Brad I do not even know why you would show the Festool domino. The averege wood worker probably does not even have $1200.00 us to buy this tool. In my case it would cost between $1500.00 - $1900.00 canadian. Even if I could afford this tool I would not buy it. It probably costs Festool any where between $100.00 - $200.00 to make the tool. I call this corporate greed and price rape on the dealer side.
@@MarkK01 this is exactly why I showed this video. I'm showing you alternatives to the Domino at a much cheaper price, but also acknowledging where the Domino excels and doing things the others can't
@@MarkK01 How do you estimate what it costs them to make it? Not saying you are right or wrong, I just don't have any idea. Also don't forget ROI on development costs.
I debated (with myself) whether or not to buy a Domino machine over ten years ago, back when they shipped in the ORIGINAL style Systainer... Back then, the “Set” configuration was under $900. I’ve never regretted the purchase! One operation totally ignored in the review is the reference plate’s ability to adjust to angles. That ability really opened up my comfort building with mitered corners. A Domino or two in a mitered corner, at any angle up to 90 degrees, makes alignment and clamping extremely easy. That’s got to be worth SIX STARS!
Oh dang, I usually don't even bother with dominos having the luxury of time for glue to dry in clamps but in that mitered joint scenario it really does seem advantageous
I got the Tian Li about 2 years ago when I was making some new kitchen cabinets for our house. In the past, I had used pocket screws but I wanted to use dominos instead for the new ones. I looked at the Festool and for the project total, I didn't want to spend that much. I think I got the Tian Li for about $220.00 bucks delivered. For me, it worked well and once you get used to it you speed up a bit. I didn't do anything outrageous just used it to attach 3/4-inch panels to each other and also put the face frames together. I made a jig that helps with the face frames and it worked out great for me. If I did this all the time, I would invest in a Festool but for what I needed, it was fine. I will say that I haven't needed to use it since but my son has used it a few more times on some of his furniture and he has not had any problems getting it to work for him. I will also admit it is probably a little more dangerous but I used a foot peddle to turn my router on and off and always had a good grip on the tool. I love the harbor freight foot peddles for my table saw and miter saw too.
Yeah, for a hobbyist a Festool is kind of massive overkill. As in using a tactical nuke for getting rid of spiders. Like I p;pointed out in my comment, we can use dowels. We don't even need dominos. Its a nice tool, but, its far from being a need.
imo, the domino is an absolute no brainer for any professional that needs it. as a hobby woodworker however, its a bit out of my budget. however, i have never really seen the point of all the jigs to mimic a domino. if you dont have a domino, just use a high quality doweling jig. those cost like 80 bucks and are great.
I haven't been lucky with the dowel jigs I've encountered in the past. The seemingly best one I can find here in Norway is a $200 Joint Genie kit, which sucks if it sucks 😅
Want to reply to this one. I recently turned my hobby into my profession. I had the domino beforehand and thought it was a lovely tool that was incredibly well made and helped out. Since going pro its an essential. I would have to charge nearly twice as much oer job to cover the time the domino saves. Its reliable. Its accurate. Its the one tool i cant do without. For those who bash Festool remember that its a tool for pros, if you can afford it then do buy one, its a game changer
I have the TianLi, picked it up a couple of years ago. My hand got tired holding the router, so I drilled and tapped a hole in the top of the router mount. Then threaded a handle on it. Easier to hold, and move side to side. Mine came with an 8mm router bit, with a 8mm collect. Worked great with the 8mm Domino's. Based on your review, it looks like the TianLi has gone down in quality. My spring works, and doesn't fall down. Mine also has a different depth stop design. I've thought about taking the face frame into a machine shop, and having a couple of new plates made, something with a much smaller opening. Just haven't done it yet.
Thanks, David! I had just started shooting my video when I saw your Tianli vid and knew I had to order it immediately to do the 3 way test. I actually got the last one from their site, cause you sold them out, lol. Loving your new style and direction too 💪
If you upgrade the Komax with some home made accessory you can make it almost as versatile as the Domino (minus the dust collection) but come out still cheaper than the Tianli. I think it's a good catch
With some longer adjustment bolts for side-to-side cut you could fine tune that tool. I know it's an added expense but it's still a 'decent' tool for very little investment.
I bought one of these about a year ago. It worked great for a little while. The lateral slide mechanism developed a lot of play. Now it cuts mortices that are malformed and cannot be used. I threw it away and purchased a Domino. over a hundred dollars wasted. I also bought one of the Mirka knock-offs from Amazon and it lasted about 10 minutes. I sent that one back. Beware of the lousy cheap tools.
Seems like with the Komax, you could do a few modifications and jigs, and it would work fine. For one, maybe put some longer set screws, for the side to side adjustment?
Main question is, what is the point of a domino for non pro. I mean using multiples top quality dowel will result in a better joint (more solid and cheaper). Taking into account that those jigs can be used for dowels as well...
The alibaba one is actually made to cut grove for keyhole fastener on cheap mdf furniture, that why the large cut. It just happen to be able to cut a domino mortise. By the way here in China you get the jig and the router for around 300RMB total (45$ total)
yes, I noticed that usage on the site. Makes sense why you can't do the joints I was trying. I'm sure you can get some crazy deals over there. I used to travel to China for work and I miss the days at the market 😀
I think the Tianli has potentials. Replace the spring with a stiffer spring for sure. Probably need to make up another plate to stabilized the setup for butt join. No way they can come compare to Festool. But I think they are OK-ish if you limit the scope of what they can do for what you pay.
Another thing to consider about the speed of a Domino is ease of use. It’s really intuitive. I can go months between when I use mine but when I need it, I don’t ever feel that I have to relearn anything. Just do.
You need to get an 8mm collet for the Makita router. Bought a slightly different one from Banggood. That is a combination of both Chinese jigs that has a ' face on it. It came with the wrenches, and it took me about an hour to set it up for depth and width. With it set up, I can do butt and "L" joints. For doing cabinet caucuses this is just perfect. I use some spacers to locate my middle cuts. If time, dust and flexibility are an issue, Go with the Domino.
