Domino 500, cutting off center

usernumber1 said:
if the measurements A and B are different after plunging the machine is plunging at an angle. I'm glad such a setting is not adjustable that would be a nightmare to align
I would think this is the problem , not sure why it would be a nightmare to align , some alignment must be available somewhere or the thing would just be broken due to bent parts ect.  I am currently using it and when I am done this project Ill dig deeper on the cut with calipers ect post more pictures , or I may just send it in. 
 
Peter Halle said:
LET ME STOP THE SPECULATION

I just got off the phone with Festool USA service.  I spoke with the Service Manager.  If a Domino having the pin type fence is sent in for service the old style fence WILL be sent back.  HOWEVER, there are about four or five parts on that style fence that are no longer available, so if there is an issue with the fence and one of those parts is part of the needed repair, then they can not repair the fence.

Peter Halle - Moderator

Thank you for getting clarification, [member=1674]Peter Halle[/member] ; I did not intend to mislead anyone.
 
Scoutsdad said:
I am currently using it and when I am done this project Ill dig deeper on the cut with calipers ect post more pictures , or I may just send it in.

I own both the 500 & 700, never had an issue with either. If time is a concern, I have sent 2 items into Festool for service and both items were returned within 7-10 days. That's the total time I was without the use of the tool.

From Festool; "We normally complete repairs within 48 hours once the tool is in our repair center." I'd recommend you fill out the Festool Repair Request, it seems to move things along.
 
Let me add:  If you want a quote to get new spark plugs installed, or new brake pads installed on your car, you already know what service needs completed, which is why you can get a solid quote.  In this case, Festool isn't entirely sure of the repair that your Domino needs, just the symptoms of the issue (cutting off center).  So of course they can't give you a quote or a ballpark answer on cost, they don't know what all will need repaired or replaced. 

I had a car a few years ago that I ended up taking to the junk yard because it wouldn't stay running as soon as you actually tried to give it gas.  The power would cut off along with the engine.  It wasn't the battery, it wasn't the alternator, and we replaced the fuel pump and it still had this issue.  If I had called any mechanic worth their salt and asked for a quote to fix this issue, they all would have likely laughed and explained they don't know what's wrong, or how long it will take to figure out what's wrong, and how much whatever the fix would cost, or if it's even fixable.  There are a bunch of different things that could lead to my car shutting off and the engine dying, so it would be irresponsible to quote me a price to fix it.  This is the same as your issue with your Domino.  There could be a number of things causing your Domino to cut off center and they don't know which one it is.  Calling Festool "shady" for what seems like a reasonable response to your inquiry is unfair, in my opinion. 
 
Going to the shop tomorrow, I took the lower swivel bearing out (4 screws) and 2 springs were broke. The upper part would be where any adjustment would be from looking at how it works from the inside, I am thinking it somehow was forced past a tooth on a gear, maybe from the width setting.
Ill report back if they tell me what was wrong .
thanks all
 
[member=79721]Scoutsdad[/member] as far as I know you are the first civilian to go inside a Domino. Please take some pictures of what you see in there. And post them here.
 
Someone has posted pictures of the inside of a DF500 before, and this guy did a video on the DF700:
 
I'm really, trying not to be a jerk about this problem...but I don't understand your reticence about sending the tool into Festool and just letting them take care of business.

If it's money, I get that. Just open it up and repair it yourself.

If it's time, then 3 days have already been wasted. At this point the tool would have already been repaired and on its way back home to you.

We see this analysis paralysis all the time on the FOG and while I can certainly understand the paralysis, at some point you just need to move forward. I know...I've awfullized on things for months but that got me nowhere.  [smile]  I just needed to make a decision and move on.
 
Interesting video of the DF700 teardown. Assuming the DF500 uses the same type of Scotch Yoke mechanism for the sideways movement, it seems to rule the gearing and that side of the mechanism if the slot cut still ends up the correct size, just offset as the OP said.

