Woodworking Tool News – Extra-Large Loose Tenons

Extra-Large Loose Tenons

By Brad Holden

Big parts require big joinery. The success of Festool’s
Domino joiner, a portable machine that makes smallscale
loose-tenon joints, has prompted Festool to up the
ante. The new Domino XL makes much larger joints—
large enough for almost any project.

If you consider the original Domino to be the equivalent
of a biscuit joiner, the XL is like a mortising machine.
But unlike a stationary machine, you can easily park the
XL on a shelf or take it directly to a large workpiece.

The XL doesn’t replace the original Domino, however.
Using different bits, the original Domino cuts mortises
for tenons that are 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10mm thick; the
XL cuts mortises for tenons that are 8, 10, 12 and 14 mm
thick. (Only a 12mm bit comes with the machine, however.
The rest are accessories.) Nicely engineered loose tenon
stock is available from Festool.

The XL lives up to Festool’s reputation for making
well-engineered, intuitive tools with tight tolerances and
excellent dust collection. The height, depth and angle
adjustments are straightforward and precise. Bit changing
is a snap.

Locating mortises near an end or in the middle of
a board is easy. For a corner joint, you use one of three
retractable pins located on the tool’s face. For a joint far
from an edge, you use a cursor centered on the bit.

Accessories for the Domino XL include a Trim Stop
for repeatable mortising in the ends of narrow workpieces
and a Cross Stop for repeatable hole spacing between
100mm and 200mm. Both accessories are included with
the XL Joiner Set.

Source

Festool, festoolusa.com, festooldomino.com, 888-337-8600,
Domino XL DF 700 Joiner, #574 422; Domino XL DF 700
Joiner Set, #574 447.