Festool Purchase Disorder - (FPO)

I'm anxiously awaiting my order from Hafele Canada. On the way is a Domino, MFT 1080 and a TS55. I'm getting a little impatient, but I can't wait for the new toys. Unfortunately I was informed that the starter kit for the domino is back ordered, so I may have no use for the tool for awhile. It will give me some time to incorporate the MFT into my outfeed table.

I've been lathe shopping as well and hope to order a new Nova next week. I just have to decide between the 1624 and the DVR. It's looking more like the 1624 right now. Electronic speed control is a ridiculous luxury for the amount that I turn. A lathe is a ridiculous luxury for the amount that I turn. My Craftex 14" lathe hit Craig List today. I hope I can uload it. I can always give it to my brother.

Cheers!

FPO - Festool Purchase Disorder (FPD), is a devastating illness that can result in considerable social and economic disability for both afflicted patients and their family members. FPD is usually treated with a combination of specific behavioral therapies, called exposure and response prevention, and medications. It is important to note that many psychoactive medications are not likely to help FPD symptoms. That a number of partially-effective drugs have now been carefully evaluated. The treatment, for most FPD patients should involve the combination of behavior therapy with medications. Limiting afflicted patients to FOG Forums has proved ineffective and proper budgeting and sacrifice in order to provide a acceptable levels of complimentary purchases appears to keep FPO at manageable level.

Dowelmax

Well, I'm going to start my little tool reviews with a new tidbit called Dowelmax. There has been a ton of discussion on woodworking forums regarding the Festool Domino and Dowelmax. Dowelmax is an ultra precise doweling jig that is toted as being just that. As I'm a sucker for new tools, and while I waited for my Domino to arrive, I gave Dowelmax a call.

The phone was answered by Jim Lindsey, inventor and President of Dowelmax. Jim is one of those instantly likeable guys and as hoped, loves to talk about his tool. I was ready to buy one anyway, but the pitch was inspiring! After about a half hour of impressive descriptions of the process and the tool, I had one put in the mail. I'm in Canada, and the tool was shipped from about 1100 Km away so it arrived within two business days.

First of all, I have to say this. I hate buying tools that present themselves with a catalog of all the other attachments and pariphenalia that you need to buy in order to make it work. When you buy Dowelmax (sold in either 3/8 or 1/4) You get a boatload of stuff with it. The tool that arrived is a beautiful piece of workmanship that I've rarely come across in a tool. It's more like an expensive polished wrench, than the typical cast and rough woodworking jig. It's robust, precise, and feels like a tool that is worth every penny with the manufacturing alone.

Operation of the tool is straight forward and idiot proof. If you follow the method of marking the workpiece and indexing the tool, you can't miss. I mean, you can't miss. I had my 8 year old daughter mark her boards, line up the jig. I drilled the holes as she lined it and **poof**. Perfect joint.

The Dowelmax can be used to make any number of different variations of dowels in ajoining workpieces in several different thickness of wood. Take a look at the Dowelmax Website for some downloadable videos to see how it works. If you want to join wood in an extremely precise and extremely strong fashion, repeatably, then it's a BUY IT, rating!

Cheers!

Mot's Tool Blog

This blog has been created as a place for me to review the tools that I have in my shop. I'm not going to give professional reviews with measurement of tolerances. I'm just going to give you my impressions after using them. I'm a hobby woodworker with a healthy tool budget. I buy things because I want them and require no justification at all. I don't have Sawstop's and Minimax bandsaws, however, I have things that you may want for your hobby shop.