▼EXPAND THIS SECTION FOR IMPORTANT INFO▼ *Links promised in this video:* - Loose Tenon Joinery Tutorial: ua-cam.com/video/Bx1Mg2mTMO0/v-deo.html - M-Power CRB7 Bundle discount code ($45 off until 4/2/23): SPRING45 www.mpower-tools.com/product/crb7-combination-router-jig-mk3-mega-bundle/ ★THIS VIDEO WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY★ M-Power's really innovative tools: www.m-powertools.com/ *Table Saw made by Harvey Woodworking Machinery:* www.harveywoodworking.com/ *Please help support us by using the link above for a quick look around!* (If you use one of these affiliate links, we may receive a small commission) *Some other useful links:* -More videos on our website: stumpynubs.com/ -Subscribe to our e-Magazine: stumpynubs.com/browse-and-subscribe/ -Check out our project plans: stumpynubs.com/product-category/plans/ -Instagram: instagram.com/stumpynubs/ -Twitter: twitter.com/StumpyNubs ★SOME OF MY FAVORITE CHEAP TOOLS★ -123 Blocks: lddy.no/vpij -Mechanical Pencils: amzn.to/2PA7bwK -Lumber pencil: amzn.to/2QtwZjv -Pocket Measuring Tape: amzn.to/2kNTlI9 -Irwin Drill Bit Gauge: amzn.to/2AwTkQg -Nut/Bolt/Screw Gauge: amzn.to/2CuvxSK -Self-Centering Punch: amzn.to/2QvbcrC -Self-Centering Bits: amzn.to/2xs71UW -Angle Cube: lddy.no/10nam -Steel Ruler: lddy.no/10mv7 -Utility knife: amzn.to/3nfhIiv -Center-Finding Ruler: lddy.no/10nak -Bit & Blade Cleaner: amzn.to/2TfvEOI -Digital depth gauge: amzn.to/3mwRf2x -Wood Glue: amzn.to/3mqek6M -Spade Bits: amzn.to/3j8XPtD ★SOME OF MY FAVORITE HAND TOOLS★ -Digital Caliper: amzn.to/384H1Or -Marking Gauge: lddy.no/10muz -Marking knife: lddy.no/10mv0 -Narex Chisels: lddy.no/sqm3 -Stanley Sweetheart Chisels: amzn.to/3y5HDOc -Mini Pull Saw: amzn.to/2UEHBz6 -Gent Saw: lddy.no/ss2x -Coping saw: amzn.to/2W7ZiUS -Shinwa Rulers: lddy.no/zl13 ★SOME OF MY FAVORITE POWER TOOLS★ -Miter Saw: amzn.to/3gqIlQ8 -Jointer: amzn.to/3yc3gfZ -Planer: amzn.to/3mn6BGF -Router: amzn.to/3grD22S -Sander: amzn.to/3DdvD0Y -Cordless drill: amzn.to/3D9ZiIm -Brad nailer: amzn.to/3gsRkjH -Mini Compressor: amzn.to/3mvrmQr -Bladerunner: amzn.to/2Wl0TtJ -Jig Saw: amzn.to/3zetTBY -Scroll Saw: amzn.to/3gq9qDc -Multi-Tool: amzn.to/3muZuMi ★SOME OF MY FAVORITE OTHER TOOLS★ -Drill Bits: amzn.to/3B8Ckzh -Forstner Bits: amzn.to/3kk3wEI -Shop Vacuum: amzn.to/2Wkqnbl -Machine Setup Blocks: amzn.to/3gq7kDh -Counter-Sink Bit: amzn.to/37ZukUo -Featherboard: amzn.to/3DeqHsq -ISOtunes Hearing Protection (Save $10): bit.ly/3BHYdH7 (If you use one of the affiliate links above, we may receive a small commission)
Hahaha you're the best, man! Three great things about this video: 1) Your thoughts are well articulated and make sense 2)It's very clear that you care a lot about both the craft and the community of woodworking, and 3) You don't take yourself too seriously. That parody video was great!
I agree 100%. Stumpy Nubs is one of the best on UA-cam. Thank you for another awesome video. Dusty Lumber is good too but he has some major big a$$ tools and a lot of the time he doesn't talk. I love watching him make some cool joints.
"Really? You can't relate to someone cutting rectangles of wood out?" I have never heard a more polite and simultaneously savage burn in my life. 😂 As always another high quality video from Stumpy Nubs👏
Seriously! I am pretty broke, and I have made some great projects with a chisel, brad point bit, coping saw and a bandsaw blade I made into a bowsaw. My advice for people new to the hobby would be to start with hand tools from harbor freight or something. Then move on to corded tools and a table saw when you are ready to sell projects. You can make a lot of stuff with a table saw and you can do it quickly. Cheap tools provide cheap results. Cheap power tools will function but they are often not square, you are better off getting vintage corded tools from garage sales.
Especially since some people who use a domino go out of their way to tell you there are three different options to do the same thing If you don’t have a domino. And it’s funny because these UA-camrs have $20,000 shops and yet the mortiser is the thing turning people off. How about the massive joiner that won’t fit in your garage or the $3000 cabinet saw? You can relate to that crap but not a one trick pony glorified router? Make a free jig out of scrap for your router and you can do the same task. It will just take a bit more setup.
@@CarlYota The thing that puts me off of the Festool Domino at this point is how no UA-cam woodworker can be seen using one without the video slamming to a halt for the "I know what you're saying right now, viewer" talk about how "I know it's ruinously expensive for a glorified dowel jig/biscuit joiner 2.0." Personally, I intend to treat various UA-camrs' Dominos the way I've treated Norm Abram's biscuit joiner for the last 30 years: mentally photoshop my dowel jig over it and get on with my life.
if you don't have the most expensive tools and fixtures at your disposal and want to be a woodworker then being problem solver and coming up with solutions to those situations is not a liability. that is the definition of creative.
You should be able to find multiple ways to solve a woodworking problem, you should also always strive to use as little tools as possible to save as much time as possible even as a hobbyist. Just because you can pay for the tools doesn’t mean you should. Same for those people who have a jig for everything, I be seen tons of videos here from so called pro woodworkers and the domino, and it looks nice, but a lot of the time is not the best way to join those parts. Also you should be able to justify the expense, if you are a hobbyist, of course Ryobi or similar would do just fine.
I've been working with wood for 60 years and appreciate the tutorials and other videos you put out. Everyone has different skill sets and people who look for excuses to justify why they can't make something should look at old masters. They didn't have power tools and yet they created amazing pieces. Thanks for you willingness to share your ideas and inventiveness.
this right here. i'm all for labor saving tools and machines. but not at the cost of lost knowledge and lesser quality. which is exactly what has been happening in the industry and is also happening in the hobbyist/home woodworking sectors. a perfect example of this is the popularity of the pocket screw. it has a limited place in its use, but its far from a high quality technique, and is used in many more places where it really shouldn't be. and that includes industrial woodworker as well. the definition of what quality is has been on a downward slide for the last 40 years.
Festool typically charges 2x what Makita or Bosch charge for a tool, but the Domino is an extra 2x on top of that due to patent exclusivity. The Festool router is $600 and the closest Bosch is $300. The Festool miter saw is $1500, when a Makita or Bosch equivalent is $700-800. As soon as the parents expire, Makita and Bosch will make $300 Dominos and Festool will have to drop the price to $600 to compete with them.
Same with SawStop, owned by Festool. It will take years until that happens and other companies tool up and start producing a RELIABLE copy/reproduction
I can guarantee you Festool won't drop anything. If you've ever used a Festool tool you'll know there's a major difference in quality. Even the high end Bosch and Makita can't compete with the Festool quality.
@@HaasGrotesk You say that, but as I have pointed out with data, every Festool product only carries at most a 2x cost premium over a comparable Bosch or Makita. The only exception is the Domino, which carries a 4x cost premium, due to the patent exclusivity. (I estimate others could make a Domino for $300 based on seeing brushless trim routers for $200 that appear to have similar power. I added another $100 for router oscillation and a fence.)
I kind of wandered into woodworking. We bought an old house, and discovered that the standards for dimensional lumber seemed to have shrunk. So, matching original material was not merely sketchy. If I wanted a replacement piece to conform to original materials, short of rough-cut lumber, I was out of luck. Machines were expensive. I was led, by a good deal of literature, to the idea that without machine tools, it was impossible. Norm was always using machines. But then I found the traditional wood working community and discovered that all I really needed, if I had the hand tools, was practice. So, my early projects were mostly practice in time and materials, followed by a final effort that was the finished work. I converted a lot of wood to saw dust, and butchered plenty more practicing, but I did learn that I really hardly ever need those machines, except as matter of time. You trade money for time, regardless of whether it's a biscuit jointer or a domino. You just work the way is comfortable for you, your wallet, and your clock.
Exactly. I enjoy watching what can be done with tools like a Domino but when it comes down to me I'm always trying to invent another way that I can do it. It always takes more time but it's a hobby, right? If it was my business it would be about time. That said, the few Festools that I have (usually bought used) I love and are excellent to work with.
We bought a house that was completed in the year 1900. I TRULY understand what you're saying. Ours has mortise and tennon joinery. The frame has NO NAILS. Instead they used 1" dowel pins. Our windows are 36 × 80 . I now have plenty of practice hand making correct sized lumber.
First off I'd love to own a domino, but my major issue with it comes down to UA-camrs. You're watching a video on how to make a table for example and don't own tons of high end tools. Then they bust out a Domino and don't really ever show a more traditional way to join pieces of wood. Just like when they whip out their $30k CNC. This is why I appreciate your videos.
I never worried too much about how a person did it as far as trying to replicate a build. If you want to know how to make a mortise and tenon joint, there are plenty of videos that will teach you. Even when I make something I saw on UA-cam, I rarely/never make it the exact same way. I usually think about what joinery I would do instead. I get beginners wanting to learn a project start to finish with what they have, but the fun is figuring out a way to do it with what you have or how to make it better. Lots of people on UA-cam used to show mortise and tenon joinery with a pentarouter... I never got annoyed... I just realized I would need to make the joinery differently.
but just because it is expensive it does not mean it represents value - a fool and his money is easy to separate, I see nothing worth the price in the domino nor festool's 1oo drill
Use your imagination to find the solution. That's what woodworking is. You shouldn't need an exact step by step process mirroring exactly what recourses you have in order to complete a project. Challenge yourself and figure out another way.
Wow. Someone being rational on the internet with a well reasoned, clearly articulated, and polite message. Don't see that nearly often enough. Great video.
I finally found out who can afford a Festool - Cardiologists. I was waiting in the little dark back room reading a woodworking catalog, when the Dr. came in. He noticed my catalog and we got into a discussion on woodworking. It turns out that he has several Festool tools along with a SawStop. More power to him and whoever can get them. If I remember correctly my heart was doing OK.
Sometimes it’s cheap insurance when your real job requires all your fingers. Knew a 777 pilot who was .5mm from losing his eye for the want of the right tool/protection for a home repair. (eye lid puncture and scratched eyeball. FYI No one-eyed pilots allowed)
Saw Stop is some AMAZING tech. However, the inventor tried to lobby the US govt to mandate it on all table saws which would require them all to buy systems from him. If he cared so much he would allow all makers to use his patents and such but instead he tried to get the govt to force them to buy his systems.
I had a surgeon who saved my life. We have become good friends. I cringed when I saw him using a table saw,. Those hands save lives, how could he risk them like that? But then I realized woodworking was his therapy. Without his therapy, he wouldn't have been able to switch off and would likely burn out. I have had almost forty years now thanks to him and he has since retired. I recently sharpened his chainsaw.
As a retired research physician for a major US drug company, I found your discussion of risk/benefit analysis in tool (or new drug) development and manufacturing absolutely superb. Few who are not involved in R and D understand how much money is spent on the failures before finding that perfect, or close to it, innovative product. Great video today, including your old clips!
Allow me to apologize for the incredibly hateful and rude comment "Alpha Force" left in response to yours. People like him who savage others without knowing the first thing about them are not welcome here. He's been removed.
@@StumpyNubs No worries. I didn't see the bad comment. Anyway, I took a lot of flack from fellow physicians when I tried to explain a risk/reward graph! Keep up the great work!!
Its perfectly valid for somebody not having a cutting edge tool, it dont matter even if cant make the project without the tool, if you are saying the same thing for a life saving drug. Then its the flawed argument. People will not loose sleep if pfizer charge what it wants for Viagra, but if it will do the same with covid vaccine, it will be criticized, and rightly so.
On the other hand one should acknowledge that the world of manufacturing is a minefield of patents. Anything that, if only at a skewed angle, looks like it has not been patented will get patented just to make sure the competition doesn't turn it into a banger product. It can get so bad that for the 20 years a patent holds up nobody gets to innovate at all because parts of what could be a great idea are protected by competing companies. The system has its upsides, but it's not all fine and dandy.
It's funny because literally 90% of US drug r&d goes into finding novel delivery mechanisms, NOT novel compounds. The US does not even lead the world in novel compound discovered per capita
James - seriously, thank you. This is the most common sense and down to earth take on the domino I’ve seen. A lot of people out there don’t understand how successful product development businesses work when patents are involved. They still think it’s all a race to the cheapest price. While that’s true for some businesses, others are just smarter about their product strategy than others. Frankly, what Festool does is brilliant.
The idea that patents promote innovation is largely unproven. The studies which have tried to quantify it, largely find patent processes to largely be a wash. The only ones that really win are patent lawyers and pharmacueticals. And even if ther were, you'd find zero justifaction for the full 20 years. Nobody is putting forth and R+D efforts that takes 20 years to pay off. If you can't get a good return in 5-7 years production investors aren't going to consider you, the patent is just going to be gobble up by and NPE(patent troll) or be bought up by a conglomerate to sit in a strategic portfolio.