I'm really desperate to know now what the issue is!
 
luvmytoolz said:
Interesting video of the DF700 teardown. Assuming the DF500 uses the same type of Scotch Yoke mechanism for the sideways movement, it seems to rule the gearing and that side of the mechanism if the slot cut still ends up the correct size, just offset as the OP said.

Ya, a lot of these video people are really annoying. This 10 minute video could have been produced in half of the time and nothing would be lost in the translation. The Domino mechanism is interesting to see and that was worthwhile.

If anyone else is interested in viewing the mechanism, just skip the first 3 minutes of the video where he ponders the correct plural of Festool. Is it Festool tools? Festools? Festool's? Festi? Festipus?...whatever.  [sad]
 
I forgot his name, but there's a woodworker making 2-minute or 3-minute (?) videos. As I said, if Norm could cover a whole cabinet build in 30 mins (including a site trip), most of these YouTubers out there are just trying to fill the time or don't care to do proper editing. I download all videos I want to watch, and fastforward/jump/skip in 99% of them when watching. The couple of Festool build series videos by Brent Shively I've watched are tight and to the point. There, little to no need to skip or jump.
 
If anything was bent in the spindle or bit, you would get a loose fit in the mortise, like putting a 5mm Domino into a slot cut by a 6mm.
It sounds to me like the whole mechanism is "clocked" a bit to the right, but still functioning correctly otherwise. I have no idea how to adjust it though?

I can tell you that if anything on the head/fence is bent, the thing won't plunge. I know I guy who dropped his once, which changing cutters, it would not go back together, even with a bend that was difficult to see.
It went in for service and was returned in perfect condition.

I have thought about sending mine in for inspection. It has seen literally thousands of Dominos, with two cuts each. I keep it cleaned and lube occasionally, but there has to be some wear in there somewhere?
 
I am having exactly the same problem out here in Singapore, where I don't have any repair centres to send the machine to. Please help me out here guys, I am now cutting traditional mortise and tenons manually instead of being able to use the domino. Please let me know what the problem is with the machine if you ever find out, and how they fixed it if they could, What it costs too!
 
JoshuaRam said:
I am having exactly the same problem out here in Singapore, where I don't have any repair centres to send the machine to. Please help me out here guys, I am now cutting traditional mortise and tenons manually instead of being able to use the domino. Please let me know what the problem is with the machine if you ever find out, and how they fixed it if they could, What it costs too!

Unfortunately, we haven't heard from [member=79721]Scoutsdad[/member] since March 9 when he posted that he found the broken springs and was going to take it to the shop.  The last time he logged in was 5 days after that, and over 32 days prior to today.
 
JoshuaRam said:
I am having exactly the same problem out here in Singapore, where I don't have any repair centres to send the machine to. Please help me out here guys, I am now cutting traditional mortise and tenons manually instead of being able to use the domino. Please let me know what the problem is with the machine if you ever find out, and how they fixed it if they could, What it costs too!

Have you watched the video on how to correct the off centre problem?
 
Mini Me said:
JoshuaRam said:
I am having exactly the same problem out here in Singapore, where I don't have any repair centres to send the machine to. Please help me out here guys, I am now cutting traditional mortise and tenons manually instead of being able to use the domino. Please let me know what the problem is with the machine if you ever find out, and how they fixed it if they could, What it costs too!

Have you watched the video on how to correct the off centre problem?

Which video? Please link me up, I am desperate to solve this problem as soon as I can.
 
Welcome to the forum!  Here is a video link on how to calibrate the Domino.  Worth a try.



Peter
 
Than you so much for the video link!

I did do that but I think I may need a new acrylic sight gauge thingy soon. What I've done to solve my problem is to scribe a new center line on that piece that is perfectly centred to the bit, from trial and error after plunging the domino many many times into some scraps. The machine however, is still way off center relative to the the center line scribed on the base of the domino, on the plate. I think I may have to get it looked at, at some point.

Has anyone done a fix like that on their own?
 
Back
Top