@@alexysb.7660 Can't send the link, but here is the description GANWEI 2-In-1 Slotting Adjustable Wood Trimming Machine Holder Eletric Trimmer Holder Bracket for 65mm Trimming Machine. It will hold a slightly smaller barrelled trim for a HF cheep trim router.
The Domino is well out of my price range. The other two presented here are more affordable but a bit cumbersome to use. So I will forgo domino's and use dowels or biscuits. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.😀😀
Exactly. For a hobbyist this is not necessary or even needed. If you work a cabinet shop, I can see buying it to save time. But, even so, I'm still not convinced its necessary.
Hi! Nice comparison. The only thing I'd like to be added is the stability of the "estool domino replacement" jigs on hard wood. You mentioned these have pretty decent grip, but since even drilling hard wood is a diferent "feel", i bet it would be a difference with these jigs as well (or not?).
Komax ordered already just now I can see easily that I can make awesome jigs and replace those shirt and long bolts with heavy duty longer and shorter ss bolts and make that thing amazing so awesome I will never no matter what pay for festool tools that domino cost festool less than $130 to manufacture they are just plain flat out screwing people I make around $30-$40,000 annually woodworking and still will not pay for a single festool tool but the dominoes are cool and that komax Is my dream come true thanks for the video I will post some pics after I get my komax and make some jigs and replace the hardware and bolts
You NEED to add in one more video with one more product: CHICAGO ELECTRIC (Harbor Freight) - 4 in. Biscuit Plate Joiner, $70 I bought one. Worked like a charm for the singular project I used for it. Haven't used it again. I'd recommend "that" over something, beyond a doubt, for weekend hobbyist over people "making money off the trade".
The Tianli looks like a better choice price wise for me as a Hobbyist Woodworker that just cannot justify the cost of the Festool for the number of times that I would need to use it. Also, I like the look of the Tianli construction over the Komax as it does not have all the plastic part's for holding the router so it seems it would be less prone to breakage. For a Production shop the Festool would be the better choice IMHO.
In 2 years the festool patent runs out for the domino, so I would rather stick with what you already have and wait a few more years until domino routers become affordable
I guess you could find some longer screws to make the adjustment on the cheaper one tighter than it comes in the package. Also could make is quick adjust screws instead of Allen caps.
Did you take a look at the loose tenon jigs designed by some of your fellow UA-cam content creators … Peter Millard and tamara 3x3. They are made out wood and work with a plunge router and a bushing.
I know the others are cheaper in price. Despite the fact I know I'll be howling at the price, you actually sold me on buying the Festool Domino, and just getting it over with and smiling for the rest of my life!
Biscuits worked just fine for Norm Abrams in the New Yankee Workshop but apparently now biscuits don't add any strength according to the UA-camrs with Festool sponsorship
If you read Chinese, you can search the same tool from taobao, the so called $70 domino tool is actually used for a total different purpose. However, with further modification, which I don't think it is an issue, the tool could work the similar way as festool.
Hey, i don't quite understand why you didn't use a simple clamp jig for the face joint for the Tianli and Komax. You clamped the pieces for the edge butt joint, so why not for the other one? On another note, you could use a longer screw for the side-to-side adjustment of the Komax. Greetings and thanks for presenting the tools.
while all of your reviewing critics are true i think that a person could modify both to be safer and cut smaller and different types of joints i feel that a plate of lexan would solve many problems and a couple of longer bolts with knobs in the side to side on the komax would make smaller holes and for people that cant afford even a used domino----- well you make do with what you can!!! great vid!!
I just gave my biscuit joiner away. I've used it a lot in the past and hated every minute of it. Super slow to set up and use, biscuits are all manufactured poorly, etc. Dowels, pocket holes or nothing besides glue are IMO, all better options.
@@espressomatic Interesting. I've had mine since 1987 with never a problem. Just set the depth of cut for what number biscuit I'm using and center the cut for the thickness of the of the wood and go. Maybe 30 seconds to set it up. I've always thought it was simple. I've done projects with nothing but buscuits and glue with no failures.
Biscuit jointers are really just for alignment such as panel glue ups. Yes, I know they work on small or non-stress joints such as picture frames or jewelry boxes, etc., mostly where the glue is the primary or only fastener. But they don't add any additional strength to joints that are stressed, like you find in chairs for example. Mortise & tenon, loose tenon, dowels or even full and half lap joints for that matter are the joinery to use where strength is needed. Let haters start hating. 😎 All the Best, Chuck.
@@toolchuck yeah, uumm.... max out the biscuit jointer, the make your own hardwood biscuits in the correct direction, done... just as good or better then dowells or dominos
@@CementRoots "just as good or better than dowels or dominos". I'm not going to try and change your mind about biscuit joiners, but this is more for the other readers of this thread. So, here's a little history of the biscuit jointer. The biscuit joining system was invented in 1956 in Liestal, Switzerland by Hermann Steiner. Steiner opened his carpenter's shop in 1944, and, in the middle of the 1950s, while looking for a simple means of joining the recently introduced chipboard, he invented the Lamello joining system. Plain and simple, it was designed to align and join sheet goods. Now here’s a clip from WWGOA; “Woodworkers know that there are many approaches to joining two pieces of wood together. The key is to choose the appropriate joint for the application at hand. Sometimes a project might be subjected to heavy stress during its useful life (dining chair, step stool, etc.), and under such conditions you might call upon the industrial strength of mortise and tenon joinery, dadoes, or other robust mechanical connections. On other occasions you might choose to make the joinery itself a showcase portion of the project, in which case you might choose the timeless beauty and symmetry of dovetails or finger joints. But sometimes you are looking for a joinery method that is quick, simple, and strong enough for light to medium duty applications. In these situations, I commonly turn to my biscuit joiner. I find a biscuit joint to be great for boxes, drawers, cabinet carcasses, face frames, miters, edge banding, and as a lightweight substitute for mortise and tenon joinery.” All the Best, Chuck
For the price of the Tianli, I think the Dowelmax doweling jig might be a better alternative? I'd love to see a video where you compare it to the Domino!
