Own Leigh FMT - worth getting Festool Domino?


estesbubba

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I bought my Leigh FMT in 2007 when prices dropped to under $600 and have all the guides and Whiteside bits. I absolutely love the jig and it's versatility and it creates perfect joints every time. Leigh manuals are the best in woodworking and their customer service is great. One downside is the rare time you need to put a tenon on a 6' board, you would need to mount the jig high and use it on a step-ladder.

 

I've always been intrigued by the Festool Domino but have never looked too much into it. It seems it would do basic M&T's a little faster than the FMT but the FMT joints might be slightly stronger. One benefit is it can work with any size board but the FMT can work with most of what I do. For the exceptions a dado blade on the table saw will work. 

 

So I got an email this morning that the Domino and accessories are 10% off May - June. Of course the April price increase might have been 10% so maybe not that good of a deal. 

 

So other than a little faster and the occasional long board, anything else the Domino can do that the FMT can't? If that's it I don't see a reason to own both and there are plenty of other cool toys I can buy!

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It took me over a year to pull the trigger on the domino. Now that I have one, I'm like "why didn't i do this sooner?"

 

I felt the same way going from benchtop mortiser and tenoning jig to the Leigh FMT. I just don't know if I would gain much getting a Domino other than having a cool  new tool? I would hate to get an expensive new tool just so another expensive tool can collect dust. Maybe I'm missing something that the Domino does way better than the FMT?

 

My guess is that Domino money spent on Byrd Shelix heads for my jointer and planer would be money better spent?

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I have never used the FMT yet can tell you that I love my Domino. I have the DF500 and use it often. It's fast and I can't see how you could  have a stronger joint. I've connected joints on items that have compound angles where you can connect multiple dominos that without glue hold together. With glue they just hold and it is a tool that makes me look better. 

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