Festool is not for everyone, but as professional finish carpenter and cabinet maker, tools that make me money are always worth it! No one complains about a $5000 cabinet saw, but they piss and moan endlessly about a $1000 tool that does something no other tool does. When you use high quality tools, like Festool, you feel dumb for not owning it sooner. I can see why a home owner or hobbyist might complain that their favorite UA-camr has tools they can afford, but to us as professionals, you’re cheating yourself to not invest in your quality and production. The Zeta P2 falls in the same category, niche, but once you own one, the type of projects you’re now able to take on goes through the roof! Great video as always! Long time subscriber. Keep up the good work!
I appreciate all of the points that you made in this video. There is a distinction between a process and the tools/equipment used for it. I think that the skill and talent of the person is the overwhelming majority of what determines the result of a project. With good skill and technique, one can create pretty good results with mediocre (and sometimes even-subpar) tools. However, having top-of-the-line tools alone will not help a novice create amazing results. This applies whether you’re a craftsman, musician, artist, or golfer (and the list goes on).
Before I bought my first Festool I asked a number of commercial cabinet makers, trim carpenters, remodelers and custom furniture makers why they bought them and what was so great about Festool tools and everyone said the same thing about different tools -" this tool makes me money". I started buying Festool tools as I could afford and began to understand what they were talking about and never regretted it. They stand the test of time and last with precision.
But - if you aren't doing wood working for money? Then those tools do not make you money, but they cost you Plenty of it. There's a context thing to be considered.
@@peterellis4262 / And a timing thing. At 69 I don't need 40 years of precision. I do replace older tools, like the ones with cords, with newer, but only what will match my needs, my budget, and my mortality. Now, if this woodworking/Camper building thing pans out, my needs and budget will change.
hey Stumpy, i’m a professional cabinetmaker & furniture builder. i fought against festool and their ecosystem for 20 years. that was one of the biggest mistakes i’ve made in my career. 5 years ago i bought the big domino and one of their dust collectors. both were game changers. the domino for mortise & tenons and the dust collector for my lungs. six months later i sold my powermatic hollow chisel mortiser. it was a great piece of equipment but ended up just sitting there after the domino purchase. cheers & remember the best piece of saftey equipment you have is between your ears.
I am entirely willing to believe that for a professional needing to do production, the Festool Domino is a highly beneficial tool that pays for itself fairly quickly. For a hobbyist, or a professional whose business isn't built around volume, the return on investment may not be there at all.
@@peterellis4262 I don't know about you, but I don't buy pretty much anything expecting a return on investment. Excepting stocks and mutual funds and the like because, you know, they are investments.
That was the best video I have ever watched! My grandfather always told me, "good woodworkers can make good things with good tools. Great woodworkers can make Great things with home made tools!" There is a way to reproduce anything in woodworking, if you just apply your imagination. I feel so much better when I finish a project with "old school" jointing than the "fancy tool" jointing. If I was doing my hobby for a living, then I would invest in the "BEST" tools for the job I could, but as a hobby, I like the challenge of figuring out a way to do the same thing cheaper. Thanks again for what you do for all us non professionals.
Two of my neighbors have beautiful large cabinet table saws (one is a SawStop) and they do a great job cutting wood. I have a Sears Craftsman table saw with a cast iron top plate I bought in 1974. With care I can do just about anything with it that my neighbors can do with theirs, except 45 degree bevels ( my blade will not tilt that far), but if I need that I can use their saw or make a jig. The thing I found that really made my saw great was assuring the table guides were parallel to the blade. This has really made my cuts square and repeatable, and much quicker to set up.
Because Festool made such a big push to get their products into woodworking UA-cam videos, like almost every other woodworking tool manufacturer, it makes it appear as though everyone needs them. What many people who's only exposure to the brand has been these videos often don't realize is that Festool was always supposed to be a high contractor grade tool designed to be taken to the job site or dedicated shop. That's why their dust collector is so integral, their cases modular, and they are so expensive. In a professional setting, their time is the expensive factor, so their tools are designed to reduce the time in production and cleanup which comes at a cost. They were never intended to be a hobbyist tool.
This is it, right on the money for me. If you see woodworking UA-cam as reality, you'd think darn near every woodworker out there needs - or at least should have - a Domino. I'd imagine though, that among hobby/part-time woodworkers, these are pretty few and far between - and they probably should be, given the price. If you're in a position where your craft is your livelihood, and something like this saves enough time or allows a level of accuracy that improves the value of your product, then I think you can rightly justify the cost. Without that, I think you just have to file this under that list of things that would be cool to have, but that probably aren't the best value for what you're doing. You might say the same thing about something like full-shop dust collection piping - everyone on UA-cam has a shop kitted out with an Oneida cyclone, but you have to consider whether it's something that you need or just something that that would be nice to have.
I think this is the point that most Domino haters overlook. You wouldn't watch a home improvement show and criticize the landscaping company for using power equipment vs rakes and shovels. Many of the woodworking hobbyists' agrugment about a Domino being too expensive is equivalent to a homeowner complaining about not being able to afford a bobcat to do their annual mulching
@@G0F15H I understand the comparison, but I don’t think there are a lot of hobbyist landscapers or home-improvement enthusiasts (who are not working on homes that aren’t theirs). The prevalence of these higher end and more expensive tools amongst UA-cam personalities is different. As someone who makes a living doing this kind of work, I can see the pros and cons of some of these tools as I also happen to own many of them but I think it’s a little frustrating when some IT guy builds a rickety stepstool and then decides to drop five grand on a small shop and become a UA-cam personality telling everyone how it is. Most of these neophytes are very good at making videos, but their content is lacking even if popular. There’s a lot of incredibly successful reality TV, but you have to argue pretty hard to convince me that it’s of any cultural value.
Great video and excellent to visit both sides of the debate. The Domino was an absolute game changer for me as I only have one functioning arm, using 1/4 inch router plunging is a no no for me, but I’ve adapted the Domino for safe one handed usage 😀👍
Cool video and good points James! I have both the 500 and 700 and can't imagine not having them now that I've used them - the efficiency, accuracy, and time saved makes them so worth the price. For a hobbyist, I agree that they are very expensive, but for anyone doing production/content/etc that requires a quick or efficient workflow & build process, they are worth the price 100% in my opinion.
Truth is, yes they are very expensive and you can do woodworking without them. Then again, they are great inventions and make a lot of points in a simpler and faster fashion. Festool are just very innovative and it's easy for Bosch, Makita and Co to copy once the patent expired. Until then, if you want to enjoy a Domino, you gotta pay the price. Too expensive for you? Everyone gets it as their prices are top range. But please don't deny that they are great tools to have. I have the 500 (and yes, it cost me an arm and a leg) but since then, it has become one of my most commonly used powered hand tools (after drill/impact driver, sander and router). You can do it all without Festool - no doubt. It just takes longer and more effort.
You have done as much for my continuing education as a woodworker as anyone I have ever known. And I have known some world-class wood workers. The final earlier video that you created was hysterical! Your response to the people who would complain about Festool is spot on. I have never found anything that you have suggested or technique that you have offered that I could not do With my old inexpensive equipment. Anyone who complains about your presentations and how they are inappropriate because "not all of us can afford those expensive tools" are just… How should I say this… Stupid. My old college roommate, whom I met in a high school latin class, had a brass plaque on his desk that said, "Non Illegitimi Carborundum" loosely translated as "Don't let the bastards grind you down" Keep on keepin' on.
I love the value you continually give to the trade. I was in the “I won’t afford a festool” camp. I made all the excuses to myself so I felt better about the lousy business decisions I was making, especially what I charged. Then I was working for a contractor, who had mostly festool where he could afford it. I got to use the stuff side by side with what I had and thought what I had was awesome. The comparison was undeniable. I’ll always get the best of what I can afford at a given moment. I only have a few festool items that I have bought second hand. I saved a lot doing this when and where I can. The big thing I learned was that just because I can’t, or won’t afford something, doesn’t mean it doesn’t have great value. It was really humbling to see my blind spot and wondered where else was I doing this in my life? Getting to try stuff out was the big opportunity I had that most people don’t get to experience. We can all learn a lot more when we are quick to see how something works, versus being quick to picking things apart. Call it being critically open minded.
you brought up a good point about people and their expectations. They say that they can't build something because they don't have the tools. It's a learning issue. They can't apply related information and knowledge to different applications. I think people do think they can't do something without the same exact set up. Just like they can't build that table because it is bigger than the space they have. True learning comes from applying that knowledge to other applications.
Having worked in R&D, your explanation regarding research and development costs, including multiple prototypes plus legal fees are substantial. Exclusivity is the reward for said disruptive innovation. I applaud your in-depth, detailed reviews plus the options for multiple options to build projects. A sliding mortise is fundamental, but how you execute is your choice.
Patent exclusivity is an incentive for r & d. However, the particulars of the patents often allow them to be too broad, actually restricting further innovation. For example, Bosch developed a flesh activated saw called the Reaxx. The saw dropped below the table surface within milliseconds, to spin out safely, without damaging the blade. This is different than Sawstop’s aluminum brake which requires a new cartridge and renders the blade unusable when engaged. Sawstop sued the hell out of Bosch, and production was stopped. In this case, the patent system worked against innovation.
I love the Festool line of Tools. 4 years ago I invested in track saw, sander and vacuum, MFT3 table, Domino system. I had to do work in my house and Wife said no dust! I could have bought other tools that could have done the same work! I was looking for faster way to do the work in a really small shop. Wife still parking in the garage so I have move tools out of the way!😢. I have been saving my money 💰 for a few years to by what I want. I never never knock anyone down because they don’t have the tools I have invested in. Thanks for the video😊.
Good video! I own a Domino, actually I own three of them, but I am a self employed professional woodworker, I do make my living entirely on woodworking. The Domino was a total game changer for me. When I got the DF 500, I gave away my old DeWalt biscuit joiner, a good tool in itself, but it became obsolete for me overnight. Once I was in the middle of a big job and my Domino broke, something with the switch, under warranty. But I had to send it in for repair and the turnaround time was about two weeks. I couldn't wait, I promptly bought another one and kept working. By the time I got the first one back, the second one had pretty much paid for itself! It is a great time saver for furniture and casework joinery. Now I had two Domino's, and I could have them set up for different bit sizes. Later, I bought the larger Domino DF 700, that's why I have three of them now. It is a professional tool, and it is part of a system. You will also need an expensive vacuum, Domino does not work without it. As you may guess, I have many Festool's; routers, sanders, tracksaws, etc, If I was a hobby woodworker, I would probably think the Domino is extremely overpriced and I would bitch and moan about it. If I was a hobby woodworker with money to burn, I would probably buy it. As a professional, it was a no-brainer.
Agreed! Festool make manufacturing production equipment for Carpenters. Speed, reliability and repeatability are the words we live by. Its great that so many woodworkers can afford this gear, it helps keep the cost down for the Trades. For those who cant afford it then you obviously dont need it. My Domino paid for itself with the first built in wardrobe I made with it. After that every job its used on is pure profit.
This is a big thing I learned from Adam Savage. There are tools pros need to quickly do things to earn their living, and there are tools that work less efficiently/comfortably/or have shorter duty cycles that still get the job done when you only need to use them a few times a week or month on personal projects.
But it is weird that UA-cam content creators are using them for videos that are targeted to hobbyists and weekend warriors. Sure in a professional setting saving time makes sense but video content for hobbyists it screams corporate shill or sponsorship or free product placement. Because honestly in multiple testing I've seen most dowel jigs are just as fast or faster then the domino and make stronger joints. So a UA-camr showing how to make a table and grabs the domino makes 0 sense. Now if the content is a day at the shop or if the project they are sharing is for an actual client then by all means grab and show off any tool you like.
This video is worth watching just for the ending! Here I am chilling on the couch on a Friday night and my wife is wondering why I woke her up with my laughter and sheer excitement of your masterpiece.
I really love the way you think. I've always been a frugal woodworker, not because I didn't want to spend the money on nice tools, but because I didn't have money to spend in the first place. But I didn't start hating on anyone for having the expensive, fancy tools, because I knew they only make their work easier, but everything can be done with simpler tools, just slower or less convenient, and that's the price I can afford. Although there honestly are things you simply can't do without a specific tool, but in those cases I just wait with the project, until it is relevant, until I have everything I need
Your channel is consistently the BEST at showing how to do a project when I may not have your set of tools. That's always been my biggest beef with most so-called how to videos - they presuppose a set of tools. Your presentation of alternatives is like learning food science. It will make you a better cook because you understand the whys and hows and can be prepared then to figure out the processes yourself. That said my beef with Festool has largely been price. I get new innovations being high, but every product they sell is a premium price point seemingly beyond what makes sense to charge for improved machine tolerances.
The only reason I could see myself buying a domino would be if I ran a high production shop and needed to do lots of joinery where speed was my primary concern. Dowels and glue work just as well for me for a lot less money, even if they take more time. As far as Festool itself vs other brands, I think it just comes down to your woodworking budget and how do you prefer to spend it? Personally, I'd prefer to spend my money on materials.
