Domino D500 or XL

Wooden Skye

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Mar 6, 2012
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I am about to start a porch railing project, and have a quick question.  I have the DF500.  I will be needing to attach sections of 2x6 that are notched around a 4x4 column.  Would you double stack 2 dominos or is the XL better option?  Eventually I will buy the XL because I have 2 entry doors to build, and the quote HD gave me for the custom doors do to the size are about $6,000 each.
 
The DF500 will do your porch railing project but  if your going to get the DF 700 anyway for your doors, buy it now and get some practice with it before your door project.  I have both and use both frequently.

Jack
 
Even though I have both, I wouldn't hesitate to do the railing with the DF500 if that is all I had. Even with the DF700, I wouldn't mortice much deeper than a DF500 is capable of doing. I would not stack the tenons vertically because that may weaken the softer fir 2x6. Instead, I would use 2 or 3 spaced horizontally. Just make sure to leave space (web) between them, or you will also weaken the fir 2x6 substrate. Oh, I would also not center the mortices vertically in the 2x6. Your 2x6 substrate will remain stronger if you position the mortices slightly below center (vertically).

Because you are morticing into the 4x4 post across the grain, you won't appreciably weaken the 4x4 substrate by placing the mortices near the outside edges (with the 3rd one in the middle). So if you use 3 mortices, place one in the center and the other 2 near the outside edge of the 4x4. This positioning will still leave a lot of "meat" toward the edges of the 2x6. It is the 2x6 that will be the weakest of the components, so you want to maximize its strength when determining your mortice locations.
 
I have made several Ipe gates out of 2x stock with my 500. Works great and I saw no need to have the XL.
 
Agree with the replies - Rick's being the most expansive. There' plenty of the strength in the 8 and 10m mm dominos for your project.

Bob
 
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