Russell and Grover made some great points.

Package Deals sometimes are a good buy
- and often ain't. Often the most expensive
tools aren't the best tools of their kind.
And yes, there are folks that believe that
just owning an expensive tool will make up
for lack of knowledge and skills.

I CAN handcut through dovetails and mortises
and tenons. Mortised and tenoned triple miter
joints - well maybe someday. I can use hand
planes and bench chisels and can bandsaw 1/16"
thick book matched "veneer" on a bandsaw - with
a shop built bigger table and blade drift adjust-
able resaw fence. I passed on the $59 end
grain router sled and made my own with some
scrap ply and some glue. And you have to
give me some points for not getting the Leigh
FMT - though there was some time spent
lusting after it.

Here's the catch on the DOMINO - the
wood "dominos" aren't available - YET
and currently are packaged for $65
for each size (you get more of the small
ones and less of the largest ones - but
still $65 a pop). "Smaller batch quantities
of Domino tenons will be available May 2007"
You've no doubt heard that line before -
and waited for it to be true - eventually.

So imagine buying a new pickup or car - and
waiting a month or two or three for the
special ignition key or the wheels that you
can only get from the dealer because the
lug bolt pattern isn't any common pattern.
If it's parked in my driveway for a few
months before it can be driven . . .

If I've got three or four tables to make
using loose tenons - each with 16 mortises
in each of two sizes - to cut and one son who
can't afford or can't find the furniture he
wants so he wants to make what he wants.
(Ok - so "dad" often gets to provide the tools,
materials and technical support). Time
in the shop with your kid - priceless.

There is also an ulterior motive. If I can
provide useful information about a tool or
technique that helps another woodworker
with a tool decision, or to try something
they didn't think they could do - well that's
part of the buzz I get from woodworking.

Your mileage may vary. Void where prohibited
my law. Batteries not included.

charlie b