I'm not a grizzly fan. But they make a dual spindle joiner that even comes with "router". It seems like a good Domino contender for under $100 and (from the pictures and ratings) seems to be solid...ish? What are your thoughts? Possible domino killer on a budget lol. Honestly surprised with the results of the "Chinese dominos, I wasn't expecting them to work at all!
I actually own the Grizzly Dowling Joiner - it's not bad! Definitely gets the job done and 100% is worth the price, in my mind. Better than any of the knockoff options here by a long shot.
@@jercubsfan I didn't even know Grizzly offered such a thing. It looks promising. I'm gonna stick it in my cart and wait until they offer a free shipping deal....They come up all the time. I like the idea of using dowels rather than a domino, because of the proprietary nature of dominoes. Dowels are plentiful and cheap.
I read their reviews and typical quality control issues they have alwys had issues over and wonder if it is a knockoff of the brand Andrew Klein reviewed and criticized. Lots of complaints about the holes not lining up as expected when you plunge the jig into the material.
What you can actually do on the Komax is to flip the handle guide plate 180' around to make the cuts - the steel rods ends then rest on the face of the panel. Unfortunately, that means your trigger grip handle is on the other side instead but it'll work if you really needed to make those domino cuts for the butt joint edge on the face cuts.
I didn't know they sold 'DF's seven hundred years ago. Without electricity it must have been hand cranked! LOL. I'm just kidding of course. It's good to know the DF 700 is an awesome machine.
I’m surprised no one is talking about the Grizzly Dowel Jointer. It’s just like the Festool but does dowels. For $99 the dowel jointer is better than all of them.
If you were doing face frames on smaller boards couldn’t you put it flush with the workbench clamp it 10:19 and then put the front plate on the tianli against your workbench?
Would you try out the Jessem dowel jig? I think it's really fast to use and accomplishes what the domino jig does for a substantially less amount. Really curious how you would grade it. From what I understand, it makes stronger joints than dominos too.
Came to post this, though about the dowelmax. Both are excellent doweling jigs, and a far better buy than these chinese contraptions, but I chose the dowelmax for the integrated clamping and how easy it is to use.
Done right dowels are the strongest joinery there is. That's because dowels are totally tubular. Round is the shape most trees choose to grow in so it must work.
Dowels are always better and stronger. The domino is about 1 thing: SPEED. So when you take the speed away, you lose everything the Festool Domino joiner offers.
i found a jig very similar to the komax but it seems it fixes most of the bad things, the collar that holds the router is aluminum, it has a solid face plate, and the depth adjustment doesn't interfere with the face of the tool. it may be a better option to modify or make jigs for
@@Monduras There is a bunch of them on Aliexpress, the one from Ganwei seems the best reviewed and is only $30 more. Would be great to see a review on this and if it addresses the valid concerns raised in this video! Lots of interest for affordable Domino alternatives as evidenced by all the comments and views.
Great video, Brad! That ad of yours was so subtle and felt so part of the video that I barely registered it was an ad read until you mentioned they were a sponsor 🤣 I have nothing against ad reads as I know it's how you make a living. I just wish more people would do it your style.
True, if more people did subtle ad reads, many UA-cam videos would be much easier to watch. But that kind of subtley, especially in this format, is an art-an art you can learn with the help of this comment's sponsor, Skillshare. They will definitely help you out with whatever thing I was just talking about, and they are the only company that sponsors comments probably. Use code "usecode" to save 80 cents on a thirty year plan today.
Twelve hundred dollars + or the cheaper Tianli (which I have seen on line for less than your $200 quote)? I guess it boils down to how much use that you are going to get out of the tool itself? If I were a craftsmen whose livelihood depended on accuracy, then investing in the more expensive tool would be top of the agenda. I have always prided myself on purchasing quality tools, especially when it comes to accuracy and performance. However, in this case, I think that I could get by on the Tianli for the few times that I would require it in doing a project. Sometimes you just have to put up with the excess dust in order to do a job. At any rate, great video demonstration. I was always wondering about that Tianli unit, as I have seen it in multiple ads on line. Now I know. By the way, where do you purchase those dominos for these units? Cheers!
Ja, the momax could be quite easily improved, hust a bit of cutting, or filing....the stop that hangs out the bottom could be filed flat on one side so that it wouldn't keep it from sitting flat, and that one adjustment screw, maybe something cohld be done with that, too...certainly, if you only had $100, and had a router that fit... the tianli seemed pretty poor value for $200. Yep, maybe a good used Festool.
First time to comment on one of your videos Thanks for this video Enjoyed it and the fact that you don’t waste time jabbering lol I guess there’s no cheap substitute and I’m stick to pocket holes until I can afford the domino Thanks again and I enjoy all your videos
For the Komex, could you replace the side to side stops with longer bolts to have more precise side to side control? Also, I’m assuming the Komex is a cylindrical trim router right? Not a full size router?
Money has never been an issue on something that pays for it self, believe me once you get a festool domino it can pay that 1200 dollars in 2 to 3 contracts, I believe in quality and costly tools in the long run you have low maintenance costs but very high returns, thanks for the video.
For the operation that required the sheet to be held vertically, that becomes a quite the challenge when building a cabinet that is floor to ceiling. Maybe cut those slots while on a ladder?
Did you try using the camera app with google translate in your phone to translate the instructions? I know it is still a rough translate but it should get you started.
Both of the cheap clones could be modified fairly easy I will most likely buy them both just to copy the basic parts and 3d print with the modifications. Thank you for the video very cool info.
