domino df500 q - newbie question!

[chalkie]

Hi guys...brand new to the site and also to the world of Festool tools too.  I'm a hobbyist, not a wood-working professional.

I have just purchased a df500 and dust extractor which arrived yesterday.  I managed to have an hour or so getting my head around it and so far have been very impressed indeed.  However, one thing that puzzled me is that you don't seem to be able to centre a mortise within the stock?  For example, I was practicing on off-cuts of 18mm pine with a 6mm cutter.  Ideally I would usually aim for dead-centre with a biscuit jointer, but can't figure out how to do this with the df500.  If I am indeed missing something (which is quite likely), please point me in the right direction!

Many thanks,
Mark

 

[bdiemer]

https://www.festoolproducts.com/Festool-493487-Domino-Trim-Stop-p/493487.htm
I set up the trim stop for repeatable center cuts on boards. Mine came with the domino kit. You can purchase separate.

 

[copcarcollector]

  However, one thing that puzzled me is that you don't seem to be able to centre a mortise within the stock?  For example, I was practicing on off-cuts of 18mm pine with a 6mm cutter. 

Center it side to side on the length of your piece, or up and down on the height of the piece..?

And,  [welcome] to the FOG! (Hide your wallet)

 

[chalkie]

Yes I also bought the kit so do have the trim stop.  This centres across the width of the work piece perfectly, but I'm interested to find out if you can centre the mortise in relation to the thickness of the wood being used.

 

[copcarcollector]

but I'm interested to find out if you can centre the mortise in relation to the thickness of the wood being used.

For the most part yes. Have you checked out the Supplemental Manual?

You should be able to set the fence for 18mm in your case, and the mortise should center in the wood height-wise (Thickness)

 

[chalkie]

but I'm interested to find out if you can centre the mortise in relation to the thickness of the wood being used.

For the most part yes. Have you checked out the Supplemental Manual?

You should be able to set the fence for 18mm in your case, and the mortise should center in the wood height-wise (Thickness)

Many thanks for the responses...really appreciated.  I'll take another look at the manual and see if I can spot what I'm missing and try again tomorrow.

 

[copcarcollector]

[member=62099]chalkie[/member]

Setting the fence at 9 should center the mortise on your 18mm thick stock

[attachimg=1]

Pull the preset scale all the way back so the window is empty

[attachimg=2]

 

[copcarcollector]

http://festoolusa.com/media/pdf/Domino_DF_500.pdf

 

[rvieceli]

[member=62099]chalkie[/member] also take a look at how you are positioning the machine. The distance from the bottom of the Domino baseplate to the center of the mortise is fixed at 10mm. That is the way the machine is constructed.

So if you place the piece to be mortised on a work surface and then slide the Domino up to it, the mortise center will always be 10mm from the work surface. If the baseplate is sitting on the work surface that could be your problem.

Hang the Domino off the edge by the fence. If you are already doing that then I've got nothing.

 

[chalkie]

[member=62099]chalkie[/member] also take a look at how you are positioning the machine. The distance from the bottom of the Domino baseplate to the center of the mortise is fixed at 10mm. That is the way the machine is constructed.

So if you place the piece to be mortised on a work surface and then slide the Domino up to it, the mortise center will always be 10mm from the work surface. If the baseplate is sitting on the work surface that could be your problem.

Hang the Domino off the edge by the fence. If you are already doing that then I've got nothing.

Yep...that'd be my problem!  Superb...knew I was doing something ridiculously wrong.  Cheers for taking the time out...

 

[copcarcollector]

[member=62099]chalkie[/member] also take a look at how you are positioning the machine.

Agreed, just to follow up on this, 1st pic you can see machine is not 90 degrees to the work piece, second photo with downward pressure on the fence handle, problem is corrected. If you ever notice the mortises are angled, this should be one of the first things you check.

[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

 

[chalkie]

Thanks guys...really helpful advise.  I truly appreciate your responses.

 

[Acrobat]

Hi Chalkie
Of course you don't actually need to have the mortises centred on the thickness of your stock, just as long as you use the same reference edge for mating pieces then they will line up anyway. Just ensure as mentioned above to have the machine's fence resting on the stock and not using the dominoes base, this step alone is usually everyones first mistake. Welcome to the world of the festool and the Domino. You'll no doubt be looking at a heap of projects now you have one. An awesome tool.

 

[eddomak]

Hi Chalkie, welcome to the FOG,

I too am a hobbyist and just this week have been using my domino for a LOT of work on a camp kitchen, using 4mm dominoes in 12mm stock.

If you YouTube "Half Inch Shy"'s channel, there is a LOT of very useful stuff there.https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEF394D17F1B997AA

Of course you don't actually need to have the mortises centred on the thickness of your stock, just as long as you use the same reference edge for mating pieces then they will line up anyway.

At varying times you will probably want to learn how to:
1) not be on centre
  - this can highlight to you if you have one piece the wrong way around
  - by using one of the preset stops it gives you exact repeatability if you need to change settings a lot
2) be dead on centre in the stock
  - this gives you flexibility to position some pieces more accurately
  - this can be done by adjusting the height of the fence
3) reference off the base, and be centred 10mm off a given line
4) reference alignment from the edge part of the base casting that is in line with the centre of the bit

I have found that even as a hobbyist without too many projects under my belt that I have had to use each of these techniques (and more importantly had fun whilst doing it!). Actually even this current project is requiring me to use all 4 of those techniques.

Cheers!

 

[chalkie]

Yes...that indeed was my issue...looks like another newbie falls into the same trap!  Followed the advise given this morning and all making sense now thankfully.  Thanks once again for responding guys and also for the links which I will study too.

 

[semenza]

chalkie,

  Welcome to the forum!  [smile]

  Glad everyone was able to help you out.

Seth

 

[eddomak]

I have now annotated copcarcollector's useful photo with the techniques I was talking about - much faster than watching videos.

[attachimg=1]