Replies

1. 
   dustindawind | Jul 22, 2021 04:24pm | #1

   Closest way would be route a mortise and create your own loose tenons.

   Depending on the use, honestly you could probably just use dowels. JessEm makes a very nice and extremely precise&accurate dowel jig. I have it and used it to build my bed and my workbench--both of which have seen substantial use and no failures. Maybe TMI, but I think that gives you an idea of dowel strength when they're very tight-fitting. I probably wouldn't use it on a chair, but for casework and tables I think dowels are absolutely strong enough. And if some random dude on the internet's advice isn't good enough for you, also know that James Krenov used dowel joinery in his casework. https://www.finewoodworking.com/2020/12/28/james-krenovs-dowel-joint

   Also, orientation of the dowels matters https://www.finewoodworking.com/membership/pdf/37114/011021068.pdf

2. 
   stantheman | Jul 22, 2021 07:53pm | #2

   Beadlock is a poor man's version of Domino.

1. 
   user-7624188 | Jul 23, 2021 09:46am | #7

   I agree. And dominos are a poor replacement for tried and true joinery techniques by people that actually enjoy working wood instead of machining it.

   -Your friendly neighborhood luddite.

1. 
   drew_z | Jul 23, 2021 10:29am | #10

   Domino jointers are far from necessary in a shop. However they are very good at what they do and they are very strong and not a "poor replacement" for a traditional M+T joint.

3. 
   _mj_ | Jul 22, 2021 10:01pm | #3

   Benchtop hollow chisel mortiser and loose tenons will get it done. The beauty of the domino is taking the mortiser to the work instead of the work to the machine, like a bisquit joiner does.

   It seems REALLY expensive, right up until you have one. I traded a build to get mine, and wound up wishing I had it for that build.

4. 
   ysu65 | Jul 23, 2021 06:37am | #4

   So you can't do standard M & T joints?

5. 
   shrevecustom | Jul 23, 2021 08:30am | #5

   Tamar of 3x3Custom just released a YouTube video last week titled “7 ways to get around not having a domino.” Her ingenuity is second to none.

6. 
   EdWeber | Jul 23, 2021 09:18am | #6

   A Domino is a great system to make it easy to install/make floating M&T joints, that's it. Any other similar joint with comparable strength and glue surface will serve the same purpose. Biscuits ,dowels, beadlock and as has already been mentioned, traditional floating M&T.
   A little more information about your project would help us help you.

1. 
   user-6851987 | Jul 24, 2021 11:23am | #18

   I am building a project from FW and it calls for Domino joints. I was just wondering what alternatives I have, and what systems are used. Some of the joints are at angles which makes it tricky. I was thinking a Jessum doweling jig. Anyway, Thank You and everyone for mostly nice and informative ideas.

1. 
   ysu65 | Jul 24, 2021 12:28pm | #19

   Hopefully I was one of the nicer respondents.

   There are a bunch of ways to do angled M & T joints. I just cut the tenon at an angle and devised a method to do this with hand or power tools (Shudder, shudder, no offence intended to anyone.) What angles and how many joints? What size pieces??

7. 
   user-7624188 | Jul 23, 2021 09:49am | #8

   You can put down the machine and pick up a tenon saw and some mortise chisels and actually apply or develop some skill. That's my approach anyway. I enjoy working wood though, not machining it.

1. FWW Editor
   ben_strano | Jul 23, 2021 10:16am | #9

   You're on the verge of being a judgmental troll on this nice forum we have here. Probably best if you turn it down a notch.

1. 
   john_c2 | Jul 23, 2021 11:12am | #12

   They should get points for predictability though, right?

2. 
   hoovermd | Jul 23, 2021 11:03pm | #16

   Funny, maybe I'm just thick skinned (or lack some history with this user) but I didn't find that post particularly offensive... especially by modern standards ;)

   The question was asked and I think the answer was presented as a reasonable option.

   I actually find the saw/chisel option to be both cost effective and quite satisfying in the end.

1. FWW Editor
   ben_strano | Jul 26, 2021 10:16am | #22

   The same tiresome reply (or some variation of it) on multiple posts and subjects in a given day is trolling. I agree with you on an isolated instance, but three in a day is not cool.

3. 
   johnpendery | Jul 24, 2021 08:21am | #17

   I agree with Ben here. I’m always surprised at the somewhat hostile attitude simple questions are often met with on this forum. Pompous criticism comes easy behind a keyboard and an anonymous username I guess.