Don't even bother getting them because drill rod is cheap to buy. You can get a 3 foot length of 1/2" diameter rod for about $15. That's enough for a pair of guide rails with some left over.
Thanks for the video. question what makes this domino special? Is it strength? Looks similar dowels. Can you get similar result by using two dowels next each other?
Loved this! Thanks for doing the deep tool dive on the domino and it’s ilk. I think you’ve nudged me one step closer to getting a domino for the studio 😅
Hi Brad. I have that same Makita Router and it comes with both 6 and 8mm collet. I had to look for it but it is in the corner of the plastic bag with the tools. You're welcome.
I suppose it wasn't worth doing but the domino also cuts at angles. Oh and the depth, width, and height adjustments are cake! I grabbed a used domino for $650.....not cheap but it's awesome.
For me, safety is a go or no-go. And remember that speed and dust are also essential when you work on a regular base with wood. No wonder so many pro carpenters are using Festool and nothing else.
I bought the TianLi jig a day or two after I saw the makesomething video. I was about to buy a similarly priced doweling jig, but after some ruminating I made the audible to get this jig instead. I got it through United Clamps for $298 CAD ($222 USD) and played around with it and tested it for half an evening yesterday. I got the 69mm (Makita) size, but my Milwaukee M18 fuel hand router fit in with some modification--I removed the back cross bar to make clearance for the battery and put washers in to act as stops. Not ideal, but the jig is built really well and I'll handle it with more care to prevent the guide bars from getting damaged. I may end up buying a dedicated router for it after I try it for a few projects. I made my own loose tenons using red oak cutoffs/scraps. All the points Brad makes in this video about the jig are fair, but as a hobbyist I came to a different conclusion. $1271 (w/ tax) for the festool vs $222 for the tianli isn't even a comparison for me, even if I bought a new Makita router dedicated for the TianLi jig and extra spare bits/different size bits I'd still be $800 ahead. The Festool is REALLY fast to setup and REALLY clean, but even if the Tianli takes 10 minutes to setup and cleanup instead of the Festool's 2 minutes I'll never make the cost difference worth it for how much I anticipate using it. I've been keeping an eye out for used festool tools near me on craigslist and facebook and they're few and far between and still 90% of MSRP even when caked in sawdust.
Very few wooders own or can easily rent an Allen key. Thanx for your nonbiased review of the festool wünder maschinen and those Chinese inferior crapola.
Hi Brad! Amazing channel! I want to ask, can you do or recommend any video about basic tools to start woodworking as a hobby and doing small things for home? Thanks!
Check out these awesome tools under $20: ua-cam.com/video/QCDaE-0pXoY/v-deo.html
Brad I do not even know why you would show the Festool domino. The averege wood worker probably does not even have $1200.00 us to buy this tool. In my case it would cost between $1500.00 - $1900.00 canadian. Even if I could afford this tool I would not buy it. It probably costs Festool any where between $100.00 - $200.00 to make the tool. I call this corporate greed and price rape on the dealer side.
@@MarkK01 this is exactly why I showed this video. I'm showing you alternatives to the Domino at a much cheaper price, but also acknowledging where the Domino excels and doing things the others can't
@@MarkK01 How do you estimate what it costs them to make it? Not saying you are right or wrong, I just don't have any idea. Also don't forget ROI on development costs.
Scammer posing as you in comments section
You could use longer screws on the Komax to better adjust the widht of the hole.
I debated (with myself) whether or not to buy a Domino machine over ten years ago, back when they shipped in the ORIGINAL style Systainer... Back then, the “Set” configuration was under $900. I’ve never regretted the purchase! One operation totally ignored in the review is the reference plate’s ability to adjust to angles. That ability really opened up my comfort building with mitered corners. A Domino or two in a mitered corner, at any angle up to 90 degrees, makes alignment and clamping extremely easy. That’s got to be worth SIX STARS!
Oh dang, I usually don't even bother with dominos having the luxury of time for glue to dry in clamps but in that mitered joint scenario it really does seem advantageous
I got the Tian Li about 2 years ago when I was making some new kitchen cabinets for our house. In the past, I had used pocket screws but I wanted to use dominos instead for the new ones. I looked at the Festool and for the project total, I didn't want to spend that much. I think I got the Tian Li for about $220.00 bucks delivered. For me, it worked well and once you get used to it you speed up a bit. I didn't do anything outrageous just used it to attach 3/4-inch panels to each other and also put the face frames together. I made a jig that helps with the face frames and it worked out great for me. If I did this all the time, I would invest in a Festool but for what I needed, it was fine. I will say that I haven't needed to use it since but my son has used it a few more times on some of his furniture and he has not had any problems getting it to work for him. I will also admit it is probably a little more dangerous but I used a foot peddle to turn my router on and off and always had a good grip on the tool. I love the harbor freight foot peddles for my table saw and miter saw too.
Yeah, for a hobbyist a Festool is kind of massive overkill. As in using a tactical nuke for getting rid of spiders. Like I p;pointed out in my comment, we can use dowels. We don't even need dominos. Its a nice tool, but, its far from being a need.
imo, the domino is an absolute no brainer for any professional that needs it. as a hobby woodworker however, its a bit out of my budget. however, i have never really seen the point of all the jigs to mimic a domino. if you dont have a domino, just use a high quality doweling jig. those cost like 80 bucks and are great.
if you make money doing woodworking a Domino should be top of the list after your basic tools imho
Yes, agree.
I haven't been lucky with the dowel jigs I've encountered in the past. The seemingly best one I can find here in Norway is a $200 Joint Genie kit, which sucks if it sucks 😅
Want to reply to this one. I recently turned my hobby into my profession. I had the domino beforehand and thought it was a lovely tool that was incredibly well made and helped out.
Since going pro its an essential. I would have to charge nearly twice as much oer job to cover the time the domino saves. Its reliable. Its accurate. Its the one tool i cant do without.