There's a strong case to be made that the patent system, particularly with the duration and breadth of patent protection we have today, does more to impede innovation than to bolster it. Twenty years is a long time, and when you give one manufacturer a monopoly for that long it also means that everyone else in the world has basically no incentive to improve upon it, which is why it's so common to see a field get off to a promising start, completely stagnate for two decades, and then finally take off when the foundational patents finally expire. You saw this with 3D printing which took off like wildfire in the consumer market once a bunch of the early patents finally expired, and I suspect you'll see it in table saw safety as well when sawstop finally loses its patents and can't just keep coasting on the same mechanism they've been using for the last twenty years
This is one of the best woodworking videos I have seen that did not involve actual woodworking... I can understand both sides.... The only festool that I have is a track saw with extension track........ Just about a $1000 with accessories... I had to think long and hard before I pulled the trigger.... I don't know how I lived without it all these years.... I came up with creative solutions before purchasing this.... And I'll come up with creative solutions for making domino's until I am able to afford it... Having said that... This tool is a priority on my wishlist.... I can wait.... Great explained video
Thank you! You are the first person I have found that is willing to talk about the development costs of technology. A long time ago when the first Tesla sports car was released I saw an interview with Elon Musk where he was asked, "If you want to make electric cars for the masses why are you making a sports car?" He responded with something to the effect of the development costs are high with any new technology. The first people to buy the new technology will bear the burden of that development. So the best way to do that is to make a sports car that will be expensive anyway because the people who will buy it are going to pay the money for development. I would love to buy a Domino. I can't afford one. But I won't hate on them because I think they are too expensive. They are recouping development costs.
I'd love to own one. I believe they're the best balance of ease of use and strength out there. It is just too expensive for your average woodworker. If I was a professional furniture builder I'd own one because I could justify the purchase. As far as brand bias. It doesn't matter who makes it.
My issue with the Festool Domino isn't the price or the utility. If you are doing a lot (and I mean really a *lot*) of loose tenon joinery, it is most likely very much worth the price. due to its speed and ease of use. But for people like me that do loose tenon joinery not so often, there are much cheaper, easy alternatives, like dowels or Beadlock loose tenons. In general, I think Festool charges more than their tools are worth, but clearly people are willing to pay what Festool asks, and it's their money to do with as they please.
I think you're over stating where the break even point lies. Once you have enough M&Ts to make that you can't practically do them by hand, I don't see anything that beats the value of the domino.
I could be too biased against dowels though. But the cheap jigs I've tried are trash, and I can't bear to spend big money on a dowelling jig when I think I should put that towards a Domino
Pros all use Domino all day every day in shop or on site. Hundreds of such pros round my way. Houses all old, twisted, irregular, and small. Custom cabinets made fast is huge business. Ready-made units often too big or too small, so space wasted and tpp flimsy or too rigidly square. I often modify Ikea stuff since the basic products are cheaper than I could buy the materials
@@Drowsyrhino1979 compare it to any similar class of professional joinery tool like the mafell duo doweler or the lamello zeta P2, the domino is actually cheaper than both of those
Perhaps a bit late on this one. First, I really appreciate the time you put into these James. For the person who is making their living with their tools, then the cost versus efficiency and product quality is a different equation than it is for the home hobbyist. But one thing we all share in common is that we spend a lot of time in our shops, with and using our tools. That should be quality time, just like time with family and friends should be quality time. So I think the first consideration in tool selection after finding something that will help you do what you want to accomplish, is the how the tools make you feel about the time you spend with them and using them. That sense of aesthetics is going to have a lot of variance from one person to another. What's right for one person will be totally wrong for someone else, and they will both be right from their own points of view. I like vintage tools that I have restored (often from what seemed to be hopeless wrecks). But for me, the idea of holding something that some previous masters have used is somewhat akin to shaking hands with them even though they are long gone, but that's me. I'm sure that a lot of people would be annoyed with my using a very early Miller Patent plow plane - some because they think it's a waste of time and others because something so valuable should be looked at and not used. Still others will totally understand the smile on my face when I'm using it. Vive la difference!
I myself have so much to learn before I can start blaming the tools for my screw ups. Thank you for your inspiration as I stumble through this adventure.
Thanks for this video. The Domino may be almost necessary for high end production shops. It is very efficient. But there are still dowels, biscuits and traditional mortise and tenon joints available for the rest of us. I would love to have all high end tools, but will settle for my 35 year old contractor saw and other tools with a smile. I don't NEED the fancy stuff, but I can still drool over it.
Makita circular saw with track accessory and 1.5 metres piece of track. Game changer. I'll get another piece of yrack. 50 years woodworker trained with hand tools. If I was ten years younger, I'd get Makita, Mafell, or Festool track saw, a Domino, the best dust extractor, air scrubber, and mask or hood I could find.
i agree with your sentiments, as a retired furniture maker i can assure you i have less tools than most of the amateur wannabe woodwork content providers on youtube. and i made a living by what i made, not the video of me doing it.
I think the major is about knowing your audience. A vast, vast, vast majority of folks who watch woodworking youtube channels are not big production shops. They are hobbyists or small time producers either learning new techniques or just enjoy watching content related to their hobby/side hustle. Because of that, most of the people who watch woodworking videos either cannot afford or cannot justify the cost of a domino. This is especially true when they start watching a channel early on using cheap tools and then suddenly as they gain subscribers, they suddenly start having all these high end tools (many times due to sponsorships from tool companies). That for better or worse creates resentment from the audience. They thought the content creator was "one of them", but now has "turned to the dark side" or "sold out" and no longer understands or appreciates the "little guy" that was there from the beginning and is one of the reasons their channel is so popular (and thus have the money and/or sponsorships to get a domino or other high end tool) in the first place. That's one of the reasons why people love guys like Steve Ramsey. With the amount of subscribers and views he has, there is no doubt he could afford a sawstop, a domino, or whatever other high end tool there is out there. I'm sure he's gotten plenty of offers in the past. Interestingly, what is the main sponsorship he is known for? The gripper, which indeed is an expensive tool, but not unreasonably and it's focused on improving safety, particularly for folks using an old/used (and cheap) table saw that may or may not have a splitter (which is likely a core part of his audience). Now, regarding the Sawstop, I think that is a different situation than the domino. Everyone knows they don't need a domino and can do a loose tenon another way. However, the Sawstop is about saving someone from chopping off their fingers. Folks may grumble about taking a few more minutes to create joinery vs using a domino, but losing fingers is in a completely different category. To use a car analogy, developing an engine that gets 10 more miles to the gallon is revolutionary. It could save people a lot of money and of course it's understandable that the inventor should be well compensated for their invention. The 3 point seat belt is also a revolutionary invention, but is in a different category from an engine that gets better gas mileage. A seatbelt can save someone's life, not just save them a few more bucks in gas. That's why Volvo didn't protect the patent, because they knew it was the right thing to do (and would make their company a lot of money in free advertising and good will). Did Gass have to do that? No, of course not, but how different the woodworking world would be today if he had 20 years ago and every saw you buy today had a Sawstop style system.
I've been cutting boards for the better part of 5 decades and still have all 10 digits on my hands. All it takes is knowing where your fingers are while cutting
This is such an asinine statement. The equivalent of “I’ve been driving for over 40 years and have never needed my seatbelt or airbags. All it takes is being a good driver!” Many Professionals have had accidents resulting in loss of digits and/or their lives. You aren’t special, just haven’t had the misfortune of a bad accident.
@@jimmymikecallahan8488 Same. I also wear slipper shoes on jobsites. Two decades not a single foot injury. Eye & ear protection, gloves when necessary. Most everything else?Just don't get complacent, that's all it really is.
Long time subscriber, and although i don't agree with everything you have said over the years, I truly enjoy your content. On this topic, I agree 100%. I am a fully equipped festooler , and i still am baffled at the comments on line by folks who admit to have never even seen a piece , let alone use one. Repeatedly what i see is something along the lines of "that overpriced junk wouldn't last a day on a real work site - plastic and poor design" yet when you meet real objective owners , they have these things running day in and day out for a decade-- and festool offers replacement parts as well. -- Your title could have read " The True Meaning of Sour Grapes....." . Do I worship the brand? absolutely not! Some of their products simply don't work as well as other brands. But on their innovators , the Domino, the Rotex, their track saws-- they save me hours and make my ok skills shine.
I resented the price and resisted the purchase of a domino for years. I love traditional joinery and carry out traditional joinery (often with hand tools) where appropriate or/and where they add real visual interest, but I needed to improve the profit of my business to keep going, and the domino was one of the main tools that helped me to do that. I think it paid for itself within 4-5 projects. Totally agree with your comment. Hated it until I used it.
I fully agree, the biggest issue with the domino is relatability. I'm a hobbyist at best who got into wood working through UA-cam videos. There's a place for videos of truly high-end woodworking, using the best tools available, but I've seen so many more that try and pitch it as a "you can do this at home yourself!" and then bust out the domino. That's why I appreciate channels like yours and Steve Ramsays.
Use your imagination to find the solution. That's what woodworking is. You shouldn't need an exact step by step process mirroring exactly what recourses you have in order to complete a project. Challenge yourself and figure out another way.
People complain about all the review and tool list videos and no one makes build videos. Then turn around and complain about the tools used in building videos. Woodworking isn't for everyone, some folks should find a less stressful hobby.
Very well done video! I agree with everything you said and feel the exact same way. The world is BIG enough for all tools, ideas, and problem solving skills. Respect to ALL makers who get out there and get stuff made and have a bit of fun on top of it! The spoof video was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. Note to self…..don’t be eating or drinking the second time I watch this video!😂 Thanks for all you do!❤
With regards to expensive tools, yes, you can buy the cheaper versions and get the job done. Over time, I noticed I was upgrading tools and double or triple buying a tool. On top of that, some tools didn't have 'salvage value', meaning I had to damn near give them away to get rid of them. What I learned was that after a series of upgrades, I'd paid more than the price of just buying the expensive tool to start with. So now I just start at the top as it feels like it's the lowest overall cost of use and ownership in the end.
That’s a good point about “salvage value” or second hand value. Premium tools hold their value, I’ve heard of people selling 10 year old Festool track saws for what they originally paid (sometimes even more). For a pro, it’s a no brainier. Time is money and top quality tools like the Domino can get loose tenon joinery done quicker, with less fuss than any other method. For the hobbyist, if you can afford the up front cost, it is practically a free tool. Not using it much? So sell it and get your money back. That’s no comfort to the average guy who can’t afford it but as said in the video, there are plenty of options to get the job done.
It all comes down to volume. If you only use a tool once a year, it would be insane to get top quality. If you are using it daily, then you need the quality in order to not go insane from having to buy yet another low grade tool.
I’m still in my first year of all this and literally had no idea about tools and certainly no tool bias. I have a friend/mentor who gifted me a ton of dewalt once he upgraded everything to festool. I was just so happy to have a pretty damn nice beginners set up. I took many suggestions from UA-cam, weighed what it was what I wanted to build and bought accordingly. I did buy a CT26 and I bought a domino. I’m a waiter. I worked hard and bought the things I wanted and have a pretty nice set up. I save where I can and splurge where I want. I’ll never understand people’s hatred for others upgrading or wanting something that makes them happy. On the other side of things, looking down on people who have harbor freight tools.
I like my quality precision tools, but cannot rationalize paying high dollar for demo tools. Harbor Freight demo tools (recip saw, oscillating, etc) are in my trailer lol.
@@jotacalvo absolutely. A 20$ hammer drill was worth every penny and more. Their clamps have been spectacular as well. Things for organization, I could go on and on about the gems inside that store. I have a friend that won’t step foot in that store, buys nothing but dewalt but can’t hang a picture frame to save his life
Most of us don't have a big shop or the cash to buy every awesome tool, especially starting out, we have a garage or basement, and maybe one or two big tools. I build furniture with a jig and a router and some sharp chisels because it's what I could afford/justify for the few projects I do a year. But as long as there are still tutorials for folks just starting, or who aren't pros, I love seeing what's the "cutting edge" even if maybe it's a little pricey. A good channel like this one shows lots of options, and informs my choices, I think that's what matters.
@@dougsaunders8109You know what else works great? My 5 year old impact drill that cost 50$, so who do you think got a better value for there money?. Just because something work as advertised does not mean it worth however much money you pay for it. but people buy it, so I'm glad its been working out for you.
@@nathenrenwick I had trouble swallowing the price, that said it's paid for itself tenfold just in the past year alone. Could I do everything I do with my Domino another way yes I could. I found myself using it more for alignment purposes than actual joint strength
@@nathenrenwick I build custom, very large, exterior gates. And I build a lot of them. So for my purposes the price of this tool is worth the time it saves me hands down. I think it comes down to what you're building and whether or not you run a woodworking business or you're a part time in diyer with basic wood working skills and needs.
For how rarely I (personally) need to do mortises, I'm pretty happy doing them with a drill press and chisels. And as far as Festool goes, I like some of their tools, like the Kapex saw (mostly like the dust collection and the bevel adjust) but dislike the fact that they insist on a different size arbor than the rest of the planet and thus you are stuck using their blades.
I agree that it comes down to price and it's far less about arrogance (I haven't seen that). Festool are a business and they've got to balance their R&D with quality with the fact that they're they're the only one's selling this before the patent runs out. If people have a real issue with it, I'd be interested in terms of what they are. The odd QA issue aside, I seriously doubt it's down to quality which just leaves price, usage and emotion, none of which are good arguments. Kudos for calling out Fein, arguably the oldest power tool manufacturer. Thank you for another fair, balanced, educating and fun video.
James, I bought a DF-500 I'd always though I needed, I used it for a few jobs then sold it for more than i paid for it. What it did was make the task simple, perfectly repeatable and almost instant. Festool tool quality, reliability and ease of use and portability make them invaluable for those who need reliable, workhorse tools, the premium price is worth paying.
If one out of a hundred steps in a project is using a tool that you don’t have and you can’t learn something from the other 99, it’s seems you’re probably not there to learn in the first place
I am new to woodworking, about a year, and I have found your videos to be very helpful. As far as the debate about tools, I buy cheap tools now to learn with, and when I get better or can afford better tools, I will upgrade.
