My domino joiner paid for itself on the first big job alone

I held off buying a domino for like 3 years because of the price tag. Finally snagged a used one off Craigslist last month for $350 and put it to work on a built-in library for a client in Portland. Saved me probably 6 hours on joinery vs. drilling and doweling everything by hand. Has anyone else found a specific tool that just clicked and made their whole process way faster?

2 comments

2 Comments

grantthomas8d ago

Saved me probably 6 hours" - I hear that a lot from domino owners, but I gotta push back on this one. Unless you're doing production work where every minute literally has a dollar sign attached to it, that 6 hours might not actually matter much to your bottom line. Hand drills and dowels cost maybe $50 total, and with a little practice you can get almost the same speed (maybe not 6 hours faster, but close). Plus there's something about the old-school method that forces you to think through your joinery instead of just blasting through cuts. Dowel joints have held together furniture for centuries, you know? I just wonder if the convenience tax on these tools is really worth it when good technique and a few extra clamps can get you there just fine.

ninaross8d ago

Are you saying the time saved is just a nice bonus or that hobbyists are actually kidding themselves about how much they need it? Genuinely curious where you draw the line on that convenience tax.