Building mitered cabinets with MFT and Domino?

[blueridgeaudio]

Hi all, looking for opinions on producing veneered plywood speaker cabinets for my small business. Most will not have a length longer than 24” so they are smaller cabinets. I have always used a table saw with sled for work like this but just sold it since we will be moving soon. I will be working out a garage until my new shop is built but really want to keep working and building. I have owned and used a tracksaw to break down sheet goods for years as well as many festool sanders but have never owned a mft or domino. I love the way my tracksaw cuts plywood with no chip out so looking at using a mft at least for now in place of a table saw. My questions have to do with how accurate the mft is and does the fence stay a true 90 degrees to the material? I ask because these are stain grade cabinets and so I need everything to always line up perfectly, no filler or paint to hide flaws. With a mft is there a way to setup repeatable cuts that I will commonly be using? I used to use splines to join the mitered edges on the cabinets before but would love to be able to use a domino if is able to join mitered edges. Have seen a few videos on the mft and domino but have a lot more research to do as I only know there basic functions. Anyone here build their cabinets with this combo[attachimg=1]?

 

[ear3]

Everything you are asking for can be done well with the MFT and Domino.  In terms of the MFT squareness, it's simply a function of you doing an accurate setup.  As long as you continue to cut material of the same thickness, it will hold it's square well (assuming you are leaving the table set-up, and not breaking it down after every use).  There are occasions however, when you change the height of the rail brackets to accommodate material with a different thickness, that this will throw the rail slightly out of square, requiring a readjustment.  After using the table for a bit you gain a sense of how to adjust the height to minimize any misalignment, but it will still happen from time to time. 

Because the hole pattern on the top is CNC'ed, you can also make square cuts just using the hole pattern and some dogs.

The MFT fence has a T-track so you can use flag stops to set up repeatable cuts.

Mitered joints with the Domino are a snap -- I do

 

[Stan Tillinghast]

A good parallel guide system (e.g. TSO Products or Woodpeckers) will let you make exact repeatable rips.

 

[greg mann]

The hole pattern and dogs will make it easy to do 45 degree miters accurately as well. Seems like that would be very important in your work.

 

[Vtshopdog]

I’ve built a number of audio speakers with my TS55-MFT-Domino combo, very capable system. 

Game changer for me was adding an Inca positioner mounted on a BB ply panel with 20mm holes matching the MFT for quick mounting with dogs. Stock MFT has limitations for length of cut that is too short for side panel ripping on most tower type floor standing cabinets, but parallel guides are one work around.  I find them too fussy and built a longer auxiliary Rail mount that integrates with my MFT and Incra.

Curious, are you going to build custom boxes for other people making their own speakers or design and build your own line?  One of my hobbies is building audio gear (amps and speakers) and I’ve long thought there would be a nice niche for someone to build custom speaker boxes for the many DIY designs available  (most of these folks are used to paying very high prices....). On flip side, audio fans are among the most neurotic individuals out there and there would likely be, umm, “interesting“ customer interactions 

 

[Big Taco]

VTshopdog - your setup sounds interesting, do you have any pictures?

 

[Stan Tillinghast]

Blue ridge audio - That’s a lot of clamps!

 

[Weens1]

I gave up on 90 degree cuts on the MFT. I was constantly checking it to be sure it was right. Instead I bought the TSO 90 degree jig

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[jzhu]

Lamello Zeta P2 is perfect for mitered cabinet box, faster and easier that Domino.

 

[Birdhunter]

I have both the Domino machines but prefer splines where perfect mitered joints are required. I do cut the spines on a heavy table saw. I find doing 45s using Dominos is very tedious.