I have a basic set of tools from the green accents brand. I think they are great and I'm very happy to pay the price. I go even further: I feel privileged to live in a time where I can exchange a bit of my value to obtain these tools that almost give me superpowers (safety, accuracy, cleanliness, ...) in my limited workspace. I would not give back these tools for the price I bought them for, which illustrates the value for me. The price is high, but the value is even higher.
Spot on!! I definitely have tool envy but at my stage of hobbiest woodworking it just doesn’t make financial sense for me to have some of them. I’m not going to be making a living doing woodworking, it’s simply something I enjoy doing! Doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a great tool and hope I find one on a great sale somewhere! Love your videos. Keep showing us the good stuff and how to do it the “hard” way!! Would love to use a Domino one day but just can’t justify the cost for me but I’m so happy the technology is there as I may change my mind one day!!
What a great video, I too have experienced the "bias" of Festool, I own several Festool tools and I agree they are crazy expensive. But, I have found that they are at a higher quality level than most other brands (not all, just most). But I would not, could not, spend the kind of money Festool asks, I bought all of my Festool tools used. I was lucky and got a great deal on a pretty extensive list of tools, but they are some of the best quality tools I have. I agree that it can be frustrating when some youtube people make a video and show off all of their expensive tools with little or no empathy for those of us who can not afford $50,000 worth of equipment.... if that is how a video affects you, use the back button and move on. Thanks for another great video!!!!!!!
I came cross a Domino with 2 boxes of float tenons for $600 at a tool meet, but I decided to buy a Stanley No 1 for $500 that day, and not have enough money to get the Domino.
I love this channel, my views on these things line up so much! someday I'd love a Domino. A few years ago I'll admit I was on the anti Festool train. I've since improved my mindset on it! that being said I can definitely say if I had an extra 1200 bucks for a woodworking tool I wouldn't spend it on a domino right now, I'm more in need of a bandsaw with a good resaw capacity lol
A jointer and a good band saw would be of greater utility to me than a Domino at this stage in my woodworking journey. I would throw a drum sander into that mix as well.
Great video with a fantastic ending. It s nice to see someone with a sense of humour. (NOT humor- I’m a Brit!). I have been upgrading my workshop for the last four years but have done some good work with a DeWalt flip saw. Keep up the good work 🌞
Awesome take on the festool stigma. I personally recently purchased my first festool product a rotex sander. I think this is my 5 th sander I have owned. I truly appreciate the way it functions over anything else I have ever used. The dust collection is fantastic even when just using a shop vacuum. Yes festool is pricey. But the quality of construction and ease of use is definitely worth it. I wish I hadn’t waited so long. Eventually yes I would like to have a domino machine. I believe it might have to wait until I purchase as a retirement gift for myself. Time will tell. Thank you Stubby. You are an inspiration.
I bought a Domino joiner in 2007 and it has paid for itself over and over. Superior to dowels and biscuits for most applications but those tools also have their place.
I agree with your take on the festool hate pretty much entirely. I think the Domino is cool and I’d love to have one but I’m not a professional and there’s no need for me to get one at this time. And I think the attitude people have where they think they can’t make a project because they don’t have the same tools is just bizarre. Problem solving and creativity are some of the most fun aspects of this craft. You can figure out a way to make things with what you have just like everyone else has been doing since the craft began. I find the fact that all of these creators who have a Domino feel the need to apologize for using the tool in their videos really sad. Trying to bully someone for doing their job with what tools make it more efficient is just strange. As for the pricing, the youtuber WittWorks did a great video recently about a visit to Festool where he got to meet a lot of the staff and he talks about why he thinks they price things they way they do. I would highly recommend checking it out.
I completely agree with your statement. Finding a way to get the job done with what you have is the fun part of woodworking. Sometimes the first effort is not what you want but with a little more thought ...
@@randycosgrove3608 You are all such snobs, high on your own farts.. geez! Most people watch UA-cam woodworking videos for entertainment and/or inspiration. Watching video after video with all Festool Domino joints is simply not as good UA-cam content as someone who mixes it up and uses a variety of tools and techniques to get the job done. Videos where hundreds of Dominos are "plopped in" is not very relatable when the whole project would have to be constructed in a completely different way to make it viable for people that would spend 10-20 times as long per each loose tenon and each one would be much less accurate. I prefer watching a different video then, or no video at all. Because I too am extremely creative and smart, just as you guys, and can do everything from scratch if I want too. ...but sometimes I just want to see some guy do it on UA-cam.
I remember years ago, watching Norm using his PC plate jointer, and thinking "I gotta get me one of those". I finally took the plunge and purchased one (after mulling it around a good long while)(AND GETTING PERMISSION FROM SWMBO). I don't believe I have used it in over twelve years. Just sayin'
“But I can’t afford it.” You know what I’m having trouble buying these days? Wood. Doesn’t stop me from watching. I grew up doing some construction level carpentry. For woodworking, I’ve really been watching two people. You for power tools. Rex Kruger for hand tools. Keep up the good work!
I have a few festool tools and i absolutely love them. To me the price of the tools themselves seem worth it. What enfuriates me about festool is how they absolutely rake you over the coals over accessories and consumables.
Was once told many years ago the tool is priced to get you in the game ,accessories keep you coming back.Just like buying a car ,your mechanic will win in the end.👍📐🇨🇦
The cheapest festool finish sander jammed into my rigid shop vac using an old plastic pipe wrapped in duct tape with holes drilled into it. Works beautifully. Screw expensive accessories. 😂 Also festool is meant for people who are going to pass the cost on to their customers.
I love your channel because you do such a great job teaching woodworking skills, I didn't think you'd have to make a video teaching human decency skills but here we are. Keep up the great work!
As a professional woodworker making custom gates by hand cutting tenons and half laps it was a wonderful day I discovered the domino xl which replaced both processes. The end product certainly meet or exceeded my previous work in a fraction of the time. I figured it paid for itself in three weeks. I will never speak ill of that tool because it did its job flawlessly and consequently made me a lot of money. Thank you feestool.
Well put James. Videos like this are why we keep coming back to your channel. I will continue to use a small home made jig for floating tenons, until the off brand dominoes come out. Do you have a video about making your own jig?
I’m onboard with Festool! When you buy Festool, you’re buying a system. Each tool has been throughly designed including all accessories. The days of buying a skillsaw ended when Festool came out with the tracksaw. Granted the saw itself isn’t much different than any other skillsaw, but the tracks are deigned for the saw, and routers. You can cut or route straight lines or even do shelf pin holes with them. Their sanders are on another level. Connected to dust collection, they are more aggressive with less arm fatigue. They are part of a system that can be used for sanding all the way up to polishing. The quality of the sand paper is better and lasts longer. The Domino’s a game changer. Same concept as a biscuit joiner, but much more accurate and stronger. The tenons come in 10 different sizes, lengths, and thicknesses. Wood tenons are available along with mechanical tenons. You can’t truly appreciate the brand until you have used the tools.
I think relatability doesn't necessarily mean 'able to reproduce'. I am just a poor DIYer and I find the UA-camrs using a tracksaw made out of MDF and hacking out mortises with a chisel more relatable than those with fancy shops and tool collections. After all, a guy who can spend 8 hours a day working with a Domino machine may be able to pull of a project that I can't in the 30 mins I have between my day job and the school run, armed with just a mallet and chisel. Still, I can definitely learn from those guys and appreciate their content just as much.
The reason is that you _know_ the tool is worth it and there is no alternative, at the same time you _know_ you're getting screwed by paying at least double what it should cost. That feeling of being trapped is what causes the frustration.
I started getting into woodworking to get ready for my retirement. I bought the best tools I could justify, which means I learned how to make do, and how to make cheap machines do what I needed. I had a cheap drop saw that drifted out of true with a weather change, I built it into a lock system that prevented drift, it also meant it was no longer adjustable. I made boxes with it. As I got closer to retire I started upgrading to better more expensive gear. This included festool now and then. Why do I like them? They do what it says on the box, all the time, simply and efficiently every time. They don’t drift and always return to the setup stops. Are they worth it, probably not for what I use them for but I love how when needed they help me enjoy my time in the workshop and allow me concentrate on other tasks to make the final item as good as I can get it. I also enjoy working with woodwork newbies that don’t have/want/need festool gear. I help them make the most of what they have and show them a different way now and then. I don’t see the animosity you speak of but I do see an increased ambition for where they may go in time. Love your work and your balanced and technically accurate videos, thanks.
I’ve been woodworking for over 50 years, first as a hobbyist, then as a side gig for a few extra dollars, and professionally for over 25 years. In that time, I’ve bought multiple tools (table saw, bandsaw, drill press, etc.) many times, moving up in quality until I got to where I am, now. Had I bought the final tools first, I would have saved hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. I bought my Domino 500 years ago, for a particular job. I don’t even remember what it was. But the price was forgotten before that job was done. I’ve used it on many, many projects since then, and I’ve never regretted it. I still have (and still use) my doweling jig, biscuit joiner, and pocket screw tools, simply deciding which will do the job the best. Since then, I’ve only bought one other Festool (a random orbit sander) and that, only so I could buy their right angle attachment. Again, the price didn’t matter, once I used it for the first time. The “but other people can’t afford it” argument is completely bogus. Should I drive a Yugo, because other people can’t afford a Toyota? Should I wear a Timex, because other people can’t afford a Rolex? I once had a rabbi tell me not to use my iPad in the choir loft, because some congregants couldn’t afford one. (He drove a newer car than I did, BTW.) Anyway, if a better or more expensive tool will do what you need done, and your time is worth the investment, do it, and don’t look back.
Well done, a proper explanation of the Domino economics. As you quite rightly pointed out this is not the first time innovation has produced initially very expensive equipment and is certainly not exclusive to woodworking. However, here in the UK the issue is not with the Domino so much as with the prices of most of the rest of the Festool range. Even the common tools like jigsaws tend to be far pricier than the other quality brands. I certainly would not buy one just because it is Festool. This does not mean I wouldnt buy a Domino if I had a need for it. Brand snobbery has always been around and is something we all have to put up with. Loved the parody video,. All I could think about while watching it was that you are now the Chuck Norris of woodworking.
I would love a Festool Domino (and a few other Festool tools), but I can't yet justify the price. I have nothing but admiration for the brand and nothing but disdain for those who hate on it or those who use their tools. Such people are USUALLY speaking from ignorance and jealousy.
Right. It's an AWESOME tool. In the end, its worth is if it saves you enough time to justify the hours you save. As a hobbyist you better be wealthy. As a pro, it's usually super worth it ...
Incredibly well said on all points. I think you’re right - the vitriol towards the Domino comes from a combination of jealousy over being unable to afford the tool and annoyance from Festool snobs. Festool snobs are kind of like the vegans of woodworking. My wife bought me a Domino as a gift last year and I love it. It’s a wonderfully useful and well-engineered machine and it makes loose tenon joinery quick, simple, accurate and easy. You are completely correct, though - there are precious few (if any) cases in which the Domino is the only way to create a joint; it simply makes it quicker and easier. The quality of the tool has definitely led me to consider Festool for other purchases but I completely agree with your approach - buy the best tool you can afford that fits *your* needs and don’t worry about the image. That may be green, yellow, red, blue or orange. Or (gasp) just plain black. If your tools look nicer than your projects the problem isn’t the tools.
I recently made a 7-drawer dresser for a customer. I normally join my case parts traditionally with mortises and tenons. In this project, the design called for 44 M&T joints. I decided to bite the bullet and bought and used the Festool XL on this commission. This saved me (??) in layout, set up, and fitment. The ability to have exact precision with 1/4 of the time and effort is astonishing. I estimate the ~$1500 investment paid for itself after 2-3 projects of this type. Game changer for productivity.
I love this guy, so polite yet good to the point. people are blaming that they are broke instead of puting effort and progress. I am also broke, i am waiting months till i can get some small money colected from my 9*5 job and slowly i will have all basic tools to create something sell it and finish my tool colection that allows me to progress, but if id be just b*tching about how expensive everything is, i owuld never get anywhere
Hey, James, relax. Your content and the quality of your presentations are among the best on the internet. A few of your videos dedicate time to responses to 'haters'. There's no need to respond to them. They won't be convinced by you, and serious woodworkers who listen to you aren't convinced by them. About Festool: the only one I own is a vacuum, but I am considering a Domino. After 40 years of woodworking, I don't NEED it, but I'm not embarassed to want it. I needed electronic relays for air delivery to a CNC spindle, and the (German) spindle maker recommended one made by "Festo". The specs and documentation were amazingly good, but the price amazingly high. My next surprise was that the "Festo" company was the parent to "Festool". I guess their business model is 'highest quality' regardless of the price. It seems to be working for them.
I've got a large wall of Woodpeckers tools. Many ask, "Why?" Many wonder why I "waste my money." Many believe "you can get the same thing at 1/4 the price." But you know what? I still have that wall for my own reasons, primarily for the pleasure of having what I need when I need it and using tools that are Made in America. So be it... (Good thing I'm not into German tools!)
❤❤❤ Thanks for this! You so eloquently explained what most Festool haters don't seem to understand. Do I own one? No. However, I sincerely appreciate the technology advancement. Now more than ever, it takes a lot of $$$ (time, resources, and expenses) to own a company much less invent a new tool.
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Thank you for your humour, and congratulations on your success!
How about the link for the basket?
Hahaha you're the best, man! Three great things about this video: 1) Your thoughts are well articulated and make sense 2)It's very clear that you care a lot about both the craft and the community of woodworking, and 3) You don't take yourself too seriously. That parody video was great!
I agree 100%. Stumpy Nubs is one of the best on UA-cam. Thank you for another awesome video. Dusty Lumber is good too but he has some major big a$$ tools and a lot of the time he doesn't talk. I love watching him make some cool joints.
Amen!
"Really? You can't relate to someone cutting rectangles of wood out?"