For those who bash Festool remember that its a tool for pros, if you can afford it then do buy one, its a game changer
Exactly. How is this tool even superior to all the mortise jigs?
I have the TianLi, picked it up a couple of years ago. My hand got tired holding the router, so I drilled and tapped a hole in the top of the router mount. Then threaded a handle on it. Easier to hold, and move side to side. Mine came with an 8mm router bit, with a 8mm collect. Worked great with the 8mm Domino's. Based on your review, it looks like the TianLi has gone down in quality. My spring works, and doesn't fall down. Mine also has a different depth stop design. I've thought about taking the face frame into a machine shop, and having a couple of new plates made, something with a much smaller opening. Just haven't done it yet.
It looks like you could replace your side locking bolts with longer ones on the Komax to make tighter slots.
This. Plus a little larger is good since Dominos will shrink and expand over time.
Came here to say this. But that would remove another star from the setup. 😆
This, and replace the hex key with knobs epoxied to the bolts for easier setup.
If everything is adjusted with screws on the comex you can always get a narrower cut by replacing the screws with longer ones
Thanks for the shout Brad! I've been wondering about Komax jig. Great vid.
Thanks, David! I had just started shooting my video when I saw your Tianli vid and knew I had to order it immediately to do the 3 way test. I actually got the last one from their site, cause you sold them out, lol. Loving your new style and direction too 💪
Makes me want to get the Komax and make some mods to it, faceplate, longer screws, etc
yes, I think it could be cool!
Agreed! For the cost of a couple of screws, it could be a pretty good option!
If you upgrade the Komax with some home made accessory you can make it almost as versatile as the Domino (minus the dust collection) but come out still cheaper than the Tianli. I think it's a good catch
No need, there is a new version on AliExpress for quite some time now.
I have posted a direct link to the new product on the AliExpress, but my post was deleted :(
With some longer adjustment bolts for side-to-side cut you could fine tune that tool. I know it's an added expense but it's still a 'decent' tool for very little investment.
I was thining exaclty that
Yes, absolutely. They are M5 bolts, so easy to replace. Was just evaluating as it comes stock
Komax has a simple fix for the slot width. Loca hardware store and purchase 2 longer machine thread screws.
I bought one of these about a year ago. It worked great for a little while. The lateral slide mechanism developed a lot of play. Now it cuts mortices that are malformed and cannot be used. I threw it away and purchased a Domino. over a hundred dollars wasted. I also bought one of the Mirka knock-offs from Amazon and it lasted about 10 minutes. I sent that one back. Beware of the lousy cheap tools.
Thanks for this nice comparison! My solution is the Makita PJ7000, which is for me as a hobbyist is the perfect compromise in quality and price
Change Out The Adjustment Bolts With Longer ones! I Really love pocket Screws! They Make Cabinet Fronts Easy As Can Be!
Seems like with the Komax, you could do a few modifications and jigs, and it would work fine. For one, maybe put some longer set screws, for the side to side adjustment?
Main question is, what is the point of a domino for non pro. I mean using multiples top quality dowel will result in a better joint (more solid and cheaper). Taking into account that those jigs can be used for dowels as well...
The alibaba one is actually made to cut grove for keyhole fastener on cheap mdf furniture, that why the large cut. It just happen to be able to cut a domino mortise. By the way here in China you get the jig and the router for around 300RMB total (45$ total)
I bought one from China. Yet to try
yes, I noticed that usage on the site. Makes sense why you can't do the joints I was trying. I'm sure you can get some crazy deals over there. I used to travel to China for work and I miss the days at the market 😀
This is great info, thanks. I think your scoring system is inconsistent, but watching you try them out I could do my own scoring.
You could add longer bolt stops in the Komax to limit the side to side movement.
I think there's a part missing, there should be another bolt from the other side.
Dude you are awesome. Fantastic video. I've used the Domino but never considered something I can afford personally in my shop.
I think the Tianli has potentials. Replace the spring with a stiffer spring for sure. Probably need to make up another plate to stabilized the setup for butt join. No way they can come compare to Festool. But I think they are OK-ish if you limit the scope of what they can do for what you pay.
Add or replace bottom plate for a bigger one or add rubber feet
Another thing to consider about the speed of a Domino is ease of use. It’s really intuitive. I can go months between when I use mine but when I need it, I don’t ever feel that I have to relearn anything. Just do.
yes, as a total newb I figured it out in a couple minutes
You need to get an 8mm collet for the Makita router. Bought a slightly different one from Banggood. That is a combination of both Chinese jigs that has a ' face on it. It came with the wrenches, and it took me about an hour to set it up for depth and width. With it set up, I can do butt and "L" joints. For doing cabinet caucuses this is just perfect. I use some spacers to locate my middle cuts. If time, dust and flexibility are an issue, Go with the Domino.
It would be great to have a reference. I searched for it, but could not find any on Banggood.
@@alexysb.7660 Can't send the link, but here is the description GANWEI 2-In-1 Slotting Adjustable Wood Trimming Machine Holder Eletric Trimmer Holder Bracket for 65mm Trimming Machine. It will hold a slightly smaller barrelled trim for a HF cheep trim router.
I loved the green koolaid bit! I am curious about the clamps that had an adapter for the bench dog holes… where did you get those?
Those look like the 3/4" hold down clamps from taytools. There's also the traditional style holdfast clamp, you adjust them with a tap from a mallet
I think I would replace the side to side screws on the Komax with longer ones with thumb screws
Just put longer locating screws to get groves dialed in smaller
The Domino is well out of my price range. The other two presented here are more affordable but a bit cumbersome to use. So I will forgo domino's and use dowels or biscuits. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.😀😀
Exactly. For a hobbyist this is not necessary or even needed. If you work a cabinet shop, I can see buying it to save time. But, even so, I'm still not convinced its necessary.
Hi! Nice comparison. The only thing I'd like to be added is the stability of the "estool domino replacement" jigs on hard wood. You mentioned these have pretty decent grip, but since even drilling hard wood is a diferent "feel", i bet it would be a difference with these jigs as well (or not?).
