10 Minute Workshop Loose Tenon Jig Review! Budget Domino Alternative?

[Gifted] A simple but effective little jig designed and sold by Peter Millard from the 10 Minute Workshop KZbin channel.
I don't have a Festool Domino. One of those machines which, although released early this century, will likely go down as one of the most important woodworking tools of it!
Despite my preferring solid wood joinery, I can certainly appreciate the doors it has opened up for joiners and enthusiasts, not least in efficiency.
For people like me though, where I can see a use for it, just too infrequently to purchase the Festool machine, and for hobbyists on a tight budget, there's finally an effective jig on the market, a tenth of the price of the original machine, for creating the slot mortise for loose tenons - or domino's.
In this video I share my first attempt using the pre-production version.
This was sent to me by Peter at 10 Minute Workshop to look over before release ... some time ago now!
Since then, there have been additions and slight changes which I hopefully cover in the video but, essentially, the same jig as the one reviewed is now on sale.
Although I was sent this item and didn't purchase it, I was under no obligation to say nice things or even review it. In fact, Peter wanted honest feedback to make any changes before release! Either way, you'll always get my honest opinion here.
You can find the whole jig range on the 10 Minute Workshop Etsy page here - www.etsy.com/uk/shop/10minute...
For custom 3D printed guide bushes, try this ebay seller. The link is for their Bosch proprietary ones but they'll do custom too - ebay.us/op4g1R
This is the Rennie router bit I bought to use for my set up. It has an 8mm shank, 5mm dia and 20mm cutter length. Rennie have a comprehensive range of router cutter available and very good prices for the quality. ebay.us/vqpf7L

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks Stu! That’s a great, clear and honest impression of the jig, and very much appreciated. I did slightly loosen the fit of the narrow mortise on the production models, so you should fine the next jig a little easier. Your jig was mostly intended for smaller 1/4” routers, the recent Plus jig more for 1/2” with easier clamping options. And thanks for the links to the Bosch guide bush! I have links for 18mm bushes for the Festool OF1010, Makita and DeWalt palm routers if anyone needs them. Edited to add; the jig will work with all Domino DF500 sizes - 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10mm - it’s the cutter that makes the larger mortises, not the jig. Really appreciate the review! Thanks again, Peter 🙌👍👍

[@BischBaschBosch]

Thanks Peter. Genuinely works well. Good to know about the slight adjustment for the tight mortise. I'll pin your comment so people can read that too. Good work mate.👏👏

[@dougwardle2175]

Got one of the latest models with the shelf pin guide and it’s brilliant. I don’t do enough to warrant a domino machine at the moment but you can never predict what might happen.

[@BischBaschBosch]

Good to hear Doug. I may get my hands on one if those soon.👍

[@Spandalflair]

Great video. Thanks for all your previous posts too, always interesting and very helpful. You probably don’t realise how useful and interesting to us hobbyists/beginners.

[@BischBaschBosch]

Very kind, thank you. That's great to hear. 👍

[@paulhodgson4790]

Thanks for this, I'd pretty much made up my mind to buy one but you've made up my mind.

[@BischBaschBosch]

Nice one Paul. Sure you won't be disappointed. Straight forward and very effective.👍

[@Rhysss1991]

Excellent invention, it works just as expected and it’s beautifully made. Well done Peter 👏🏻

[@BischBaschBosch]

In a nutshell MR H.👍

[@manceconomist]

Got mine before Christmas. Had messed around with a cheap and not so cheap dowel jig. The 10MW jig is superb. Much better joints and mine have fraction or no discernable lips at the join. Only thing is it makes you realise just how nice a Domino would be if I could justify one.

[@BischBaschBosch]

Nice one mate. I was actually pleasantly surprised how well it works considering what it is. Yeah, I've always thought a domino machine would be nice to have tbh. Thing is, I do almost exclusive solid wood joinery - proper mortise/tenon, dovetails etc. Just can't justify buying the machine. I will use the jig for solid wood table tops and cabinet panels though. 👍

[@bradleytuckwell4881]

Great review and yes it is great value simple to use and very accurate thanks for sharing

[@BischBaschBosch]

Thanks for that Bradley. Great to hear others are getting on with it too.👍

[@mikes6844]

Thanks for posting, as my kit is in the shed, I put dowels, biscuits and loose tenons and pop them in the oven for a few minutes before use. Drying them out makes it so much easier to assemble. Made my first alcove cupboard with this flat pack loose tenon jig and I have to say it’s great. I’ve had a DowelMax for quite a few years which is quite superb and affordable but the ability on the tenon jig to route a slight larger hole is a game changer, something not achievable with dowels. 👍🏻