I have never heard a more polite and simultaneously savage burn in my life. 😂
As always another high quality video from Stumpy Nubs👏
Yeah, that was quite well said. Nicely done Sir James.
+
Seriously! I am pretty broke, and I have made some great projects with a chisel, brad point bit, coping saw and a bandsaw blade I made into a bowsaw. My advice for people new to the hobby would be to start with hand tools from harbor freight or something. Then move on to corded tools and a table saw when you are ready to sell projects. You can make a lot of stuff with a table saw and you can do it quickly. Cheap tools provide cheap results. Cheap power tools will function but they are often not square, you are better off getting vintage corded tools from garage sales.
Especially since some people who use a domino go out of their way to tell you there are three different options to do the same thing If you don’t have a domino.
And it’s funny because these UA-camrs have $20,000 shops and yet the mortiser is the thing turning people off. How about the massive joiner that won’t fit in your garage or the $3000 cabinet saw? You can relate to that crap but not a one trick pony glorified router?
Make a free jig out of scrap for your router and you can do the same task. It will just take a bit more setup.
@@CarlYota The thing that puts me off of the Festool Domino at this point is how no UA-cam woodworker can be seen using one without the video slamming to a halt for the "I know what you're saying right now, viewer" talk about how "I know it's ruinously expensive for a glorified dowel jig/biscuit joiner 2.0."
Personally, I intend to treat various UA-camrs' Dominos the way I've treated Norm Abram's biscuit joiner for the last 30 years: mentally photoshop my dowel jig over it and get on with my life.
if you don't have the most expensive tools and fixtures at your disposal and want to be a woodworker then being problem solver and coming up with solutions to those situations is not a liability. that is the definition of creative.
@@djstuc Yes, Peter is great and he has even responded to my comments to help me adjust some of his methods & ideas to suit my projects & tools.
@@djstuc Cool, go watch him.
See: Matthias Wandel
Thats the joy of woodworking 😁
You should be able to find multiple ways to solve a woodworking problem, you should also always strive to use as little tools as possible to save as much time as possible even as a hobbyist. Just because you can pay for the tools doesn’t mean you should. Same for those people who have a jig for everything, I be seen tons of videos here from so called pro woodworkers and the domino, and it looks nice, but a lot of the time is not the best way to join those parts. Also you should be able to justify the expense, if you are a hobbyist, of course Ryobi or similar would do just fine.
I've been working with wood for 60 years and appreciate the tutorials and other videos you put out. Everyone has different skill sets and people who look for excuses to justify why they can't make something should look at old masters. They didn't have power tools and yet they created amazing pieces. Thanks for you willingness to share your ideas and inventiveness.
this right here. i'm all for labor saving tools and machines. but not at the cost of lost knowledge and lesser quality. which is exactly what has been happening in the industry and is also happening in the hobbyist/home woodworking sectors. a perfect example of this is the popularity of the pocket screw. it has a limited place in its use, but its far from a high quality technique, and is used in many more places where it really shouldn't be. and that includes industrial woodworker as well. the definition of what quality is has been on a downward slide for the last 40 years.
Festool typically charges 2x what Makita or Bosch charge for a tool, but the Domino is an extra 2x on top of that due to patent exclusivity. The Festool router is $600 and the closest Bosch is $300. The Festool miter saw is $1500, when a Makita or Bosch equivalent is $700-800. As soon as the parents expire, Makita and Bosch will make $300 Dominos and Festool will have to drop the price to $600 to compete with them.
Same with SawStop, owned by Festool. It will take years until that happens and other companies tool up and start producing a RELIABLE copy/reproduction
I can guarantee you Festool won't drop anything. If you've ever used a Festool tool you'll know there's a major difference in quality. Even the high end Bosch and Makita can't compete with the Festool quality.
@@HaasGrotesk You say that, but as I have pointed out with data, every Festool product only carries at most a 2x cost premium over a comparable Bosch or Makita. The only exception is the Domino, which carries a 4x cost premium, due to the patent exclusivity. (I estimate others could make a Domino for $300 based on seeing brushless trim routers for $200 that appear to have similar power. I added another $100 for router oscillation and a fence.)
@@maximusmagni1 Well, we'll see.
You beat me to it.
What? A mature, honest, balanced, non-judgemental discussion of how economics works? Who let you in the Internet?
This is why I love Stumpy. :-)
I kind of wandered into woodworking. We bought an old house, and discovered that the standards for dimensional lumber seemed to have shrunk. So, matching original material was not merely sketchy. If I wanted a replacement piece to conform to original materials, short of rough-cut lumber, I was out of luck. Machines were expensive. I was led, by a good deal of literature, to the idea that without machine tools, it was impossible. Norm was always using machines. But then I found the traditional wood working community and discovered that all I really needed, if I had the hand tools, was practice. So, my early projects were mostly practice in time and materials, followed by a final effort that was the finished work. I converted a lot of wood to saw dust, and butchered plenty more practicing, but I did learn that I really hardly ever need those machines, except as matter of time. You trade money for time, regardless of whether it's a biscuit jointer or a domino. You just work the way is comfortable for you, your wallet, and your clock.
well said
Exactly. I enjoy watching what can be done with tools like a Domino but when it comes down to me I'm always trying to invent another way that I can do it. It always takes more time but it's a hobby, right? If it was my business it would be about time. That said, the few Festools that I have (usually bought used) I love and are excellent to work with.
@@skitzochik Thanks.
@@MrRustyjackson Absolutely.
We bought a house that was completed in the year 1900. I TRULY understand what you're saying. Ours has mortise and tennon joinery. The frame has NO NAILS. Instead they used 1" dowel pins. Our windows are 36 × 80 . I now have plenty of practice hand making correct sized lumber.
First off I'd love to own a domino, but my major issue with it comes down to UA-camrs. You're watching a video on how to make a table for example and don't own tons of high end tools. Then they bust out a Domino and don't really ever show a more traditional way to join pieces of wood. Just like when they whip out their $30k CNC.
This is why I appreciate your videos.
Not for nothing… I built a CNC Router for about $600
I never worried too much about how a person did it as far as trying to replicate a build. If you want to know how to make a mortise and tenon joint, there are plenty of videos that will teach you. Even when I make something I saw on UA-cam, I rarely/never make it the exact same way. I usually think about what joinery I would do instead. I get beginners wanting to learn a project start to finish with what they have, but the fun is figuring out a way to do it with what you have or how to make it better.
Lots of people on UA-cam used to show mortise and tenon joinery with a pentarouter... I never got annoyed... I just realized I would need to make the joinery differently.
but just because it is expensive it does not mean it represents value - a fool and his money is easy to separate, I see nothing worth the price in the domino nor festool's 1oo drill
Use your imagination to find the solution. That's what woodworking is. You shouldn't need an exact step by step process mirroring exactly what recourses you have in order to complete a project. Challenge yourself and figure out another way.
Glue and clamps - in case you were still wondering.
Wow. Someone being rational on the internet with a well reasoned, clearly articulated, and polite message. Don't see that nearly often enough. Great video.
This video is a perfect example of why James is at the top of my list of favorite UA-cam personalities. Absolutely brilliant
I finally found out who can afford a Festool - Cardiologists. I was waiting in the little dark back room reading a woodworking catalog, when the Dr. came in. He noticed my catalog and we got into a discussion on woodworking. It turns out that he has several Festool tools along with a SawStop. More power to him and whoever can get them. If I remember correctly my heart was doing OK.
Sometimes it’s cheap insurance when your real job requires all your fingers. Knew a 777 pilot who was .5mm from losing his eye for the want of the right tool/protection for a home repair. (eye lid puncture and scratched eyeball. FYI No one-eyed pilots allowed)
Saw Stop is some AMAZING tech. However, the inventor tried to lobby the US govt to mandate it on all table saws which would require them all to buy systems from him. If he cared so much he would allow all makers to use his patents and such but instead he tried to get the govt to force them to buy his systems.
I had a surgeon who saved my life. We have become good friends. I cringed when I saw him using a table saw,. Those hands save lives, how could he risk them like that? But then I realized woodworking was his therapy. Without his therapy, he wouldn't have been able to switch off and would likely burn out. I have had almost forty years now thanks to him and he has since retired. I recently sharpened his chainsaw.
@@Smurphenstein Nice story
@@1320crusier He obviously didn't know how to lobby. First, you cut a deal with a defense contractor and some really shifty congressmen/women.
As a retired research physician for a major US drug company, I found your discussion of risk/benefit analysis in tool (or new drug) development and manufacturing absolutely superb. Few who are not involved in R and D understand how much money is spent on the failures before finding that perfect, or close to it, innovative product. Great video today, including your old clips!
Allow me to apologize for the incredibly hateful and rude comment "Alpha Force" left in response to yours. People like him who savage others without knowing the first thing about them are not welcome here. He's been removed.
@@StumpyNubs No worries. I didn't see the bad comment. Anyway, I took a lot of flack from fellow physicians when I tried to explain a risk/reward graph! Keep up the great work!!
Its perfectly valid for somebody not having a cutting edge tool, it dont matter even if cant make the project without the tool, if you are saying the same thing for a life saving drug. Then its the flawed argument. People will not loose sleep if pfizer charge what it wants for Viagra, but if it will do the same with covid vaccine, it will be criticized, and rightly so.
On the other hand one should acknowledge that the world of manufacturing is a minefield of patents. Anything that, if only at a skewed angle, looks like it has not been patented will get patented just to make sure the competition doesn't turn it into a banger product. It can get so bad that for the 20 years a patent holds up nobody gets to innovate at all because parts of what could be a great idea are protected by competing companies. The system has its upsides, but it's not all fine and dandy.
It's funny because literally 90% of US drug r&d goes into finding novel delivery mechanisms, NOT novel compounds. The US does not even lead the world in novel compound discovered per capita
James - seriously, thank you. This is the most common sense and down to earth take on the domino I’ve seen. A lot of people out there don’t understand how successful product development businesses work when patents are involved. They still think it’s all a race to the cheapest price. While that’s true for some businesses, others are just smarter about their product strategy than others. Frankly, what Festool does is brilliant.
The idea that patents promote innovation is largely unproven. The studies which have tried to quantify it, largely find patent processes to largely be a wash. The only ones that really win are patent lawyers and pharmacueticals.
And even if ther were, you'd find zero justifaction for the full 20 years. Nobody is putting forth and R+D efforts that takes 20 years to pay off.
If you can't get a good return in 5-7 years production investors aren't going to consider you, the patent is just going to be gobble up by and NPE(patent troll) or be bought up by a conglomerate to sit in a strategic portfolio.
Your sense of humor and woodworking skills are having a DOMINO EFFECT on me, I'll be going back and watching your older videos.
Festool is not for everyone, but as professional finish carpenter and cabinet maker, tools that make me money are always worth it! No one complains about a $5000 cabinet saw, but they piss and moan endlessly about a $1000 tool that does something no other tool does. When you use high quality tools, like Festool, you feel dumb for not owning it sooner. I can see why a home owner or hobbyist might complain that their favorite UA-camr has tools they can afford, but to us as professionals, you’re cheating yourself to not invest in your quality and production. The Zeta P2 falls in the same category, niche, but once you own one, the type of projects you’re now able to take on goes through the roof!
Great video as always! Long time subscriber. Keep up the good work!
I appreciate all of the points that you made in this video. There is a distinction between a process and the tools/equipment used for it.
I think that the skill and talent of the person is the overwhelming majority of what determines the result of a project. With good skill and technique, one can create pretty good results with mediocre (and sometimes even-subpar) tools. However, having top-of-the-line tools alone will not help a novice create amazing results.
This applies whether you’re a craftsman, musician, artist, or golfer (and the list goes on).
Before I bought my first Festool I asked a number of commercial cabinet makers, trim carpenters, remodelers and custom furniture makers why they bought them and what was so great about Festool tools and everyone said the same thing about different tools -" this tool makes me money". I started buying Festool tools as I could afford and began to understand what they were talking about and never regretted it. They stand the test of time and last with precision.
But - if you aren't doing wood working for money? Then those tools do not make you money, but they cost you Plenty of it. There's a context thing to be considered.
@@peterellis4262 / And a timing thing. At 69 I don't need 40 years of precision. I do replace older tools, like the ones with cords, with newer, but only what will match my needs, my budget, and my mortality. Now, if this woodworking/Camper building thing pans out, my needs and budget will change.
hey Stumpy, i’m a professional cabinetmaker & furniture builder. i fought against festool and their ecosystem for 20 years. that was one of the biggest mistakes i’ve made in my career. 5 years ago i bought the big domino and one of their dust collectors. both were game changers. the domino for mortise & tenons and the dust collector for my lungs. six months later i sold my powermatic hollow chisel mortiser. it was a great piece of equipment but ended up just sitting there after the domino purchase.
cheers & remember the best piece of saftey equipment you have is between your ears.
"...remember the best piece of safety equipment you have is between your ears." - Oops! I'm in trouble 😱
I am entirely willing to believe that for a professional needing to do production, the Festool Domino is a highly beneficial tool that pays for itself fairly quickly. For a hobbyist, or a professional whose business isn't built around volume, the return on investment may not be there at all.
@@peterellis4262 I don't know about you, but I don't buy pretty much anything expecting a return on investment. Excepting stocks and mutual funds and the like because, you know, they are investments.
That was the best video I have ever watched! My grandfather always told me, "good woodworkers can make good things with good tools. Great woodworkers can make Great things with home made tools!" There is a way to reproduce anything in woodworking, if you just apply your imagination. I feel so much better when I finish a project with "old school" jointing than the "fancy tool" jointing. If I was doing my hobby for a living, then I would invest in the "BEST" tools for the job I could, but as a hobby, I like the challenge of figuring out a way to do the same thing cheaper. Thanks again for what you do for all us non professionals.
