domino 500

[Larry Bush]

can the domino machine be set up accurately to index matching components?  i.e.--can you index from the right side of the tool and then the left and have the pieces line up without using the adjustment to make the mortise wider? Often I do not want the mortise wider than the tight fit so as to line up perfectly and for reasons of better joint strength.

 

[Svar]

Yes, you can adjust/calibrate mortise position relative to retractable pins or paddles, but not relative to the left and right of the machine body itself.
However, most likely the cutter will be spot on centered from the factory.
Google: DOMINO DF 500 Supplemental Manual - Festool USA
Page 21

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

Hi and welcome, yes you can get precise results, especially with experience. I prefer my dominos with zero tolerance, as it ensures a stronger and more durable joint.

With the Domino, there is a learning curve, but (in my opinion) not a big one.

 

[Birdhunter]

I doubt the using the narrow and wide setting can lessen joint strength. I can see how using narrow and narrow settings would raise blood pressure as your technique would have to be perfect to get the sides to fit.

 

[ChuckM]

Snip.

.... would raise blood pressure as your technique would have to be perfect to get the sides to fit.

Just one or two mating mortises on two boards in the narrow setting might be fine. Try jointing a long board or putting together a cabinet in a series of narrow mortises on both boards is a learning experience one (whoever has done that) will never forget.

If you use a cross stop on softwood, the challenge could be less. Narrow or not, remember to dry fit before you open the glue bottle. Do enjoy this game-changing joinery tool.

One more suggestion: If you are planning to use the sight gauge on the fence for alignment, make a few test cuts on scraps to verify that it is indeed properly factory-calibrated. 

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

I think it depends on the individual, when using the traditional mortise and tenon joint, I would always go for a perfect marrying up of the pieces to be joined, so why not with the Domino method, the tool is more than capable of the precision?

Obviously precise marking, and cutting is paramount but it is very much achievable, and the only limit, is the users capability, and will to reach such precision. Especially in a cabinet making environment.
Some work may not call for such precision but, I would still aim for it, just to keep the standard flowing.

I may of misunderstood the original question but, I assumed the OP was enquiring if the machine is capable of precision, tight, no tolerance joints, and it certainly is.

 

[Birdhunter]

To me, the Domino loose tenons have two main functions. One, they keep the two boards from pulling apart. Two, they align the two reference surfaces.

Neither function requires the narrow to narrow technique. Correcting a narrow to narrow mistake requires recutting one or more mortises. You end up with worse precision.

 

[Cheese]

I also prefer using the narrow setting on the Domino. I very seldom use the wide setting unless the boards are in excess of 10 foot or more in length. Even then, the temptation is to still use the narrow setting if for nothing else than to maintain your ability for visual acuity and alignment precision.

I use the wide setting maybe 20% of the time and have never...ever used the ultra wide option.

 

[ChuckM]

I've used the widest setting for cutting through slots, sometimes quicker than setting up a fence and slotting with a router, or on a couple of occasions, milling wide mortises in multiple passes. The widest setting was also used in a louvre shutter project recently.

The narrower setting is always used on the whole of one board, and then on the first mortise on the mating board before switching to the wide setting, to ensure proper alignment of the two boards. The benefit of this narrow to narrow/wide setting approach is that I only need to pay attention to cutting the first pair (mating) of mortises in the narrow setting.

It is a lot quicker for me to mill the rest of the mortises whether in narrow or wide setting. Nothing needs to be dead-on in terms of aligning with the pencil lines as the wide setting provides more than enough room for variance. It does make a huge difference when I do a couple of hundred of them at a time, without straining my older eyes.

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

To me, the Domino loose tenons have two main functions. One, they keep the two boards from pulling apart. Two, they align the two reference surfaces.

Neither function requires the narrow to narrow technique. Correcting a narrow to narrow mistake requires recutting one or more mortises. You end up with worse precision.

I think the term "measure twice cut once applies here" well at least for my standards anyway. Rough work may not require such precision but, if that's the case, Dominos or mortise and tenon are probably overkill anyway, and dowells or biscuits would suffice.
If the wider or widest cut setting is chosen, the boards or whatever is being joined, have the possibility, depending on the end product, and gluing, of being knocked out, or through acclimatisation, moving out of alignment lengthwise.
When cutting dovetails, mitres, even dowelling, there is no tolerance, which is how a proper joint should be. Well that was the case when I were taught quite some years ago?

It really does depend on the job, and what sort of tolerance the user is aiming for, for me though, there isn't any situation where I'd not want tight precise joints. Especially as I have to give guarantees of usually a minimum of ten years, with our work.

 

[Stone Message]

The Domino is capable of producing very accurate results. You can use the left and right sides of the frame for equidistant settings to the centre (certainly on mine) and I always use the narrow setting (or narrow to narrow as it has been called above). The only exceptions are for those few situations when you need to allow for expansion or contraction of one piece relative to the other.

If you are joining two long boards edge to edge there is no need to use anything other than the narrow setting as long as the grain runs along the length of the boards. The major part of any expansion or contraction is across the grain with almost none along the grain. Also, do not glue dominos in for this type of work. If you do then when the wood expands or contracts across its width the glue holding the domino will have to fail on one side at least. Then when the wood goes the other way the domino may cause the glued joint along the board length to fail as it may inhibit the two pieces staying together.

Always remember that with most sizes of domino you have about 1 mm, maybe 1.5 mm of wiggle room and in that way, using the narrow to narrow setting even where many are used across a single long joint, it is easy to bring things together.

Peter

 

[Larry Bush]

thanks everyone for the excellent replies.  My question was not concerning joining two long edges. Rather I like to use the domino for things like putting a table apron into the legs for a good example.
It is difficult to put say two dominos in a 4 inch wide apron and have them exactly line up to the mating mortise in the leg.
Any tips would be helpful. I have had my domino for several years and the retractable pins have become out of line and  the adjustable one is stuck so I can't turn it. It is going to the factory for service, and I will try again. (no there is not glue in it)
This is an excellent forum with intelligent answers, thanks again.