly or efficiently.
As for the domino vs the dowel, the domino like all floating tenons has more face grain to face grain surface contact than a dowel. Is that worth $1500, maybe not but the efficiency is to some.
Are you in the shop to relax and enjoy the process or are you just trying to get in get out and get it done.
Are you talking about the tabletop or the fame and legs? For the top, dominoes and dowels are overkill. I use a biscuits on long glue-ups like that, but it is more to line everything up. a dowel or a domino would also line things up, but either would be overkill. I don't have a festool domino but when I [hopefully] buy one someday, it will be for the speed and convenience. I can see it being a game-changer for productivity.
For the legs and frame, I would guess that dominos vs dowels of the same surface area would be pretty even. I saw this video last week that showed old-fashioned mortise and tenons beating dominoes in strength tests. If your #1 priority is strength, mortise and tenons may be your best bet.
Are you talking about the tabletop or the fame and legs? For the top, dominoes and dowels are overkill. I use a biscuits on long glue-ups like that, but it is more to line everything up. a dowel or a domino would also line things up, but either would be overkill. I don t have a festool domino but when I [hopefully] buy one someday, it will be for the speed and convenience. I can see it being a game-changer for productivity.
For the legs and frame, I would guess that dominos vs dowels of the same surface area would be pretty even. I saw this video last week that showed old-fashioned mortise and tenons beating dominoes in strength tests. If your #1 priority is strength, mortise and tenons may be your best bet.
Are you talking about the tabletop or the fame and legs? For the top, dominoes and dowels are overkill. I use a biscuits on long glue-ups like that, but it is more to line everything up. a dowel or a domino would also line things up, but either would be overkill. I don t have a festool domino but when I [hopefully] buy one someday, it will be for the speed and convenience. I can see it being a game-changer for productivity.
For the legs and frame, I would guess that dominos vs dowels of the same surface area would be pretty even. I saw this video last week that showed old-fashioned mortise and tenons beating dominoes in strength tests. If your #1 priority is strength, mortise and tenons may be your best bet.
- MikeUT
The only overkill I see in that video is the amount of glue he slops in the mortises.
i dont know ag can you ever really have too much glue-lol. from the test id say the domino has all the strength most situations will ever need.just gotta stock up on glue-LOL.
The Domino can be used to make mortises. It's very accurate then square the round ends with a chisel.
That's pretty nifty.
The Other half would be called a integral tenon. The reason for this is to sculpt or shape parts floating tenons are limiting.
Are you talking about the tabletop or the fame and legs? For the top, dominoes and dowels are overkill. I use a biscuits on long glue-ups like that, but it is more to line everything up. a dowel or a domino would also line things up, but either would be overkill. I don t have a festool domino but when I [hopefully] buy one someday, it will be for the speed and convenience. I can see it being a game-changer for productivity.
For the legs and frame, I would guess that dominos vs dowels of the same surface area would be pretty even. I saw this video last week that showed old-fashioned mortise and tenons beating dominoes in strength tests. If your #1 priority is strength, mortise and tenons may be your best bet.
Agree here
For a DIYer I'd say the "gold standard" on support structure is M&T and the top it's neither domino or dowel
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