Two of my neighbors have beautiful large cabinet table saws (one is a SawStop) and they do a great job cutting wood. I have a Sears Craftsman table saw with a cast iron top plate I bought in 1974. With care I can do just about anything with it that my neighbors can do with theirs, except 45 degree bevels ( my blade will not tilt that far), but if I need that I can use their saw or make a jig. The thing I found that really made my saw great was assuring the table guides were parallel to the blade. This has
really made my cuts
square and repeatable, and much quicker to set up.
Because Festool made such a big push to get their products into woodworking UA-cam videos, like almost every other woodworking tool manufacturer, it makes it appear as though everyone needs them. What many people who's only exposure to the brand has been these videos often don't realize is that Festool was always supposed to be a high contractor grade tool designed to be taken to the job site or dedicated shop. That's why their dust collector is so integral, their cases modular, and they are so expensive. In a professional setting, their time is the expensive factor, so their tools are designed to reduce the time in production and cleanup which comes at a cost. They were never intended to be a hobbyist tool.
You just nailed it. In the pro world time is money any tool that can reduce labor is almost always a win. As long as it’s something you use enough
This is it, right on the money for me. If you see woodworking UA-cam as reality, you'd think darn near every woodworker out there needs - or at least should have - a Domino. I'd imagine though, that among hobby/part-time woodworkers, these are pretty few and far between - and they probably should be, given the price. If you're in a position where your craft is your livelihood, and something like this saves enough time or allows a level of accuracy that improves the value of your product, then I think you can rightly justify the cost. Without that, I think you just have to file this under that list of things that would be cool to have, but that probably aren't the best value for what you're doing.
You might say the same thing about something like full-shop dust collection piping - everyone on UA-cam has a shop kitted out with an Oneida cyclone, but you have to consider whether it's something that you need or just something that that would be nice to have.
I think this is the point that most Domino haters overlook. You wouldn't watch a home improvement show and criticize the landscaping company for using power equipment vs rakes and shovels. Many of the woodworking hobbyists' agrugment about a Domino being too expensive is equivalent to a homeowner complaining about not being able to afford a bobcat to do their annual mulching
@@G0F15H I understand the comparison, but I don’t think there are a lot of hobbyist landscapers or home-improvement enthusiasts (who are not working on homes that aren’t theirs). The prevalence of these higher end and more expensive tools amongst UA-cam personalities is different. As someone who makes a living doing this kind of work, I can see the pros and cons of some of these tools as I also happen to own many of them but I think it’s a little frustrating when some IT guy builds a rickety stepstool and then decides to drop five grand on a small shop and become a UA-cam personality telling everyone how it is. Most of these neophytes are very good at making videos, but their content is lacking even if popular. There’s a lot of incredibly successful reality TV, but you have to argue pretty hard to convince me that it’s of any cultural value.
Those shity boxes were definitely not designed with being brought to a job site in mind.
Great video and excellent to visit both sides of the debate. The Domino was an absolute game changer for me as I only have one functioning arm, using 1/4 inch router plunging is a no no for me, but I’ve adapted the Domino for safe one handed usage 😀👍
Cool video and good points James! I have both the 500 and 700 and can't imagine not having them now that I've used them - the efficiency, accuracy, and time saved makes them so worth the price. For a hobbyist, I agree that they are very expensive, but for anyone doing production/content/etc that requires a quick or efficient workflow & build process, they are worth the price 100% in my opinion.
Truth is, yes they are very expensive and you can do woodworking without them. Then again, they are great inventions and make a lot of points in a simpler and faster fashion. Festool are just very innovative and it's easy for Bosch, Makita and Co to copy once the patent expired. Until then, if you want to enjoy a Domino, you gotta pay the price. Too expensive for you? Everyone gets it as their prices are top range. But please don't deny that they are great tools to have. I have the 500 (and yes, it cost me an arm and a leg) but since then, it has become one of my most commonly used powered hand tools (after drill/impact driver, sander and router). You can do it all without Festool - no doubt. It just takes longer and more effort.
You have done as much for my continuing education as a woodworker as anyone I have ever known. And I have known some world-class wood workers. The final earlier video that you created was hysterical! Your response to the people who would complain about Festool is spot on. I have never found anything that you have suggested or technique that you have offered that I could not do With my old inexpensive equipment. Anyone who complains about your presentations and how they are inappropriate because "not all of us can afford those expensive tools" are just… How should I say this… Stupid. My old college roommate, whom I met in a high school latin class, had a brass plaque on his desk that said, "Non Illegitimi Carborundum" loosely translated as "Don't let the bastards grind you down" Keep on keepin' on.
I love the value you continually give to the trade. I was in the “I won’t afford a festool” camp. I made all the excuses to myself so I felt better about the lousy business decisions I was making, especially what I charged. Then I was working for a contractor, who had mostly festool where he could afford it. I got to use the stuff side by side with what I had and thought what I had was awesome. The comparison was undeniable. I’ll always get the best of what I can afford at a given moment. I only have a few festool items that I have bought second hand. I saved a lot doing this when and where I can. The big thing I learned was that just because I can’t, or won’t afford something, doesn’t mean it doesn’t have great value. It was really humbling to see my blind spot and wondered where else was I doing this in my life? Getting to try stuff out was the big opportunity I had that most people don’t get to experience. We can all learn a lot more when we are quick to see how something works, versus being quick to picking things apart. Call it being critically open minded.
you brought up a good point about people and their expectations. They say that they can't build something because they don't have the tools. It's a learning issue. They can't apply related information and knowledge to different applications. I think people do think they can't do something without the same exact set up. Just like they can't build that table because it is bigger than the space they have. True learning comes from applying that knowledge to other applications.
Having worked in R&D, your explanation regarding research and development costs, including multiple prototypes plus legal fees are substantial. Exclusivity is the reward for said disruptive innovation. I applaud your in-depth, detailed reviews plus the options for multiple options to build projects. A sliding mortise is fundamental, but how you execute is your choice.
Patent exclusivity is an incentive for r & d. However, the particulars of the patents often allow them to be too broad, actually restricting further innovation. For example, Bosch developed a flesh activated saw called the Reaxx. The saw dropped below the table surface within milliseconds, to spin out safely, without damaging the blade. This is different than Sawstop’s aluminum brake which requires a new cartridge and renders the blade unusable when engaged. Sawstop sued the hell out of Bosch, and production was stopped. In this case, the patent system worked against innovation.
Greed always takes precedent.
I love the Festool line of Tools. 4 years ago I invested in track saw, sander and vacuum, MFT3 table, Domino system. I had to do work in my house and Wife said no dust! I could have bought other tools that could have done the same work! I was looking for faster way to do the work in a really small shop. Wife still parking in the garage so I have move tools out of the way!😢. I have been saving my money 💰 for a few years to by what I want. I never never knock anyone down because they don’t have the tools I have invested in. Thanks for the video😊.
Good video! I own a Domino, actually I own three of them, but I am a self employed professional woodworker, I do make my living entirely on woodworking. The Domino was a total game changer for me. When I got the DF 500, I gave away my old DeWalt biscuit joiner, a good tool in itself, but it became obsolete for me overnight. Once I was in the middle of a big job and my Domino broke, something with the switch, under warranty. But I had to send it in for repair and the turnaround time was about two weeks. I couldn't wait, I promptly bought another one and kept working. By the time I got the first one back, the second one had pretty much paid for itself! It is a great time saver for furniture and casework joinery. Now I had two Domino's, and I could have them set up for different bit sizes. Later, I bought the larger Domino DF 700, that's why I have three of them now. It is a professional tool, and it is part of a system. You will also need an expensive vacuum, Domino does not work without it. As you may guess, I have many Festool's; routers, sanders, tracksaws, etc, If I was a hobby woodworker, I would probably think the Domino is extremely overpriced and I would bitch and moan about it. If I was a hobby woodworker with money to burn, I would probably buy it. As a professional, it was a no-brainer.
Agreed! Festool make manufacturing production equipment for Carpenters. Speed, reliability and repeatability are the words we live by. Its great that so many woodworkers can afford this gear, it helps keep the cost down for the Trades. For those who cant afford it then you obviously dont need it. My Domino paid for itself with the first built in wardrobe I made with it. After that every job its used on is pure profit.
This is a big thing I learned from Adam Savage. There are tools pros need to quickly do things to earn their living, and there are tools that work less efficiently/comfortably/or have shorter duty cycles that still get the job done when you only need to use them a few times a week or month on personal projects.
But it is weird that UA-cam content creators are using them for videos that are targeted to hobbyists and weekend warriors. Sure in a professional setting saving time makes sense but video content for hobbyists it screams corporate shill or sponsorship or free product placement. Because honestly in multiple testing I've seen most dowel jigs are just as fast or faster then the domino and make stronger joints. So a UA-camr showing how to make a table and grabs the domino makes 0 sense. Now if the content is a day at the shop or if the project they are sharing is for an actual client then by all means grab and show off any tool you like.
This video is worth watching just for the ending! Here I am chilling on the couch on a Friday night and my wife is wondering why I woke her up with my laughter and sheer excitement of your masterpiece.
Thanks for the no nonsense reviews. It clear and concise. Just like me that is similar to what I would do if I did it.
Hypothetically, if I did do it.
Same. But the wife is fast asleep.
I really love the way you think.
I've always been a frugal woodworker, not because I didn't want to spend the money on nice tools, but because I didn't have money to spend in the first place. But I didn't start hating on anyone for having the expensive, fancy tools, because I knew they only make their work easier, but everything can be done with simpler tools, just slower or less convenient, and that's the price I can afford.
Although there honestly are things you simply can't do without a specific tool, but in those cases I just wait with the project, until it is relevant, until I have everything I need
Your channel is consistently the BEST at showing how to do a project when I may not have your set of tools. That's always been my biggest beef with most so-called how to videos - they presuppose a set of tools. Your presentation of alternatives is like learning food science. It will make you a better cook because you understand the whys and hows and can be prepared then to figure out the processes yourself.
That said my beef with Festool has largely been price. I get new innovations being high, but every product they sell is a premium price point seemingly beyond what makes sense to charge for improved machine tolerances.
The only reason I could see myself buying a domino would be if I ran a high production shop and needed to do lots of joinery where speed was my primary concern. Dowels and glue work just as well for me for a lot less money, even if they take more time. As far as Festool itself vs other brands, I think it just comes down to your woodworking budget and how do you prefer to spend it? Personally, I'd prefer to spend my money on materials.
There's a strong case to be made that the patent system, particularly with the duration and breadth of patent protection we have today, does more to impede innovation than to bolster it. Twenty years is a long time, and when you give one manufacturer a monopoly for that long it also means that everyone else in the world has basically no incentive to improve upon it, which is why it's so common to see a field get off to a promising start, completely stagnate for two decades, and then finally take off when the foundational patents finally expire. You saw this with 3D printing which took off like wildfire in the consumer market once a bunch of the early patents finally expired, and I suspect you'll see it in table saw safety as well when sawstop finally loses its patents and can't just keep coasting on the same mechanism they've been using for the last twenty years
yeah cut it down to 10 years. My buddy works in patent litigation, some shady shit goes down in that realm.
Determining how to get something built without the fancy tools is as fun as building the project.
yeah, but often not fast enough to make money
This is one of the best woodworking videos I have seen that did not involve actual woodworking... I can understand both sides.... The only festool that I have is a track saw with extension track........ Just about a $1000 with accessories... I had to think long and hard before I pulled the trigger.... I don't know how I lived without it all these years.... I came up with creative solutions before purchasing this.... And I'll come up with creative solutions for making domino's until I am able to afford it... Having said that... This tool is a priority on my wishlist.... I can wait.... Great explained video
Thank you! You are the first person I have found that is willing to talk about the development costs of technology. A long time ago when the first Tesla sports car was released I saw an interview with Elon Musk where he was asked, "If you want to make electric cars for the masses why are you making a sports car?" He responded with something to the effect of the development costs are high with any new technology. The first people to buy the new technology will bear the burden of that development. So the best way to do that is to make a sports car that will be expensive anyway because the people who will buy it are going to pay the money for development. I would love to buy a Domino. I can't afford one. But I won't hate on them because I think they are too expensive. They are recouping development costs.
I'd love to own one. I believe they're the best balance of ease of use and strength out there. It is just too expensive for your average woodworker. If I was a professional furniture builder I'd own one because I could justify the purchase. As far as brand bias. It doesn't matter who makes it.
My issue with the Festool Domino isn't the price or the utility. If you are doing a lot (and I mean really a *lot*) of loose tenon joinery, it is most likely very much worth the price. due to its speed and ease of use. But for people like me that do loose tenon joinery not so often, there are much cheaper, easy alternatives, like dowels or Beadlock loose tenons. In general, I think Festool charges more than their tools are worth, but clearly people are willing to pay what Festool asks, and it's their money to do with as they please.
I think you're over stating where the break even point lies. Once you have enough M&Ts to make that you can't practically do them by hand, I don't see anything that beats the value of the domino.
I could be too biased against dowels though. But the cheap jigs I've tried are trash, and I can't bear to spend big money on a dowelling jig when I think I should put that towards a Domino
Pros all use Domino all day every day in shop or on site. Hundreds of such pros round my way. Houses all old, twisted, irregular, and small. Custom cabinets made fast is huge business. Ready-made units often too big or too small, so space wasted and tpp flimsy or too rigidly square. I often modify Ikea stuff since the basic products are cheaper than I could buy the materials
Festool is the Apple of woodworking. Overpriced, but actually good products. As for R&D costs, the domino has been around nearly ~15 years now.
Except the support last three years and you can buy spares
Yeah this is very accurate. I have a domino and I love it…it twice as expensive as it should be…if not 3 times.