Komax ordered already just now I can see easily that I can make awesome jigs and replace those shirt and long bolts with heavy duty longer and shorter ss bolts and make that thing amazing so awesome I will never no matter what pay for festool tools that domino cost festool less than $130 to manufacture they are just plain flat out screwing people I make around $30-$40,000 annually woodworking and still will not pay for a single festool tool but the dominoes are cool and that komax Is my dream come true thanks for the video I will post some pics after I get my komax and make some jigs and replace the hardware and bolts
You NEED to add in one more video with one more product: CHICAGO ELECTRIC (Harbor Freight) - 4 in. Biscuit Plate Joiner, $70
I bought one. Worked like a charm for the singular project I used for it. Haven't used it again. I'd recommend "that" over something, beyond a doubt, for weekend hobbyist over people "making money off the trade".
Ryobi bisque machine it's faster like festool so I keep using Ryobi there cheap and does the same work as the festool, plus last longer
I was first hyped for the tianli, but in the end a used df 500, even if more expensive, is still the best option I reckon....
The Tianli looks like a better choice price wise for me as a Hobbyist Woodworker that just cannot justify the cost of the Festool for the number of times that I would need to use it. Also, I like the look of the Tianli construction over the Komax as it does not have all the plastic part's for holding the router so it seems it would be less prone to breakage. For a Production shop the Festool would be the better choice IMHO.
A 50 bucks dowel jig should do the trick.
@@sorenludwig3978 I got a self centering dowel jig for $9.00 USD. Works great.
look up Peter Millard's jig that you can build for free.... works like a charm
In 2 years the festool patent runs out for the domino, so I would rather stick with what you already have and wait a few more years until domino routers become affordable
I think you could do the face frame end cut with the Tianli if you remove the big knob and clamp it to the stock.
I guess you could find some longer screws to make the adjustment on the cheaper one tighter than it comes in the package. Also could make is quick adjust screws instead of Allen caps.
Did you take a look at the loose tenon jigs designed by some of your fellow UA-cam content creators … Peter Millard and tamara 3x3. They are made out wood and work with a plunge router and a bushing.
I know the others are cheaper in price. Despite the fact I know I'll be howling at the price, you actually sold me on buying the Festool Domino, and just getting it over with and smiling for the rest of my life!
Thanks for the comparison. After seeing these options I'll stick with my Porter Cable biscuit joiner and its minor limitations.
Bingo! 👊
the best tool for the job is usually the one you have 😀
Biscuits worked just fine for Norm Abrams in the New Yankee Workshop but apparently now biscuits don't add any strength according to the UA-camrs with Festool sponsorship
@@rd-ch1on I had much the same reaction when the Domino came out. What happened to the awesomeness of simple biscuits? And dowels?
If you read Chinese, you can search the same tool from taobao, the so called $70 domino tool is actually used for a total different purpose. However, with further modification, which I don't think it is an issue, the tool could work the similar way as festool.
@14:50, can you get clearance by raising the router a few mm in the Tianli jig?
Several have already mentioned it, but I’d prefer a doweling tool (DowelMax, JessEm) over the cheap jenky domino jigs.
Hey, i don't quite understand why you didn't use a simple clamp jig for the face joint for the Tianli and Komax. You clamped the pieces for the edge butt joint, so why not for the other one?
On another note, you could use a longer screw for the side-to-side adjustment of the Komax.
Greetings and thanks for presenting the tools.
Also these jigs are in relation to the small domino. With the large one you can drill 12mm holes. These jigs won't fit a half an inch collet router.
About marking with the Festool, there are 2 little extensions with it that allow you to evenly space the domino's with zero marking.
yes, those would definitely come in handy on a larger top
while all of your reviewing critics are true i think that a person could modify both to be safer and cut smaller and different types of joints i feel that a plate of lexan would solve many problems and a couple of longer bolts with knobs in the side to side on the komax would make smaller holes and for people that cant afford even a used domino----- well you make do with what you can!!! great vid!!
You could make a little jig with sacrificial pieces on either end..giving you enough to support to cut smaller pieces
Thanks. You gave a great review.
I guess I'll stick to my biscuit jointer for now.
$1200 is just too much for a hobbyist like myself.
I just gave my biscuit joiner away. I've used it a lot in the past and hated every minute of it. Super slow to set up and use, biscuits are all manufactured poorly, etc. Dowels, pocket holes or nothing besides glue are IMO, all better options.
@@espressomatic Interesting.
I've had mine since 1987 with never a problem. Just set the depth of cut for what number biscuit I'm using and center the cut for the thickness of the of the wood and go. Maybe 30 seconds to set it up. I've always thought it was simple.
I've done projects with nothing but buscuits and glue with no failures.
Biscuit jointers are really just for alignment such as panel glue ups. Yes, I know they work on small or non-stress joints such as picture frames or jewelry boxes, etc., mostly where the glue is the primary or only fastener. But they don't add any additional strength to joints that are stressed, like you find in chairs for example. Mortise & tenon, loose tenon, dowels or even full and half lap joints for that matter are the joinery to use where strength is needed.
Let haters start hating. 😎
All the Best, Chuck.
@@toolchuck yeah, uumm.... max out the biscuit jointer, the make your own hardwood biscuits in the correct direction, done... just as good or better then dowells or dominos
@@CementRoots "just as good or better than dowels or dominos".
I'm not going to try and change your mind about biscuit joiners, but this is more for the other readers of this thread. So, here's a little history of the biscuit jointer.
The biscuit joining system was invented in 1956 in Liestal, Switzerland by Hermann Steiner. Steiner opened his carpenter's shop in 1944, and, in the middle of the 1950s, while looking for a simple means of joining the recently introduced chipboard, he invented the Lamello joining system. Plain and simple, it was designed to align and join sheet goods.
