Domino 500 B&C settings thicker than A results in sloppy fit. Why?

[woodwreck]

Domino 500 B&C settings thicker than A result in sloppy fit why? To be clear speaking of vertical cut across the face of the tenon. Why doe the B&C vart from A??

TIY

Steve in Calif.

 

[Birdhunter]

I’m not sure I understand your question. Do the A and B and C settings as you term them refer to the three mortise width settings?

On my 500, the three width setting cut narrow, wide, and wider mortises, but the tenon fits snugly into all three the same. The depth and height of the mortise stay the same while the width varies.

I normally will cut all narrow mortises in one board and the medium mortise across the other board. This allows me a tiny, but usually sufficient, adjustment room upon glue up. I can tap the boards into perfect alignment.

Using all narrow mortises in both boards would require extreme precision. One would need perfect placement of all mortises to get the boards to go together.

Now, if the three settings produce mortises of different height where the tenon isn’t a snug fit, that sounds like a Festool Service problem.

 

[Mario Turcot]

1- Does it happen with any cutter size?
2- Check if the cutter is not loose!
3- Cutter miss aligned on the threads!
3- Have you dropped the DF 500 while not in the casing?

If the cutter is not parallel with the machine it will result in a larger tenon.

Mario

 

[junk731]

Only the width of slot changes, the thickness remains constant. Most likely user inexperience/error. Speed of plunge and holding unit securely. After a couple hundred plunges most get the hang of it. In the past there have been numerous threads on newbies inability to get proper alignment.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Great reply Birdhunter!

It doesn’t take hundreds of plunges to get good at it.
Just hold the fence firmly to the work and plunge slow and steady.

If there is something wrong with the cutting motion of woodwreck’s machine it would get progressively worse as the motion increases as the slot width is increased.

It might take some more practice cuts to make sure it isn’t just technique.

 

[timberframe]

Hi all, Steve and I have been talking on another forum and we are both running into the same issue. 

To answer some questions (for me anyway) yes this happens with different bits, yes they are threaded on properly and tight, no the unit has never been dropped whether in or out of the case since I've had it in my possession and I bought it new. 

I guess what we're saying is that we feel the three settings selectable on the top of the unit (A,B,C) should produce the same thickness (width?) of mortise, just different lengths.

 

[Mario Turcot]

I guess what we're saying is that we feel the three settings selectable on the top of the unit (A,B,C) should produce the same thickness (width?) of mortise, just different lengths.

Yes same thickness, the selector is to allow fit/play. For example, when you do a one cut-through you always use the position A since there should be no error margin for alignment. When you assemble two panels/boards with several tenons it is recommended to have one piece using position A and the other piece using position B. that way you can fine tune align the pieces as you wish. Personally I don't see any scenario for position C. I'm sure there is some occasion you would use position C

Mario

 

[timberframe]

I guess what we're saying is that we feel the three settings selectable on the top of the unit (A,B,C) should produce the same thickness (width?) of mortise, just different lengths.

Yes same thickness, the selector is to allow fit/play. For example, when you do a one cut-through you always use the position A since there should be no error margin for alignment. When you assemble two panels/boards with several tenons it is recommended to have one piece using position A and the other piece using position B. that way you can fine tune align the pieces as you wish. Personally I don't see any scenario for position C. I'm sure there is some occasion you would use position C

Mario

Yes, I think when I first got it, I used position C to test it out, but not since. 

 

[woodwreck]

Yes to all of the above, we are all echoing pretty much the same experiences. The thickness should remain same on A, B, C.
For test purposes to elimiunate any hand held wobble or movement, I am miomentartily using a 'C' clamp to verify the subsequent cuts agaainst any movement.

Brent and I will contact Fst to discuss. Thank you all.

 

[Midnight Man]

I will apologise in advance if I am on the wrong track here.  But reading of this thread reminded me on another thread I read somewhere else on the Domino.

Whether the symptoms are the same I am not sure - mainly as I do not yet own a Domino, and aren't fully aware of all the nuances of the product.  I am researching one, hence my reading about them and the memory of this other issue.

Does this thread help any of you:http://www.woodworkforums.com/f58/maddening-domino-211004