Your are also buying into a system or an ecosystem, just like apple. In addition to the support etc mentioned, this is valuable.
@@Drowsyrhino1979 compare it to any similar class of professional joinery tool like the mafell duo doweler or the lamello zeta P2, the domino is actually cheaper than both of those
How long do Patents last? Should be knock off copies on the market soon.
Thank God. You pronounced patent correctly! Very well done and a rare occurrence in the lay field. I am a patent attorney and I thank you!
Perhaps a bit late on this one. First, I really appreciate the time you put into these James. For the person who is making their living with their tools, then the cost versus efficiency and product quality is a different equation than it is for the home hobbyist. But one thing we all share in common is that we spend a lot of time in our shops, with and using our tools. That should be quality time, just like time with family and friends should be quality time. So I think the first consideration in tool selection after finding something that will help you do what you want to accomplish, is the how the tools make you feel about the time you spend with them and using them. That sense of aesthetics is going to have a lot of variance from one person to another. What's right for one person will be totally wrong for someone else, and they will both be right from their own points of view. I like vintage tools that I have restored (often from what seemed to be hopeless wrecks). But for me, the idea of holding something that some previous masters have used is somewhat akin to shaking hands with them even though they are long gone, but that's me. I'm sure that a lot of people would be annoyed with my using a very early Miller Patent plow plane - some because they think it's a waste of time and others because something so valuable should be looked at and not used. Still others will totally understand the smile on my face when I'm using it. Vive la difference!
I myself have so much to learn before I can start blaming the tools for my screw ups. Thank you for your inspiration as I stumble through this adventure.
Same here. I just hope that the better my tools the less my shortcomings will show.
Thanks for this video. The Domino may be almost necessary for high end production shops. It is very efficient. But there are still dowels, biscuits and traditional mortise and tenon joints available for the rest of us. I would love to have all high end tools, but will settle for my 35 year old contractor saw and other tools with a smile. I don't NEED the fancy stuff, but I can still drool over it.
Makita circular saw with track accessory and 1.5 metres piece of track. Game changer. I'll get another piece of yrack. 50 years woodworker trained with hand tools. If I was ten years younger, I'd get Makita, Mafell, or Festool track saw, a Domino, the best dust extractor, air scrubber, and mask or hood I could find.
i agree with your sentiments, as a retired furniture maker i can assure you i have less tools than most of the amateur wannabe woodwork content providers on youtube. and i made a living by what i made, not the video of me doing it.
I think the major is about knowing your audience. A vast, vast, vast majority of folks who watch woodworking youtube channels are not big production shops. They are hobbyists or small time producers either learning new techniques or just enjoy watching content related to their hobby/side hustle. Because of that, most of the people who watch woodworking videos either cannot afford or cannot justify the cost of a domino. This is especially true when they start watching a channel early on using cheap tools and then suddenly as they gain subscribers, they suddenly start having all these high end tools (many times due to sponsorships from tool companies). That for better or worse creates resentment from the audience. They thought the content creator was "one of them", but now has "turned to the dark side" or "sold out" and no longer understands or appreciates the "little guy" that was there from the beginning and is one of the reasons their channel is so popular (and thus have the money and/or sponsorships to get a domino or other high end tool) in the first place.
That's one of the reasons why people love guys like Steve Ramsey. With the amount of subscribers and views he has, there is no doubt he could afford a sawstop, a domino, or whatever other high end tool there is out there. I'm sure he's gotten plenty of offers in the past. Interestingly, what is the main sponsorship he is known for? The gripper, which indeed is an expensive tool, but not unreasonably and it's focused on improving safety, particularly for folks using an old/used (and cheap) table saw that may or may not have a splitter (which is likely a core part of his audience).
Now, regarding the Sawstop, I think that is a different situation than the domino. Everyone knows they don't need a domino and can do a loose tenon another way. However, the Sawstop is about saving someone from chopping off their fingers. Folks may grumble about taking a few more minutes to create joinery vs using a domino, but losing fingers is in a completely different category. To use a car analogy, developing an engine that gets 10 more miles to the gallon is revolutionary. It could save people a lot of money and of course it's understandable that the inventor should be well compensated for their invention. The 3 point seat belt is also a revolutionary invention, but is in a different category from an engine that gets better gas mileage. A seatbelt can save someone's life, not just save them a few more bucks in gas. That's why Volvo didn't protect the patent, because they knew it was the right thing to do (and would make their company a lot of money in free advertising and good will). Did Gass have to do that? No, of course not, but how different the woodworking world would be today if he had 20 years ago and every saw you buy today had a Sawstop style system.
I've been cutting boards for the better part of 5 decades and still have all 10 digits on my hands. All it takes is knowing where your fingers are while cutting
@@jimmymikecallahan8488 Everyone can say the same up until the time they can't.
This is such an asinine statement. The equivalent of “I’ve been driving for over 40 years and have never needed my seatbelt or airbags. All it takes is being a good driver!” Many Professionals have had accidents resulting in loss of digits and/or their lives. You aren’t special, just haven’t had the misfortune of a bad accident.
@@jimmymikecallahan8488 Same. I also wear slipper shoes on jobsites. Two decades not a single foot injury. Eye & ear protection, gloves when necessary. Most everything else?Just don't get complacent, that's all it really is.
@@EddieSheffield False. Murphy's Law is not a real thing.
Long time subscriber, and although i don't agree with everything you have said over the years, I truly enjoy your content. On this topic, I agree 100%. I am a fully equipped festooler , and i still am baffled at the comments on line by folks who admit to have never even seen a piece , let alone use one. Repeatedly what i see is something along the lines of "that overpriced junk wouldn't last a day on a real work site - plastic and poor design" yet when you meet real objective owners , they have these things running day in and day out for a decade-- and festool offers replacement parts as well. -- Your title could have read " The True Meaning of Sour Grapes....." .
Do I worship the brand? absolutely not! Some of their products simply don't work as well as other brands. But on their innovators , the Domino, the Rotex, their track saws-- they save me hours and make my ok skills shine.
I resented the price and resisted the purchase of a domino for years. I love traditional joinery and carry out traditional joinery (often with hand tools) where appropriate or/and where they add real visual interest, but I needed to improve the profit of my business to keep going, and the domino was one of the main tools that helped me to do that. I think it paid for itself within 4-5 projects. Totally agree with your comment. Hated it until I used it.
I fully agree, the biggest issue with the domino is relatability. I'm a hobbyist at best who got into wood working through UA-cam videos. There's a place for videos of truly high-end woodworking, using the best tools available, but I've seen so many more that try and pitch it as a "you can do this at home yourself!" and then bust out the domino. That's why I appreciate channels like yours and Steve Ramsays.
Use your imagination to find the solution. That's what woodworking is. You shouldn't need an exact step by step process mirroring exactly what recourses you have in order to complete a project. Challenge yourself and figure out another way.
People complain about all the review and tool list videos and no one makes build videos. Then turn around and complain about the tools used in building videos. Woodworking isn't for everyone, some folks should find a less stressful hobby.
Very well done video! I agree with everything you said and feel the exact same way. The world is BIG enough for all tools, ideas, and problem solving skills. Respect to ALL makers who get out there and get stuff made and have a bit of fun on top of it!
The spoof video was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. Note to self…..don’t be eating or drinking the second time I watch this video!😂
Thanks for all you do!❤
With regards to expensive tools, yes, you can buy the cheaper versions and get the job done. Over time, I noticed I was upgrading tools and double or triple buying a tool. On top of that, some tools didn't have 'salvage value', meaning I had to damn near give them away to get rid of them. What I learned was that after a series of upgrades, I'd paid more than the price of just buying the expensive tool to start with. So now I just start at the top as it feels like it's the lowest overall cost of use and ownership in the end.
That’s a good point about “salvage value” or second hand value. Premium tools hold their value, I’ve heard of people selling 10 year old Festool track saws for what they originally paid (sometimes even more).
For a pro, it’s a no brainier. Time is money and top quality tools like the Domino can get loose tenon joinery done quicker, with less fuss than any other method. For the hobbyist, if you can afford the up front cost, it is practically a free tool. Not using it much? So sell it and get your money back. That’s no comfort to the average guy who can’t afford it but as said in the video, there are plenty of options to get the job done.
It all comes down to volume. If you only use a tool once a year, it would be insane to get top quality. If you are using it daily, then you need the quality in order to not go insane from having to buy yet another low grade tool.
I’m still in my first year of all this and literally had no idea about tools and certainly no tool bias. I have a friend/mentor who gifted me a ton of dewalt once he upgraded everything to festool. I was just so happy to have a pretty damn nice beginners set up. I took many suggestions from UA-cam, weighed what it was what I wanted to build and bought accordingly. I did buy a CT26 and I bought a domino. I’m a waiter. I worked hard and bought the things I wanted and have a pretty nice set up. I save where I can and splurge where I want. I’ll never understand people’s hatred for others upgrading or wanting something that makes them happy. On the other side of things, looking down on people who have harbor freight tools.
I like my quality precision tools, but cannot rationalize paying high dollar for demo tools. Harbor Freight demo tools (recip saw, oscillating, etc) are in my trailer lol.
@@jotacalvo absolutely. A 20$ hammer drill was worth every penny and more. Their clamps have been spectacular as well. Things for organization, I could go on and on about the gems inside that store. I have a friend that won’t step foot in that store, buys nothing but dewalt but can’t hang a picture frame to save his life
Most of us don't have a big shop or the cash to buy every awesome tool, especially starting out, we have a garage or basement, and maybe one or two big tools. I build furniture with a jig and a router and some sharp chisels because it's what I could afford/justify for the few projects I do a year. But as long as there are still tutorials for folks just starting, or who aren't pros, I love seeing what's the "cutting edge" even if maybe it's a little pricey. A good channel like this one shows lots of options, and informs my choices, I think that's what matters.
Reason 1: the price
Reason 2: The Price
You get what you pay for, it works brilliantly
@@dougsaunders8109You know what else works great? My 5 year old impact drill that cost 50$, so who do you think got a better value for there money?. Just because something work as advertised does not mean it worth however much money you pay for it. but people buy it, so I'm glad its been working out for you.
@@nathenrenwick I had trouble swallowing the price, that said it's paid for itself tenfold just in the past year alone. Could I do everything I do with my Domino another way yes I could. I found myself using it more for alignment purposes than actual joint strength
@@nathenrenwick I build custom, very large, exterior gates. And I build a lot of them. So for my purposes the price of this tool is worth the time it saves me hands down. I think it comes down to what you're building and whether or not you run a woodworking business or you're a part time in diyer with basic wood working skills and needs.
For how rarely I (personally) need to do mortises, I'm pretty happy doing them with a drill press and chisels. And as far as Festool goes, I like some of their tools, like the Kapex saw (mostly like the dust collection and the bevel adjust) but dislike the fact that they insist on a different size arbor than the rest of the planet and thus you are stuck using their blades.
Oshlun.
The arbor size is a standard European arbor size.
@@charlesdevere ah. I'm Canadian and not used to seeing it anywhere else. Thanks for clarifying
@@SnootchieBootchies27 no problem. I think we forget that we are Festools youngest market.
Stumpy has a honed business sense, along with his craft skill. That combo is very rare.
I agree that it comes down to price and it's far less about arrogance (I haven't seen that).
Festool are a business and they've got to balance their R&D with quality with the fact that they're they're the only one's selling this before the patent runs out.
If people have a real issue with it, I'd be interested in terms of what they are. The odd QA issue aside, I seriously doubt it's down to quality which just leaves price, usage and emotion, none of which are good arguments.
Kudos for calling out Fein, arguably the oldest power tool manufacturer.
Thank you for another fair, balanced, educating and fun video.
James, I bought a DF-500 I'd always though I needed, I used it for a few jobs then sold it for more than i paid for it. What it did was make the task simple, perfectly repeatable and almost instant. Festool tool quality, reliability and ease of use and portability make them invaluable for those who need reliable, workhorse tools, the premium price is worth paying.
If one out of a hundred steps in a project is using a tool that you don’t have and you can’t learn something from the other 99, it’s seems you’re probably not there to learn in the first place
I am new to woodworking, about a year, and I have found your videos to be very helpful. As far as the debate about tools, I buy cheap tools now to learn with, and when I get better or can afford better tools, I will upgrade.
I have a basic set of tools from the green accents brand. I think they are great and I'm very happy to pay the price. I go even further: I feel privileged to live in a time where I can exchange a bit of my value to obtain these tools that almost give me superpowers (safety, accuracy, cleanliness, ...) in my limited workspace. I would not give back these tools for the price I bought them for, which illustrates the value for me. The price is high, but the value is even higher.
My green tools come from Ryobi. 😂
@@tonysutton6559 ***back in my day*** ryobi used to be dark blue.
@@tonysutton6559 In both cases you get what you pay for.
Spot on!! I definitely have tool envy but at my stage of hobbiest woodworking it just doesn’t make financial sense for me to have some of them. I’m not going to be making a living doing woodworking, it’s simply something I enjoy doing! Doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a great tool and hope I find one on a great sale somewhere! Love your videos. Keep showing us the good stuff and how to do it the “hard” way!! Would love to use a Domino one day but just can’t justify the cost for me but I’m so happy the technology is there as I may change my mind one day!!
What a great video, I too have experienced the "bias" of Festool, I own several Festool tools and I agree they are crazy expensive. But, I have found that they are at a higher quality level than most other brands (not all, just most). But I would not, could not, spend the kind of money Festool asks, I bought all of my Festool tools used. I was lucky and got a great deal on a pretty extensive list of tools, but they are some of the best quality tools I have. I agree that it can be frustrating when some youtube people make a video and show off all of their expensive tools with little or no empathy for those of us who can not afford $50,000 worth of equipment.... if that is how a video affects you, use the back button and move on.
