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Festool's Domino Joining Machine

Festool's Domino Joining Machine -DF 500

Once again, Festool has come up with a system that is long over due. Known as the Domino Joining Machine, and designed much like a Biscuit Joiner, this tool will cut several size mortises in a board with little time invested. It is capable of several sizes mortises for the various sized tenons, available through Festool. These are inserted much like a biscuit.

This German based company, known for it's innovative approach to redesigning existing tools, and making them much more practical in many areas, as well as it's interlocking systainer tool cases, is a quality oriented, and may be a stretch for some hobbyists, but they have proven to be excellent quality, and result in a great cost / value ratio.

The assortment of tenons, made of Beech, is also available in the systainer tool cases, I have become so fond of.

The tool works much like a biscuit joiner, with the exception of an oscillating, spinning router type cutter, as opposed to the small circular blade, common to biscuit joiners.

The mortises are cut in a single pass, and can be made by indexing from the bottom of the work piece, using the base, or the top, using the fence system. The fence, again is fashioned after biscuit joiners, and is adjustable, in both height and angle.

As these are new to the market, I might be inclined to wait prior to buying one, maybe six months or so, giving the company ample time to get the bugs out. (if there are any). I really don't expect there to be any, as this company is known for it's attention to quality in design.

Estimated street value will approach $900.00 plus dollars, once the assortment of tenons are added to the mix, which do come in another one of those nifty systainer cases.

Available in two models, The DF 500 Q-Set comes with a series of attachments to help with joint placement. The DF 5500 Q -Plus is a more basic set.

All in all, this tool will prove to be a big time saver, to all of us who make a large amount of mortise and tenon joints.

To see a video of this tool in action, click here: http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/ToolGuide/ToolGuideArticle.aspx?id=28038

Festool USA Power Tools, Air Tools, Circular Saw, Random Orbit Sanders, Cordless Drills
Offers woodworking power tools, cordless drills, circular saw, plunge routers, flooring and carpentry tools.
 http://www.festoolusa.com/

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