clamping material for domino use

[bwpsg42]

I'm trying to switch over from my leigh FMt to a domino for face frame construction.  How are you clamping 3/4 material when you mortice the side of a stile for example.  With the fence set to center the mortise, my experience is that the bottom of the machine sits on my workbench and the cutter cannot reference off of the fence.  I have to elevate the workpiece in some manner.  Is this your experience?  If so have you devised some type of jig or or you just clamping the workpiece on top of some other scrap or such.

Thanks in advance,
Bill

 

[Rocker]

I clamp the workpiece in a vise, using a backing cleat to ensure that the fence remains level, if the workpiece is narrow, and plunge away. I do not own an MFT, and do not anticipate buying one.

Rocker

 

[Eli]

I do own an MFT. I hang it over the edge.

 

[chrisrosenb]

Like Eli, I use the MFT. When making end cuts I use clamping elements to clamp the part & let the end over hang the edge of the table for the cut. For edge cuts I use the dogs from the clamping elements as stops & cut a filler strip large enough to let the edge being cut to overhang the table edge.

 

[Dave Rudy]

Bill,

You have brought up a significant consideration, though.  Some folks had problems with the vertical alignment of the domino when we all first started with the tool.  Turns out it was the physics-- if the tool is registering off of its base, the fence becomes irrelevant.  And it can happen even when you think you're slightly above the bench surface.

No reason not to hang the workpiece off the edge of the MFT as Eli and Chris describe and rely on the adjustable fence setting IMHO.

 

[Eli]

But if you didn't use the MFT, then yes, you can clamp a filler piece in there. The thing I had to teach myself about the domino was to do a check of the registration surfaces before I plunged. I do it every time. I'm sure it looks funny, my head bobbing up and down from side to side, but I screwed too many of them up not to check now. Edge plunging 3/4" (19mm ;D) material, if you sight the inside corner of the fence both sides, you can be assured it's not hanging up weird on the pins or something.

 

[Cary Swoveland]

I usually clamp the board to a table with the end to be cut hanging over the edge.  If I'm cutting quite a few mortises, sometimes I place the Domino on a cradle, upside down, and hold the material in place while I plunge (fast and great visibility that way).

Cary

 

[Warrior]

Cary,

Can you post some pics of this cradle technique?

Thanks,
Eiji

 

[Ted Miller]

Bill, I leave the piece clamped to my work surface. With the fence at 20 mm piece hanging off the surface and plunge away. Its rare I let the machine rest on any surface when I plunge.

I do not own a MFT either...

 

[Eli]

For those with MFT, I found that doing drawers and shelves is really speedy when you use two clamps sticking straight out on the front rail of the MFT and position the drawer/shelf with the target edge facing upright.