CMT makes a 5mm cutter for the domino DF500 but the ratings are bad.  Is there another alternative besides the $44 festool cutter?

Thanks,

Marty

Trend also make Domino cutters, although I have no idea if they’re any good, and no idea if they’re available in the US:

https://www.trenddirectuk.com/dom-04-domino-bit-5mm-diameter-for-for-festool-df500-domino

I am a heavy Domino user although far from being a professional. I've cut thousands of Domino mortises over many years. I seem to remember having broken the original 5mm Festool cutter cutting into end grain oak. I have broken a 4mm cutter as well, but no others. All my Festool cutters produce tight mortises.

I look at the cutter price as how many holes per dollar and the Festool price seems more reasonable. I also know that my Festool dealer would replace a cutter that suffered infant mortality (like in the first dozen holes).

Surely you don’t only ever use Festool drill bits, or router bits?

But regardless, without knowing if the Trend bits are better or worse than the Festool bits, how can you know which one would be classed as ‘skimping’?

Amana Tools make 5 mm and some more

My experience with Amana router bits has been positive. The blurb says the bits are solid carbide. However, the picture looks like the tip is braised onto the shaft as is the bit from Festool.

I don't think this a negative as a solid carbide bit would be more brittle than a tool steel bit and probably more expensive.

I agree, you never know unless you have one in hand. I bought a replacement bit for the LR32 kit, the bit is identical to the Festool one beside the name printed on it.

Amana Tools is my favorite brand. Would like to try out some WhiteSide bits but each time I look for one specific, they are out of price. Often double $$ compare to Amana Tools bits. Infinity tools also provide some specialty bits I like, like the flush trim double bearing bits.

I am a heavy Domino user although far from being a professional. I've cut thousands of Domino mortises over many years. I seem to remember having broken the original 5mm Festool cutter cutting into end grain oak. I have broken a 4mm cutter as well, but no others. All my Festool cutters produce tight mortises.

I look at the cutter price as how many holes per dollar and the Festool price seems more reasonable. I also know that my Festool dealer would replace a cutter that suffered infant mortality (like in the first dozen holes).

I'm cutting a wood similar to IPE.  It's more than twice as hard as oak.  I have a couple of 5mm bits and I don't know how many mortises I cut before it broke. 

Quote from: Birdhunter on July 16, 2020, 11:48 AM

My experience with Amana router bits has been positive. The blurb says the bits are solid carbide. However, the picture looks like the tip is braised onto the shaft as is the bit from Festool.

I don't think this a negative as a solid carbide bit would be more brittle than a tool steel bit and probably more expensive.

I agree, you never know unless you have one in hand. I bought a replacement bit for the LR32 kit, the bit is identical to the Festool one beside the name printed on it.

Amana Tools is my favorite brand. Would like to try out some WhiteSide bits but each time I look for one specific, they are out of price. Often double $$ compare to Amana Tools bits. Infinity tools also provide some specialty bits I like, like the flush trim double bearing bits.

I ordered a festool cutter and an amana cutter.  I've always had good luck with Amana too.  Thanks!

So you would spend £6 more on bits even if they were identical in function and reliability? Each to their own, I guess.

So you would spend £6 more on bits even if they were identical in function and reliability? Each to their own, I guess.

Whether they are identical in function and reliability is clearly unknown at this stage. As it is unknown, for the sake of a mere £6, I do not care to find out.

Well, it’s not unknown, it’s just unknown by you (and me). Presumably Trend haven’t sold absolutely none of these, so people do know if they do the job. Now that the OP knows they exist they can have a look for reviews, or even choose to find out for themselves.

Surely that’s better than telling them it’s not worth it for a few quid, just because it’s not worth it to you, right?

It's not widely known for me, you, or the OP to make an informed decision, therefore for the purpose of this conversation it is 'unknown'.

If the OP is in the position where for the sake of £6 he wants to find out, possibly to his detriment, then your advice is top-notch.

If he doesn't want to run the risk of down time where he can't use his tool, possibly damaging the piece he is working on if the cutter turns out to be more prone to failure, or needs replacing sooner, and all it costs him is £6, then I stand by my advice.

 

Both arguments or approaches -- saving a few bucks (or pounds) and not saving any for peace of mind -- are right. No more different from whether white or black is a better color for a handle of something. Just personal preference. 

My preference is that I'll look into the alternatives if the savings are potentially material enough for my time and effort. For the same reason, I'd rather buy new if the saving from a used tool or object is less than 30% to 60% of the retail price, depending on the condition.

It's never wrong to go either way AS LONG AS it suits you.

Agree mostly, although there's the old adage that spending more on a quality tools hurts once, spending less on a cheaper tool may hurt each time you use it.

No amount of price difference would motivate me to try a Trend brand domino cutter. However, here in the US, the Amana domino cutters are roughly half the price of the Festool (Leitz?) version.    

I am am looking at CMT domino cutters and they offer left and right hand. Which one is used on the domino?

My experience with Amana router bits has been positive. The blurb says the bits are solid carbide. However, the picture looks like the tip is braised onto the shaft as is the bit from Festool.

I don't think this a negative as a solid carbide bit would be more brittle than a tool steel bit and probably more expensive.

FWIW...I took a look at the Amana Domino bits and they are NOT solid carbide. You can tell by the surface finish of the bit. It is a braised insert like the Festool bits.

Besides, the price is also a tip off...solid carbide would be in the $100+ region.

I use CMT 5mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, and 14mm cutter in my domino XL (with the Seneca adapter for the two smallest).  I broke the 14mm the first time I used it but it was rapidly replaced under warranty and the replacement has had no issues at all.  I have not yet purchased any tenons so I have no direct experience with Festool tenons fitting into CMT cutter made mortises but I would not be afraid to try it.  The cutters measure the correct size and so do the mortises. 

I've used all these cutters fairly extensively in the year or so I've owned them.  I just finished a cabinet with 10 drawers, for instance, that are all fastened together with 5mm dominos.  I made the tenon stock out of scraps I had laying around.  I made 14mm mortises for a crib I made so I could make wide tenons on the ends of the plywood stretchers the plans called for.  I made 3 inch wide tenons in a cherry bed I made.  I use festool size tenons in drawers and for some other things (like two small flat panel drawers I made Saturday) but for a lot of furniture I like to use much wider tenons which I made, normally out of offcuts of the same wood as the rest of the piece.  It saves money, makes for a stronger product, and saves space in my shop.