Clamping a Domino in a vise

[srracer]

I'm in the process of making some smallish raised panel mitered drawer fronts.  The small sides were 6.375" long x 1.5" wide...  

I wanted to used the 4mm Domino tenons to help with the glue up, but I couldn't clamp the small pieces to the bench in a way that the domino fence wouldn't interfere with the clamp.  So I set to clamp the Domino in a vise.  

I did a search here and found little of anybody else doing this so I figured I'd share.  I suspect some viewers may cringe at this type of usage, but...

Anyways, using it this way, I was able to use the reference marks on the underside of the Domino for alignment.  I simply aligned the outside edge of the piece with the appropriate marking in the base.  I used the narrow domino setting, but I still wanted a slight adjustability in the joint, so I clamped the belt sander in the vise and kissed an edge of the 4mm tenons to narrow them up a touch.  The results were fantastic - glue up and clamping was tons easier.

-Chris

Edited to insert space between images - Peter

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Way cool!  Another great idea to rip off.  Gosh I love this forum! [big grin]

Have you figured a way to clamp the workpiece down or do you just hold it with your fingers?

 

[srracer]

I just held them with my fingers.

But I think there are LOTS of opportunities here.  I could have just as easily constructed a mitering jig/fence the would make certain kinds of joints with the domino an absolute snap.

-Chris

 

[Jeff Hein]

Woodhaven makes a jig similar to what you have done.

http://woodhaven.com/Woodhaven-966D-Biscuit-Master-Domino-Kit/M/B002LU05RK.htm

I have this, and I use it all the time for putting dominos into a mitered ends. It will work will any size domino, but you may have to make a "Platform" to raise your stock up if you want to use a 4mm tenon.

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Woodhaven makes a jig similar to what you have done.

http://woodhaven.com/Woodhaven-966D-Biscuit-Master-Domino-Kit/M/B002LU05RK.htm

I have this, and I use it all the time for putting dominos into a mitered ends. It will work will any size domino, but you may have to make a "Platform" to raise your stock up if you want to use a 4mm tenon.

Hummm..... looks like the domino would attach to the melamine fence with a couple of screws from the bottom.  Does the domino stay in one place and the t-track snugs up to it and provides for clamps, etc??  This would be one useful gadget!!

 

[Jeff Hein]

Yes, I had to drill the holes in the bottom of the melamine, but yes, it is screwed to the bottom.

The fence on the domino is then inline with the fence on the jig. In my opinion, this jig is a must if you put a lot of dominos into miter joints. You can clamp the miter down (either direction) and it lines them up perfectly.

 

[Alan m]

hi there .
i think this topic should be moved to a new thread as it is off topic+  i would like to see a user review of this type of jig

 

[raiderone]

Yes, I had to drill the holes in the bottom of the melamine, but yes, it is screwed to the bottom.

The fence on the domino is then inline with the fence on the jig. In my opinion, this jig is a must if you put a lot of dominos into miter joints. You can clamp the miter down (either direction) and it lines them up perfectly.

What does the Festool Biscuit Master conversion kit consist of?  From the pics the Biscuit master has the fence and melamine base so does the conversion kit have a Domino mounting plate or....?

 

[James Watriss]

This is where I see the Domiplate coming into its own.

See my post on the clamping mod to the plate jig... I think it's going to start making smaller pieces easier to handle, vise or no vise. I think it's slightly easier, though, to clamp the work in the vise, and clamp the tool to the work.

 

[srracer]

To each his own.  For my job, though, it would have taken me at least 5 times longer to clamp and unclamp each of my 48 joints to cut, first in the vise and then to the Domino.  Securing the Domino to the bench and handholding the stock is much more time efficient in my opinion.

-Chris

 

[Kevin Stricker]

Good job Chris.

I agree with you that your method is the speedy way to go.  I bet you could reverse the Domino in your vice and clamp a longer workpiece to your bench real easy if it was needed.  Were you indexing off the pins to get your miters aligned or using a mark on the face?  Did you use miter clamps or clam clamps or did you just nail them in place?

 

[srracer]

Hi Kevin,

I used the marks on the base of the domino.  They were off just a touch, but it didn't matter much because I kissed the dominos to my (vise-mounted) belt sender to give me some slight adjustment for the miters anyways.

I clamped them all together with some Harbor Freight belt clamps.

Here's the end result:

-Chris

 

[RONWEN]

Beautiful work & a great looking family!