8. 
   mikaol | Jul 23, 2021 10:30am | #11

   For biscuits & size permitting I use slot-cutting bits and a table-mounted router.

9. 
   elmaduro | Jul 23, 2021 11:18am | #13

   I rout mortises with a spiral bit and use loose tenons. For long aprons where routing into the ends is impractical, I use a handheld router with a large base and dish bit to cut the end tenons.

10. 
    Terry1940 | Jul 23, 2021 12:05pm | #14

    I had a Domino and while I like floating tenons, there were accuracy problems with the Domino. I switched to Dowelmax and never looked back. Easy, accurate, flexible and about 1/10the the price of a Domino

11. 
    kudzupatch | Jul 23, 2021 01:29pm | #15

    Dowels

1. 
   Jeff_Hamilton | Jul 26, 2021 01:41pm | #23

   Agreed. I've owned a dowelmax for years and used it on numerous projects from chairs to tables to case pieces. Not a hint of weakness. I'm sure I'll break before any of those joints do . . .

12. 
    beasleysevin | Jul 24, 2021 04:50pm | #20

    I think Whiteside makes a router bit sized specifically for dominoes. Measure carefully or set up a jig, rout the hole, pound in the domino.

13. 
    bburgboy | Jul 25, 2021 08:29pm | #21

    I too was working on a project recently (a sandor nagyszalanczy workbench) where the designer called for domino joints on the legs/stretchers. I didn't feel like buying another tool and decided it was about time to learn mortise and tenon joinery.

    It required me to build a mortise jig for use with my plunge router and perfect a skill that, I suppose, I already had. Great fun and very satisfying. Frankly, I think it's been a bit silly of me to have harbored apprehension and fear of this tradition and powerful joinery. Give it a try and you might be surprised.

14. 
    geedubbee | Jul 26, 2021 07:47pm | #24

    This is a subject that always rambles on. A simple answer to your question is dowels or Beadlock. The joint you choose should be appropriate to the use. If it is more than strong enough it is fine IMHO. If you do not want to do traditional mortise and tenon which can become tedious for something like Mission Style a replacement is reasonable.

    Dowels are fine although admittedly not as strong as some other joinery methods, probably strong enough. Most failed dowel joints I encounter fail at the dowel and not at the material like you see in 'wood joint torture tests'. This is probably more workmanship related than anything.

    If you require twist resistance a single dowel is not your best choice. Pairs of dowels have to be reasonably accurate so a doweling jig can be handy. You can even make one or two just to get you through the project.

    I use traditional M&T, the Domino, the Mortise Pal, and shop made mortise jigs. Each has its place based on use-case, scale, and so forth.

    
1. 
   eddo234 | Jul 27, 2021 01:24pm | #26

   Agreed. I have a dowel jig (never gets used anymore though), a Domino XL 700 (used on most everything), and a bunch of router jigs (again, not used much anymore since I got the Domino, but was my go-to for all kinds of M&T). Use what you have or can afford.

15. 
    stantheman | Jul 27, 2021 09:43am | #25

    Re: angled joints. I had a project with angled aprons joined to splayed legs. This is why I got a beadlock kit. I cut the mortises while all joint surfaces were still square, then cut the angled ends on the aprons. Thus, the beadlock tenon would fit straight regardless of the angle. I did this instead of cutting angled tenons because I did not want to do the complicated (to me) process of marking and cutting each apron to make tenons that would fit.

16. 
    user-6851987 | Jul 27, 2021 04:22pm | #27

    Does anybody have the Woodpecks doweling jig they retired a few years ago, and how does it work for you?

17. 
    jc_clark | Jul 28, 2021 10:49am | #28

    Everyone is always talking about what's the strongest joint!!!
    It's a moot point, truth is, most all of the ones we use are stronger than ever needed.
    I've been doweling everything for over 45 yrs now and have never seen
    a joint fail or come apart.
    The best joint is the one you like using, strength isn't really a concern.
    (within reason that is)

1. 
   eddo234 | Jul 28, 2021 06:21pm | #29

   I don’t know when this test was done. I look at dominos as elogated dowels, so I would expect similar results as the winning dowels in this test. https://www.canadianwoodworking.com/get-more/how-strong-dowel-joint