[@BischBaschBosch]

Cheers Mike. Yeah, I always thought the ability to cut a loose slot on the domino machine was clever. Great that this jig includes that. It's 30-40 seconds in the microwave for my dowells. Didn't try it with these dominoes but Peter has responded here saying that the production jigs have a slightly enlarged tight slot so they should go in a little easier. The one I review here was the pre-production test set. Still a good practice to give fixings a blast of heat to dry out though.👍

[@dannymurphy1779]

Thanks - I look forward to buying these plans in due course, thanks Peter for this fantastic invention for the casual woodworker.

[@BischBaschBosch]

Cheers Danny. The most cost effective way into domino joinery via the plans - by a long way. Works very well for something so seemingly simple.👍

[@nicowilson]

Nice clear video. Thank you .

[@BischBaschBosch]

Thanks again.😁

[@normancoutts]

Useful review thanks and confirmed my view that the jig opens up loose tenon joinery for us hobbyists who can only dream of Festool's offerings.

[@BischBaschBosch]

Cheers Norman. I've been using the new larger melamine one of late (kindly sent to me by Peter ahain). They both really do the the job well. It's straight forward to use too. Not as quick as the festool machine but, like you say, a decent entry into this type of joinery for hobbyists or those on limited budgets.👍

[@philipb867]

Peter is a top man!

[@surfrico]

Great review. Thanks.

[@BischBaschBosch]

Cheers Richard.👍

[@sheilbwright7649]

Hard to review a mate's product. Proper disclosure and helpful review. Well done .

[@BischBaschBosch]

Cheers mate. Yeah, be a bit awkward if it wss complete pony!😂 Thankfully it works a treat though. 👍

[@mauserkk98]

Looks fun .

[@BischBaschBosch]

Hehe. It is kind of.

[@nicowilson]

Thanks

[@BischBaschBosch]

Very Kind, thank you very much Nico.🙏

[@timrich7658]

Hi Stu, another great review. The eBay chap made me a guide for my GKF600 which he now lists. Works perfectly, as does the jig which I've successfully used with 12mm MRMDF to make practically invisible face joints. An excellent product :)

[@BischBaschBosch]

Nice one Tim. Glad the eBay seller sorted you out. Yeah, it's a great little jig. Simple and just works. Did you use spacers for the 12mm?

[@timrich7658]

At first I didn't use spacers and it worked ok, but had to be careful not to blow the slightly less than 3mm that was left on one side. I then used some simple 3mm packers and the jig worked perfectly. I backed off the plunge slightly for the face mortices and trimmed the tenons to match. More work, but great results.

[@arminfloss6155]

Super 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@BischBaschBosch]

Cheers mate.👍

[@gsadlerdavid]

Yep I bought the plans and they are still sitting on the shelf 🙄, I did manage to make a LT jig for router and used that instead But I will get around to making this some day, good demo and video. Thx

[@BischBaschBosch]

Cheers George. I remember Peters vid where he knocked up the version in the plans from ply rips. Clever stuff. Decent way to get started with domino joinery. I understand though. I have folders of plans I've bought over the years from houses, to boats to benches. Not made one if them...yet!😂

[@nialstewart8263]

Did you use a mandrel to center the guide bush? I don't have one, it looks like the securing screws center it fairly well but if it isn't centered exactly it could explain any slight lip you're getting. ?

[@BischBaschBosch]

Yes mate. Always set bushes with a mandrel as a matter of course. The fraction of a mm I mention is not an issue.. This isn't precision engineering. Manufactured panels and thicknessed hardwoods always have a tenth or so difference over there length/area. That's all it is I think. For all intents and purposes, the surfaces/faces met flush bud.👍

[@HewAndAwe]

If someone could invent a tool that removes the dominos when doing a dry glue-up run would make a killing!!!

[@BischBaschBosch]

😂😂 True enough. I rendered the ones I used in this demo useless by wrenching them out of the tight slots!

[@HewAndAwe]

@@BischBaschBosch Ducks arses are looser!

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

You can drill a hole in one end, yank them out with a screwdriver. 👍👍

[@BischBaschBosch]

@@10MinuteWorkshop Genius 😉

[@sheilbwright7649]

@@10MinuteWorkshop G'day Peter, Sometimes knowledge is theoretical and sometimes as a result of bitter experience. My guess in your long career there has been some moments of pure hatred at a particular domino.