danbell78 Posted November 10, 2016 Report Share Posted November 10, 2016 Question for Domino owners. I have decided, and convinced the wife, to buy a Domino. Now the question I have is whether to get the 'Set' or not. I know the $75 difference isn't huge, but I also don't see a great advantage to either the Trim Stop or Cross Stop? Any great uses for these that I am not seeing? Set http://www.festoolproducts.com/power-tools/festool-domino-joiners/festool-574432-domino-joiner-df-500-q-set.html Standard http://www.festoolproducts.com/power-tools/festool-domino-joiners/festool-574332-domino-df-500-joiner.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pwk5017 Posted November 10, 2016 Report Share Posted November 10, 2016 Ive used the tool both ways, and the trim stops can be very effective at spacing mortises accurately in relation to one another. The more i use the tool, the more i like to lay out lines with my pieces next to one another. It is accurate, fast, and easy to use the crosshair sight to line up the tool to your layout line. I guess it depends on the operation and how dead on accurate you have to be versus how accurate you will be with the sights. I can see where you might be off 1/32-1/64" here or there with using the tool's sights and layout lines. This doesnt matter for me, because i cut one side tight and a corresponding side tight and do the rest medium. Plenty of empirical studies show a domino is very strong on the medium and loose setting, and it allows you the flexibility to perfectly line the workpieces up while clamping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 10, 2016 Report Share Posted November 10, 2016 The trim stop is great when morticing the ends of narrow strips like a face frame .Without it you can easily tip and allow the machine to move off the line when cutting. I never use the cross stop, want to buy a slightly used one ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted November 10, 2016 Report Share Posted November 10, 2016 The issue is the useful accessory (trim stop) is $72 to buy which i suggest having where as the additional $3 gets you another accessory (cross stop) that has the potential to be useful. I've used the cross stop when i wanted to index in a distance on something consistently when i didn't want to mark a bunch of layout lines. Get the set the cross stop is worth $3. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheperd80 Posted November 10, 2016 Report Share Posted November 10, 2016 I got the set and i like the cross stop for doing longer runs of dominos with no layout marks needed. Hook the pin stop on the end of a long board for your first mortise, switch to sloppy mode, then use cross stop for all the rest of the mortises. I havent used the trim stop yet, but it seems like it could be good once you precisely set it up for a specific operation. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_r_ Posted November 10, 2016 Report Share Posted November 10, 2016 As Chestnut pointed out, the set is worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post shaneymack Posted November 10, 2016 Popular Post Report Share Posted November 10, 2016 You already said you convinced the wife. Just get the more expensive one because if you ever need to buy one of those accessories you will need to convince her all over again !! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleedinblue Posted November 10, 2016 Report Share Posted November 10, 2016 I used the cross stop the other day for the first time and had pretty awful, near disastrous results. Gluing up a table top in seven strips. My thought was to use the tight Domino setting for one line of mortises, then the next larger setting for it's mating board. I didn't take into account that doing it this way offset each subsequent Domino center, so after I applied glue and had Dominos in the tight mortises, the Dominos didn't line up with the mortises after the first couple. I had to quickly rip the Dominos out and dig out cauls. It was messy and the top ended up not as flat as it would otherwise because I ended up in a position where I had to rush things. This was 100% my fault, but I'm not sure how quickly I'll reach for the cross stop next time. Simple layout lines would have prevented my problem. That said, if I remember right, each piece retails for $75. The kit is about $75 more than the Domino alone. Get the kit and if you don't use the stops, eBay them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted November 10, 2016 Report Share Posted November 10, 2016 Simple layout lines would have prevented my problem. Using the loose setting with the cross stop on both sides would have prevented this. You dont need any tightly set dominos for glue up alignment. Ive used the cross stops a few times like that and it works great. Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleedinblue Posted November 10, 2016 Report Share Posted November 10, 2016 Yeah, I know. I had thought of doing the loose and tight mortises because I *thought* it would make the glue up easier if the Dominos we're held firmly in place on one side. It's a lesson I learned too late. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuxleyWood Posted November 10, 2016 Report Share Posted November 10, 2016 Now that we have that money spent, we can move onto the fact the Domino assortment with Systainer and bits is also a "bargain". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbell78 Posted November 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2016 Pulled the trigger on the set. Didn't get the bargin on the Domino assortment with Systainer. I did order a few Dominos and the 10mm bit though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuxleyWood Posted November 11, 2016 Report Share Posted November 11, 2016 It is just a matter of time before you send the money the assortment costs and you won't even have a Systainer to keep your Dominos in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Posted November 12, 2016 Report Share Posted November 12, 2016 I didn't order the set and kind of wish I had now. I did get the assortment systainer. I just didn't want to be in a position where I needed a cutter and had to wait a few days to get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estesbubba Posted November 12, 2016 Report Share Posted November 12, 2016 2 minutes ago, Cliff said: I didn't order the set and kind of wish I had now. I did get the assortment systainer. I just didn't want to be in a position where I needed a cutter and had to wait a few days to get it. You have 30 days to return it and can always call your dealer and tell them you want the set parts. They might just send them to you for the difference in price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Posted November 12, 2016 Report Share Posted November 12, 2016 4 minutes ago, estesbubba said: You have 30 days to return it and can always call your dealer and tell them you want the set parts. They might just send them to you for the difference in price. Good idea, I might do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheperd80 Posted November 12, 2016 Report Share Posted November 12, 2016 The thing about the xstop is that since you're referencing one hole after another, any error is compounded. And there are lots of ways to introduce that spacing error. You can easily get misaligned after just a few mortises. Also, youre using the left attachment for one board , and right for another so u have to be sure theyre set up the exact same. . Something as simple as a bow in your work surface, dust in the mortise, mortises cut too fast, etc can cause the spread to change over the course of a few feet of mortises. . You definitely need to use the slop setting after the first cut, and i use my hip to press the xstop pin in and against the edge of each mortise to make sure it seats consistently. . It took me a couple tries to get it right but its working well for me now. No layout needed just a few quick marks to remind me which end of the board im starting at and which surface im mortising. Pencil layout works well too but still requires the sloppy setting unless youre just dead on accurate. . Even with mostly slop mortises the joints are strong and snug. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbell78 Posted November 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 I went with the set. It was delivered yesterday, haven't done much yet other then some practice boards cause you can't wait on testing out a new toy, I mean tool, like that. Already thinking I should have got the kit with all the cutters and Dominos. I got the 5mm that came with it, and ordered the 10 mm cutter, but now looking at it thinking the 6 and/or the 8mm cutters would be nice too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuxleyWood Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 3 hours ago, danbell78 said: I went with the set. It was delivered yesterday, haven't done much yet other then some practice boards cause you can't wait on testing out a new toy, I mean tool, like that. Already thinking I should have got the kit with all the cutters and Dominos. I got the 5mm that came with it, and ordered the 10 mm cutter, but now looking at it thinking the 6 and/or the 8mm cutters would be nice too! Honestly, you wouldn't be the first person to overlook the value of the Domino assortment, it seems very expensive until you actually do the math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 3 hours ago, danbell78 said: I went with the set. It was delivered yesterday, haven't done much yet other then some practice boards cause you can't wait on testing out a new toy, I mean tool, like that. Already thinking I should have got the kit with all the cutters and Dominos. I got the 5mm that came with it, and ordered the 10 mm cutter, but now looking at it thinking the 6 and/or the 8mm cutters would be nice too! 5 minutes ago, HuxleyWood said: Honestly, you wouldn't be the first person to overlook the value of the Domino assortment, it seems very expensive until you actually do the math. Personally i find i use 6mm tenons the most I've used some 8mm but it's rare. My 10mm have never been opened and if I'm going small I've used 4mm more often then the 5mm. I get the value it represents but if i don't use the sizes the value is not there. Also buying the Huge pack of tenons makes better sense and pays off long term. I ran an extensive spreadsheet comparing everything and if you don't use 1 size in the pack it makes it not worth it. Also your buying 2 5mm (1 included with the tool 1 in the assortment pack) cutters and i never use the 5mm cutter so now i have 2 unused accessories. Sorry to buck the trend on the assortment pack. I bought it because my local dealer doesn't stack the large tenon packs. the assortment is still better then buying the small tenon packs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuxleyWood Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 If you don't consider the Systainer worth much if anything then the math doesn't work out as well. The other thing to add in is if you know you won't use size, selling them will net you back roughly 80% of the individual price new and you can make the set work even if you don;t use them all. I personally don't use all the sizes regularly but have used everything from the 4 to 14. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Posted November 17, 2016 Report Share Posted November 17, 2016 7 hours ago, danbell78 said: I went with the set. It was delivered yesterday, haven't done much yet other then some practice boards cause you can't wait on testing out a new toy, I mean tool, like that. Haha, mine has been sitting in my office since I got it 7 days ago. There are clothes hanging on it. But I got extenuating circumstances keeping me from doing projects like the shop being full of insulation, osb and 20' 2x4's for the ceiling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyJack Posted November 26, 2016 Report Share Posted November 26, 2016 I rarely use the stops. About 1% of the time. You can always pick them up later or wait till there selling them somewhere..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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