Now here’s a clip from WWGOA;
“Woodworkers know that there are many approaches to joining two pieces of wood together. The key is to choose the appropriate joint for the application at hand. Sometimes a project might be subjected to heavy stress during its useful life (dining chair, step stool, etc.), and under such conditions you might call upon the industrial strength of mortise and tenon joinery, dadoes, or other robust mechanical connections. On other occasions you might choose to make the joinery itself a showcase portion of the project, in which case you might choose the timeless beauty and symmetry of dovetails or finger joints. But sometimes you are looking for a joinery method that is quick, simple, and strong enough for light to medium duty applications. In these situations, I commonly turn to my biscuit joiner. I find a biscuit joint to be great for boxes, drawers, cabinet carcasses, face frames, miters, edge banding, and as a lightweight substitute for mortise and tenon joinery.”
All the Best, Chuck
For the price of the Tianli, I think the Dowelmax doweling jig might be a better alternative? I'd love to see a video where you compare it to the Domino!
For the thin pieces - where it was too big, you could add a piece of scrap on either side.
The last of Festool patens end in 2025 so you will see a lot of nice tools and attachments available and Festool will drop their prices or die off
Anybody else lurking tools you don't understand but are planning your future workshop? Love this guy
I'm not a grizzly fan. But they make a dual spindle joiner that even comes with "router". It seems like a good Domino contender for under $100 and (from the pictures and ratings) seems to be solid...ish? What are your thoughts? Possible domino killer on a budget lol.
Honestly surprised with the results of the "Chinese dominos, I wasn't expecting them to work at all!
I actually own the Grizzly Dowling Joiner - it's not bad! Definitely gets the job done and 100% is worth the price, in my mind. Better than any of the knockoff options here by a long shot.
@@jercubsfan I didn't even know Grizzly offered such a thing. It looks promising. I'm gonna stick it in my cart and wait until they offer a free shipping deal....They come up all the time. I like the idea of using dowels rather than a domino, because of the proprietary nature of dominoes. Dowels are plentiful and cheap.
I read their reviews and typical quality control issues they have alwys had issues over and wonder if it is a knockoff of the brand Andrew Klein reviewed and criticized. Lots of complaints about the holes not lining up as expected when you plunge the jig into the material.
What you can actually do on the Komax is to flip the handle guide plate 180' around to make the cuts - the steel rods ends then rest on the face of the panel.
Unfortunately, that means your trigger grip handle is on the other side instead but it'll work if you really needed to make those domino cuts for the butt joint edge on the face cuts.
I'm a hobbyist/home DIYer. I purchased a DF 700 years ago. Never looked back. I take on builds I never would have without it. Awesome machine.
I didn't know they sold 'DF's seven hundred years ago. Without electricity it must have been hand cranked! LOL.
I'm just kidding of course. It's good to know the DF 700 is an awesome machine.
@@PoeticJusticeSC Ha ha! Yep. English. Gotta love it.
You could replace the weak spring on the Tianli with a stronger one.
I’m surprised no one is talking about the Grizzly Dowel Jointer. It’s just like the Festool but does dowels. For $99 the dowel jointer is better than all of them.
Came here to say the same thing. I love mine.
The grizzly gets really poor reviews.
0:56 that was an obscure joke! Had to think about that one! Pretty original!
If you were doing face frames on smaller boards couldn’t you put it flush with the workbench clamp it 10:19 and then put the front plate on the tianli against your workbench?
Would you try out the Jessem dowel jig? I think it's really fast to use and accomplishes what the domino jig does for a substantially less amount. Really curious how you would grade it. From what I understand, it makes stronger joints than dominos too.
yeah, I've been more and more interested in dowel jigs for the reasons you mentioned.
Came to post this, though about the dowelmax. Both are excellent doweling jigs, and a far better buy than these chinese contraptions, but I chose the dowelmax for the integrated clamping and how easy it is to use.
Done right dowels are the strongest joinery there is. That's because dowels are totally tubular. Round is the shape most trees choose to grow in so it must work.
@@1pcfred never thought of that. Thanks for the insight!
Dowels are always better and stronger. The domino is about 1 thing: SPEED. So when you take the speed away, you lose everything the Festool Domino joiner offers.
some skateboard deck tape placed on the part that rests on the wood on either of those cheaper tools would help lock them in place.
width adjustment on the Alibaba tool...... go to the hardware store and get a couple longer bolts.
yep, they are M5 bolts. I just didn't have any on hand and wanted to compare "out of the box". But you're right, it's an easy fix
i found a jig very similar to the komax but it seems it fixes most of the bad things, the collar that holds the router is aluminum, it has a solid face plate, and the depth adjustment doesn't interfere with the face of the tool. it may be a better option to modify or make jigs for
Can you share what it is?
@@Monduras YUCHENGTECH Mortise Jig
@@Monduras There is a bunch of them on Aliexpress, the one from Ganwei seems the best reviewed and is only $30 more. Would be great to see a review on this and if it addresses the valid concerns raised in this video! Lots of interest for affordable Domino alternatives as evidenced by all the comments and views.
Great video, Brad!
That ad of yours was so subtle and felt so part of the video that I barely registered it was an ad read until you mentioned they were a sponsor 🤣 I have nothing against ad reads as I know it's how you make a living. I just wish more people would do it your style.
True, if more people did subtle ad reads, many UA-cam videos would be much easier to watch. But that kind of subtley, especially in this format, is an art-an art you can learn with the help of this comment's sponsor, Skillshare. They will definitely help you out with whatever thing I was just talking about, and they are the only company that sponsors comments probably. Use code "usecode" to save 80 cents on a thirty year plan today.
