Domino df 500 q

[Ernest Tackett]

Where could i find the plunge depth for different sizes of wood. With a 12 as the smallest setting for the plunge depth; I seen on a site that you can take a piece of pvc and cut it to 10mm and then be able to make shorter depth cuts. As a new owner of the domino i would appreciate any help i can get.

 

[peter halle]

Welcome to the FOG!  I think that you might find the information you are looking for in the supplemental manual for the Domino as well as many other bits of information that could be helpful.

Here is a link to that document:  http://www.festoolusa.com/media/pdf/Domino_DF_500.pdf

Play with your tool and use on scraps.  There is a learning curve.

Peter

 

[jjowen]

The 4mm cutter is shorter than the others, so you set  the depth to 20mm to give you a centred 10mm + 10mm join with the 4 x 20mm domino. (Please verify, I am going from memory)

If 10mm depth is not shallow enough, or the 4mm domino is too small, then yes, I have used PVC tubing to create custom depths. Take the machine apart as you do to change the cutter and slip the PVC tubing on. You will need to play around with different lengths.

Then you probably want custom lengths for the dominos. I made a ‘tight’ mortice in the end of a piece of wood so I could hold the domino as I cut them down. You can get fancy and make a slot so it is easier to push them out. Or pliers!

As Peter says, practice on scraps. And keep safe.

 

[Kev]

[welcome] Ernest

At the risk of stating the obvious, be very careful shortening tenons where there is load. I'd hate to see prized possessions smashed in a shelf collapse from your first Domino experience [scared]

Kev.

 

[Ernest Tackett]

I appreciate everyone's help. I have been practicing and still need more. I will get there it is a great tool.

 

[jjowen]

I second that. After my previous post I realised that I should have mentioned that if you are using shorter tenons, then you increase the chance of failure. The risk of failure of the material around the shallow mortise will increase. Always consider if the domino are the primarily source of strength of the joint, or are there more for alignment (which is a valid use of dominos).

Tip for beginners; get into a rhythm of always checking and saying the settings for depth and width as you pick up the tool, then repeat the setting in your head as you place the tool against the wood. You are only allowed to put a 25mm mortise into 18mm material three times.

 

[Ernest Tackett]

I'm not sure what you mean about only putting 3 three 25mm mortise into 18 mm material. Thanks in advance for your help

 

[Tyler Ernsberger]

The plunge would be greater than the material thickness.  It would cause the mortise to pop out the other side of the material.  The domino doesnt need to be centered in the mortise.  If your using a 6×40,  you can make one mortise 15mm and the second 25mm to get your 40mm.

 

[Bohdan]

I was making window and door frames, to replace ones that termites had snacked on, out of 35mm thick material so my sizes were fixed and after you do the 10mm rebates you are left with 25mm thick ends.

I find it odd that if you are using 10x50 dominos and you need to have one side shallower your only option is 20mm on one side and 28mm on the other. Hard to get a 50mm domino into a 48mm hole.

I decided that the 8x40 dominos were not big enough, it would have been nice to have a 30mm plunge option and not have to cut down 50mm dominos.

Does anybody have any alternative solution.

 

[Tyler Ernsberger]

I was making window and door frames, to replace ones that termites had snacked on, out of 35mm thick material so my sizes were fixed and after you do the 10mm rebates you are left with 25mm thick ends.

I find it odd that if you are using 10x50 dominos and you need to have one side shallower your only option is 20mm on one side and 28mm on the other. Hard to get a 50mm domino into a 48mm hole.

I decided that the 8x40 dominos were not big enough, it would have been nice to have a 30mm plunge option and not have to cut down 50mm dominos.

Does anybody have any alternative solution.

The only way is to cut the dominos shorter or buy a df700.  I had to cut 30 of the 10x50 down on one of my last projects.  I took a 2x4 and plunged the domino in and made 15 mortises all in the tight position along its length.  I placed the dominos in the mortises and ran it through my table saw.  It took 2mm off.  I pulled the dominos out and did 15 more.  It worked pretty good.

 

[Bohdan]

The only way is to cut the dominos shorter or buy a df700.  I had to cut 30 of the 10x50 down on one of my last projects.  I took a 2x4 and plunged the domino in and made 15 mortises all in the tight position along its length.  I placed the dominos in the mortises and ran it through my table saw.  It took 2mm off.  I pulled the dominos out and did 15 more.  It worked pretty good.

I like that solution. It sure beats doing them one at a time.

 

[jjowen]

I'm not sure what you mean about only putting 3 three 25mm mortise into 18 mm material. Thanks in advance for your help

When doing asymmetric mortises there is always the risk that you have the 25mm depth set as you plunge into the underside of an 18mm thick piece of expensive high-pressure laminated ply which is to form the top of a desk. Not that I have ever done that.  [cool] Hence my little routine for ensuring I have the right settings for each cut.

I understand that if you DO cut through your material more than three times, a representative from Festool comes and takes your DF 500 away.

No one else has this problem???

 

[Birdhunter]

"He will have to pry it out of my cold dead hands" from a famous line from Charlston Heston.

 

[Kev]

I understand that if you DO cut through your material more than three times, a representative from Festool comes and takes your DF 500 away.

Big tall guy, black hood?

 

[Sparktrician]

I understand that if you DO cut through your material more than three times, a representative from Festool comes and takes your DF 500 away.

Big tall guy, black hood?

That's the one, with the haliberd in his hand. 

 

[Cheese]

Does anybody have any alternative solution.

[member=36526]Bohdan[/member]
Cutting 2mm off is the easiest thing to do, however if I really needed to have the full domino length, I'd consider using a 10mm brad point drill to get the extra space I need.

 

[Zebt]

What's the thinnest ply you can effectively domino? 12mm? Need to make a box light and sturdy.

Sorry, just found a bit of info on the 4mm on 12 mm ply.