Festool® Essentials: The DOMINO DF 500 Joining System: With CT Dust Extraction System Paperback – Illustrated, August 25, 2008

Really enjoy this book. New with the DF500 and this manual very helpful in understanding the tool. Some reviews say its the same as in the tool manual. It might have the same information but there is a lack of pictures in the tool manual. Well worth it. Would buy it again

If you are a very visual learner, this gives you 4x the pictures of the manual. But there was less than zero guidance about good practices, including how many dominos to use, what sizes, and such. And then it really is a 75 page book, because more than half is a sales brochure for the dust extractors. I’m glad I bought it used.

I'm a constant reader. Mostly things that are supposed to teach me something I don't know. I believe in something called 'the slight edge', basically I'm Ok with reading a book even if I learn one or two small things. They add up, hopefully. I have low standards.The Festool Essentail books showed up this week. Decided to read the Domino book first. It took about an hour to read every word. Large pictures of very fundamental applications. Unbelievably, I don't think there was anything covered that isn't in the users manual that comes with the tool.I have cut maybe 100 dominos. Not exactly your seasoned user. Didn't come close to learning a single thing. There's way more info in Rick Christophersons supplemental manual.The second half is essentially a catalog of dust extractors. Not one word specific to using them with the Domino. There are several pages just like the catalog, where it shows which accessories go with each model. There are 4 or 5 pages showing you how to install the handle. The handle actually comes with instructions comprehensive enough for you to install it.The capper of them all; the last 20 pages of the book show you how to install the boom arm, another product that ships with adequate instructions.I haven't looked at the TS55/75 book yet. It also 'features' info on the dust extractors. Would be surprised if it isn't a reprint of the info in the Domino book.I've ordered a lot of books from Amazon over the years. I've kissed a few frogs along the way, but have never even considered sending a book back. This product is a shameless commercial that could only serve to expose someone to this product in the hope that they would buy one. It really shouldn't be sold as book.I know this is more than a bit harsh, but I feel it's 100% fair. Don't waste your money.Jim

While the Domino 500 described in the book is the first generation and my recently purchased version has slightly different locating pins, I like the images in this book better than the manual.

More than half of this book is about the Dust Extractor. Expected a very detailed manual on the use of the Domino joiner. Got a detailed manual about the dust extractor.

Slightly better than the corresponding book on Festool's circular saws, but only very slightly. It seems very unlikely that anyone will learn anything from this book, but if you have never used the Domino or a biscuit jointer, or dowels or loose tenons (etc.), it is possible that you might get one or two simple tips. It's really just an overblown sales brochure, as the other reviewers have noted. Very surprising and disappointing from a company that produces such outstanding tools.

As an amateur woodworker, I found value with this book since it included many examples of construction techniques unique to the domino tool. Half of the book covers Festool’s vacuums — sorry, dust extraction systems — but I found that informative too. So unless you a professional, consider purchasing this book

This book is for the new owner of the tool. Not much to learn for the person already familiar with the tool.