@@ZalexMusic that's hilarious 😂
Twelve hundred dollars + or the cheaper Tianli (which I have seen on line for less than your $200 quote)? I guess it boils down to how much use that you are going to get out of the tool itself? If I were a craftsmen whose livelihood depended on accuracy, then investing in the more expensive tool would be top of the agenda. I have always prided myself on purchasing quality tools, especially when it comes to accuracy and performance. However, in this case, I think that I could get by on the Tianli for the few times that I would require it in doing a project. Sometimes you just have to put up with the excess dust in order to do a job.
At any rate, great video demonstration. I was always wondering about that Tianli unit, as I have seen it in multiple ads on line. Now I know. By the way, where do you purchase those dominos for these units? Cheers!
We have one at work by the brand lamello it’s great because no clamps are needed id love to see a vid or your opinion on this model
You could easily build an adjustable jig that would allow you to cut the end grain for cabinet framing.
Welll at the end is like compare a porsche with a corolla or pontiac we can all reduce your choice to your budget!
Betting a fix for the Komax would be to get a longer screw/bolt?
Ja, the momax could be quite easily improved, hust a bit of cutting, or filing....the stop that hangs out the bottom could be filed flat on one side so that it wouldn't keep it from sitting flat, and that one adjustment screw, maybe something cohld be done with that, too...certainly, if you only had $100, and had a router that fit... the tianli seemed pretty poor value for $200. Yep, maybe a good used Festool.
First time to comment on one of your videos
Thanks for this video
Enjoyed it and the fact that you don’t waste time jabbering lol
I guess there’s no cheap substitute and I’m stick to pocket holes until I can afford the domino
Thanks again and I enjoy all your videos
For the Komex, could you replace the side to side stops with longer bolts to have more precise side to side control? Also, I’m assuming the Komex is a cylindrical trim router right? Not a full size router?
Theres video from the manufacturer of the red anodised one, that show setting up and using it.
I was kicking around getting one of those, but now maybe not. but have you priced used a Festool they are almost as much as new?
Thanks for all the great content, Brad.
My pleasure!
You could do face frame joints if you built a small jig
Money has never been an issue on something that pays for it self, believe me once you get a festool domino it can pay that 1200 dollars in 2 to 3 contracts, I believe in quality and costly tools in the long run you have low maintenance costs but very high returns, thanks for the video.
for end grain, clamp the board even with the edge of your work bench. The bench acts as a stop. should make it simple to cut the end grain mortise.
For the operation that required the sheet to be held vertically, that becomes a quite the challenge when building a cabinet that is floor to ceiling. Maybe cut those slots while on a ladder?
Could you not change the screws for better adjustments for the Lomax?
hey man.. .the JIG is up!..... AND GONE!
I guess I’ll be sticking with my milescraft dowel jig!
Did you try using the camera app with google translate in your phone to translate the instructions? I know it is still a rough translate but it should get you started.
Both of the cheap clones could be modified fairly easy I will most likely buy them both just to copy the basic parts and 3d print with the modifications. Thank you for the video very cool info.
Don't even bother getting them because drill rod is cheap to buy. You can get a 3 foot length of 1/2" diameter rod for about $15. That's enough for a pair of guide rails with some left over.
What about swapping out the bolt to a longer one?
Thanks for the video. question what makes this domino special? Is it strength? Looks similar dowels. Can you get similar result by using two dowels next each other?
A really good overview, thanks)
That was a great video again!!
What a great alternative! Thank you for this vid!
Was that a Waldmeister drink you were drinking that tasted good? (sweet woodruff)
I'm so grateful for the dollars to maple syrup conversion! LOL!!!😂
Hi,
Are Komax, black, moving/sliding parts made of metal or plastic?
Thanks!
Loved this! Thanks for doing the deep tool dive on the domino and it’s ilk. I think you’ve nudged me one step closer to getting a domino for the studio 😅
I have one. Nothing else like it. Definitely worth the investment.
you gotta make cost one of your categories. it's the single biggest drawback of the Festool
You can use google translate to read those Chinese instructions. I did that to read instructions for my aliexpress motorized shades.
Hi Brad. I have that same Makita Router and it comes with both 6 and 8mm collet. I had to look for it but it is in the corner of the plastic bag with the tools. You're welcome.
I suppose it wasn't worth doing but the domino also cuts at angles. Oh and the depth, width, and height adjustments are cake! I grabbed a used domino for $650.....not cheap but it's awesome.
For me, safety is a go or no-go. And remember that speed and dust are also essential when you work on a regular base with wood. No wonder so many pro carpenters are using Festool and nothing else.
I bought the TianLi jig a day or two after I saw the makesomething video. I was about to buy a similarly priced doweling jig, but after some ruminating I made the audible to get this jig instead. I got it through United Clamps for $298 CAD ($222 USD) and played around with it and tested it for half an evening yesterday. I got the 69mm (Makita) size, but my Milwaukee M18 fuel hand router fit in with some modification--I removed the back cross bar to make clearance for the battery and put washers in to act as stops. Not ideal, but the jig is built really well and I'll handle it with more care to prevent the guide bars from getting damaged. I may end up buying a dedicated router for it after I try it for a few projects. I made my own loose tenons using red oak cutoffs/scraps.
All the points Brad makes in this video about the jig are fair, but as a hobbyist I came to a different conclusion. $1271 (w/ tax) for the festool vs $222 for the tianli isn't even a comparison for me, even if I bought a new Makita router dedicated for the TianLi jig and extra spare bits/different size bits I'd still be $800 ahead. The Festool is REALLY fast to setup and REALLY clean, but even if the Tianli takes 10 minutes to setup and cleanup instead of the Festool's 2 minutes I'll never make the cost difference worth it for how much I anticipate using it. I've been keeping an eye out for used festool tools near me on craigslist and facebook and they're few and far between and still 90% of MSRP even when caked in sawdust.
Very few wooders own or can easily rent an Allen key. Thanx for your nonbiased review of the festool wünder maschinen and those Chinese inferior crapola.
Hi Brad! Amazing channel! I want to ask, can you do or recommend any video about basic tools to start woodworking as a hobby and doing small things for home? Thanks!