Thanks for another great video!!!!!!!
I was extremely lucky to pick up the Domino XL, from an estate sale, for $840. It still had the protective plastic on the plate.
I came cross a Domino with 2 boxes of float tenons for $600 at a tool meet, but I decided to buy a Stanley No 1 for $500 that day, and not have enough money to get the Domino.
Update. I bought a domino DF500 for under $600 at a tool meet.
I love this channel, my views on these things line up so much! someday I'd love a Domino. A few years ago I'll admit I was on the anti Festool train. I've since improved my mindset on it! that being said I can definitely say if I had an extra 1200 bucks for a woodworking tool I wouldn't spend it on a domino right now, I'm more in need of a bandsaw with a good resaw capacity lol
A jointer and a good band saw would be of greater utility to me than a Domino at this stage in my woodworking journey. I would throw a drum sander into that mix as well.
@@marshallmurrell4583 well said, a jointer is also pretty high on my list, I definitely want a drum sander eventually too though lol
Great video with a fantastic ending. It s nice to see someone with a sense of humour. (NOT humor- I’m a Brit!). I have been upgrading my workshop for the last four years but have done some good work with a DeWalt flip saw. Keep up the good work 🌞
Just wanted to say you have saved me a ton of money preventing me from buying the wrong tools or showing an alternative way. Thanks!
Awesome take on the festool stigma. I personally recently purchased my first festool product a rotex sander. I think this is my 5 th sander I have owned. I truly appreciate the way it functions over anything else I have ever used. The dust collection is fantastic even when just using a shop vacuum.
Yes festool is pricey. But the quality of construction and ease of use is definitely worth it. I wish I hadn’t waited so long. Eventually yes I would like to have a domino machine. I believe it might have to wait until I purchase as a retirement gift for myself. Time will tell.
Thank you Stubby.
You are an inspiration.
I bought a Domino joiner in 2007 and it has paid for itself over and over. Superior to dowels and biscuits for most applications but those tools also have their place.
I agree with your take on the festool hate pretty much entirely. I think the Domino is cool and I’d love to have one but I’m not a professional and there’s no need for me to get one at this time.
And I think the attitude people have where they think they can’t make a project because they don’t have the same tools is just bizarre. Problem solving and creativity are some of the most fun aspects of this craft. You can figure out a way to make things with what you have just like everyone else has been doing since the craft began.
I find the fact that all of these creators who have a Domino feel the need to apologize for using the tool in their videos really sad. Trying to bully someone for doing their job with what tools make it more efficient is just strange.
As for the pricing, the youtuber WittWorks did a great video recently about a visit to Festool where he got to meet a lot of the staff and he talks about why he thinks they price things they way they do. I would highly recommend checking it out.
There's a difference between Domino videos that use over 100 Dominos and those that use a couple.
David, you just haven't come over to the dark side to enjoy the pleasures of bitterness and envy. I'll light some black candles for you.
There is no argument that the domino is a useful tool but at over one thousand dollars? Absolutely not
I completely agree with your statement. Finding a way to get the job done with what you have is the fun part of woodworking. Sometimes the first effort is not what you want but with a little more thought ...
@@randycosgrove3608 You are all such snobs, high on your own farts.. geez! Most people watch UA-cam woodworking videos for entertainment and/or inspiration. Watching video after video with all Festool Domino joints is simply not as good UA-cam content as someone who mixes it up and uses a variety of tools and techniques to get the job done. Videos where hundreds of Dominos are "plopped in" is not very relatable when the whole project would have to be constructed in a completely different way to make it viable for people that would spend 10-20 times as long per each loose tenon and each one would be much less accurate. I prefer watching a different video then, or no video at all. Because I too am extremely creative and smart, just as you guys, and can do everything from scratch if I want too. ...but sometimes I just want to see some guy do it on UA-cam.
I remember years ago, watching Norm using his PC plate jointer, and thinking "I gotta get me one of those".
I finally took the plunge and purchased one (after mulling it around a good long while)(AND GETTING PERMISSION
FROM SWMBO).
I don't believe I have used it in over twelve years.
Just sayin'
“But I can’t afford it.” You know what I’m having trouble buying these days? Wood. Doesn’t stop me from watching.
I grew up doing some construction level carpentry. For woodworking, I’ve really been watching two people. You for power tools. Rex Kruger for hand tools. Keep up the good work!
With the price of wood the tools are the cheapest part 👍
Yet another reason you simply have the best videos on UA-cam. I love your thinking on this.
I have a few festool tools and i absolutely love them. To me the price of the tools themselves seem worth it. What enfuriates me about festool is how they absolutely rake you over the coals over accessories and consumables.
Was once told many years ago the tool is priced to get you in the game ,accessories keep you coming back.Just like buying a car ,your mechanic will win in the end.👍📐🇨🇦
The cheapest festool finish sander jammed into my rigid shop vac using an old plastic pipe wrapped in duct tape with holes drilled into it.
Works beautifully. Screw expensive accessories. 😂
Also festool is meant for people who are going to pass the cost on to their customers.
I love your channel because you do such a great job teaching woodworking skills, I didn't think you'd have to make a video teaching human decency skills but here we are. Keep up the great work!
Love your content! Grounded advise and view points from a seasoned professional. Much appreciated!
OMG, I can't believe that I've never seen the Festool sketch before, beautifully done.
Stumpy nails it again. The Domino has completely revolutionised the way I make casework. It’s paid for itself over and over again.
As a professional woodworker making custom gates by hand cutting tenons and half laps it was a wonderful day I discovered the domino xl which replaced both processes. The end product certainly meet or exceeded my previous work in a fraction of the time. I figured it paid for itself in three weeks. I will never speak ill of that tool because it did its job flawlessly and consequently made me a lot of money. Thank you feestool.
OTOH I bought a Harbor Freight sawzall for $25.00 for a remo job, and it paid for itself in an hour. That was in 2007, and it's still with me.
Well put James. Videos like this are why we keep coming back to your channel. I will continue to use a small home made jig for floating tenons, until the off brand dominoes come out. Do you have a video about making your own jig?
It's probably one of the only tools that definitely hold second hand value and does not age.
I can understand $500, but $1200 - $1700 is absurd. Once the patent expires, I'll look into it.
That's totally reasonable. 👍
I have been working with wood for 50 years. I have a drawer full of biscuit joiners that I have bought. This tool is game changer if you want quality.
That parody was great. I laughed so hard!😆
I’m onboard with Festool! When you buy Festool, you’re buying a system. Each tool has been throughly designed including all accessories. The days of buying a skillsaw ended when Festool came out with the tracksaw. Granted the saw itself isn’t much different than any other skillsaw, but the tracks are deigned for the saw, and routers. You can cut or route straight lines or even do shelf pin holes with them. Their sanders are on another level. Connected to dust collection, they are more aggressive with less arm fatigue. They are part of a system that can be used for sanding all the way up to polishing. The quality of the sand paper is better and lasts longer. The Domino’s a game changer. Same concept as a biscuit joiner, but much more accurate and stronger. The tenons come in 10 different sizes, lengths, and thicknesses. Wood tenons are available along with mechanical tenons. You can’t truly appreciate the brand until you have used the tools.
I think relatability doesn't necessarily mean 'able to reproduce'. I am just a poor DIYer and I find the UA-camrs using a tracksaw made out of MDF and hacking out mortises with a chisel more relatable than those with fancy shops and tool collections. After all, a guy who can spend 8 hours a day working with a Domino machine may be able to pull of a project that I can't in the 30 mins I have between my day job and the school run, armed with just a mallet and chisel. Still, I can definitely learn from those guys and appreciate their content just as much.
The reason is that you _know_ the tool is worth it and there is no alternative, at the same time you _know_ you're getting screwed by paying at least double what it should cost. That feeling of being trapped is what causes the frustration.
I started getting into woodworking to get ready for my retirement. I bought the best tools I could justify, which means I learned how to make do, and how to make cheap machines do what I needed. I had a cheap drop saw that drifted out of true with a weather change, I built it into a lock system that prevented drift, it also meant it was no longer adjustable. I made boxes with it.
As I got closer to retire I started upgrading to better more expensive gear. This included festool now and then. Why do I like them? They do what it says on the box, all the time, simply and efficiently every time. They don’t drift and always return to the setup stops.
Are they worth it, probably not for what I use them for but I love how when needed they help me enjoy my time in the workshop and allow me concentrate on other tasks to make the final item as good as I can get it.
I also enjoy working with woodwork newbies that don’t have/want/need festool gear. I help them make the most of what they have and show them a different way now and then. I don’t see the animosity you speak of but I do see an increased ambition for where they may go in time.
Love your work and your balanced and technically accurate videos, thanks.
I’ve been woodworking for over 50 years, first as a hobbyist, then as a side gig for a few extra dollars, and professionally for over 25 years. In that time, I’ve bought multiple tools (table saw, bandsaw, drill press, etc.) many times, moving up in quality until I got to where I am, now. Had I bought the final tools first, I would have saved hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.
I bought my Domino 500 years ago, for a particular job. I don’t even remember what it was. But the price was forgotten before that job was done. I’ve used it on many, many projects since then, and I’ve never regretted it. I still have (and still use) my doweling jig, biscuit joiner, and pocket screw tools, simply deciding which will do the job the best.
Since then, I’ve only bought one other Festool (a random orbit sander) and that, only so I could buy their right angle attachment. Again, the price didn’t matter, once I used it for the first time.
The “but other people can’t afford it” argument is completely bogus. Should I drive a Yugo, because other people can’t afford a Toyota? Should I wear a Timex, because other people can’t afford a Rolex? I once had a rabbi tell me not to use my iPad in the choir loft, because some congregants couldn’t afford one. (He drove a newer car than I did, BTW.)
Anyway, if a better or more expensive tool will do what you need done, and your time is worth the investment, do it, and don’t look back.
Well done, a proper explanation of the Domino economics. As you quite rightly pointed out this is not the first time innovation has produced initially very expensive equipment and is certainly not exclusive to woodworking. However, here in the UK the issue is not with the Domino so much as with the prices of most of the rest of the Festool range. Even the common tools like jigsaws tend to be far pricier than the other quality brands. I certainly would not buy one just because it is Festool. This does not mean I wouldnt buy a Domino if I had a need for it. Brand snobbery has always been around and is something we all have to put up with. Loved the parody video,. All I could think about while watching it was that you are now the Chuck Norris of woodworking.
I would love a Festool Domino (and a few other Festool tools), but I can't yet justify the price. I have nothing but admiration for the brand and nothing but disdain for those who hate on it or those who use their tools. Such people are USUALLY speaking from ignorance and jealousy.
Right. It's an AWESOME tool. In the end, its worth is if it saves you enough time to justify the hours you save. As a hobbyist you better be wealthy. As a pro, it's usually super worth it ...
Incredibly well said on all points. I think you’re right - the vitriol towards the Domino comes from a combination of jealousy over being unable to afford the tool and annoyance from Festool snobs. Festool snobs are kind of like the vegans of woodworking.
My wife bought me a Domino as a gift last year and I love it. It’s a wonderfully useful and well-engineered machine and it makes loose tenon joinery quick, simple, accurate and easy. You are completely correct, though - there are precious few (if any) cases in which the Domino is the only way to create a joint; it simply makes it quicker and easier. The quality of the tool has definitely led me to consider Festool for other purchases but I completely agree with your approach - buy the best tool you can afford that fits *your* needs and don’t worry about the image. That may be green, yellow, red, blue or orange. Or (gasp) just plain black. If your tools look nicer than your projects the problem isn’t the tools.
I recently made a 7-drawer dresser for a customer. I normally join my case parts traditionally with mortises and tenons. In this project, the design called for 44 M&T joints. I decided to bite the bullet and bought and used the Festool XL on this commission. This saved me (??) in layout, set up, and fitment. The ability to have exact precision with 1/4 of the time and effort is astonishing. I estimate the ~$1500 investment paid for itself after 2-3 projects of this type. Game changer for productivity.
I love this guy, so polite yet good to the point. people are blaming that they are broke instead of puting effort and progress. I am also broke, i am waiting months till i can get some small money colected from my 9*5 job and slowly i will have all basic tools to create something sell it and finish my tool colection that allows me to progress, but if id be just b*tching about how expensive everything is, i owuld never get anywhere
Hey, James, relax. Your content and the quality of your presentations are among the best on the internet. A few of your videos dedicate time to responses to 'haters'. There's no need to respond to them. They won't be convinced by you, and serious woodworkers who listen to you aren't convinced by them.
About Festool: the only one I own is a vacuum, but I am considering a Domino. After 40 years of woodworking, I don't NEED it, but I'm not embarassed to want it.
I needed electronic relays for air delivery to a CNC spindle, and the (German) spindle maker recommended one made by "Festo". The specs and documentation were amazingly good, but the price amazingly high. My next surprise was that the "Festo" company was the parent to "Festool". I guess their business model is 'highest quality' regardless of the price. It seems to be working for them.
I've got a large wall of Woodpeckers tools. Many ask, "Why?" Many wonder why I "waste my money." Many believe "you can get the same thing at 1/4 the price." But you know what? I still have that wall for my own reasons, primarily for the pleasure of having what I need when I need it and using tools that are Made in America. So be it... (Good thing I'm not into German tools!)
❤❤❤ Thanks for this! You so eloquently explained what most Festool haters don't seem to understand. Do I own one? No. However, I sincerely appreciate the technology advancement. Now more than ever, it takes a lot of $$$ (time, resources, and expenses) to own a company much less invent a new tool.
Perfectly well said in all respects. It’s nice to listen to someone with an open mind and a brain.