Domino - Ever wonder what makes it tick???!!

[Dan Clermont]

Here is a Video shot at the Festool Fantasy camp of the cutaway model being ran by a C12 drill



Dan Clermont

 

[Eli]

Holy Crap. That's tricky. And I thought there was a LA-zer involved somewhere. 
                                          ;D ;D ;D

 

[woodshopdemos]

Dan,
  Way cool video and very clever to power by C12 for sake of demo. It sure works.

 

[danrush]

Looks like Dr. Gizmo has been VERY busy in the Festool think tank.  I get dizzy just looking at all those whirly-twerly thingys.

 

[poto]

I would have liked to see the mechanism for changing the mortise width. How does that engage to change the side-to-side oscillation of the bit?

 

[Ned]

I would have liked to see the mechanism for changing the mortise width. How does that engage to change the side-to-side oscillation of the bit?

I can give you a hint, Poto, but not the complete story.  Christian and I stared at the mechanism for some time, and he put it under power as shown in the video, but they drew the line when I asked for a Torx driver. 

In the video, the Domino is on its side, with the top facing you.

The part you're most interested in is the hook-like piece of steel you see oscillating as it rides on something-or-other.

The green knob at the lower left rotates to select the width.  Inside, the knob is attached to a small shaft with an integral gear.  That gear meshes with another similar parallel shaft, and that one with a third.  The shafts are clock-like in their size.  Each shaft has, on the end away from the knob, a flat.  Turning the knob turns all three shafts.  At each of the three width settings, one of the shafts is the pivot for the hook-like piece described above, the other two disengage.  The varying pivot point controls the width, I believe.

I do not know how this is transmitted to the actual cutter head.  It's pretty tight in there, and they wouldn't let me dig deeper.

Ned

BTW, we were warned that when removing a cutter not to put force on the osciilating mechanism.  That is to say, with the Domino in working position, don't apply force that would tend to move the mechanism from side to side.  Always position the wrench such that the force is 90 degrees from the mechanism's normal movement.  Forcing the oscillating mechanism to move can apparently throw it out of adjustment.

 

[poto]

That sounds like a pretty clever mechanism. From your description it sounds very fussy, and potentially easily thrown out of whack. But clearly the Domino is made for everyday use, so they must have engineered it really well. Thanks for the description!

 

[Per Swenson]

Let me see if I can make Neds statement a little simpler.

Your natural inclination is to just wrench the cutter out.

Being right handed, I just wrenched away from me any old way.

But still holding it as shown.

Wrong.

The initial loosening should go towards the motor head, rather then

towards the side.

Have a look at the picture.

The cutter is tight, and initial thrust is focused towards me and the motor.

This is the proper way to change cutter's

And apparently very important.

Who Knew? I didn't.

[attachimg=#]

Per

 

[poto]

Yah - if only Festool had manuals for this stuff! 

 

[Per Swenson]

In all fairness,

This was figured out by the Amazing Dave McGibbon,

The man in charge of tech.

Soon you will see all these tips on the Festool USA

website.

It is not that the company doesn't hear us, they do.

And I think Shane is working on it as we speak.

And one other thing, don't let this HOORAY post reflect

a attitude of boosterism I my part.

I just think its cool that they actually listen.

Per

 

[John Stevens]

Holy Crap. That's tricky.

Yeah, I kept wondering when the little figurines in lederhosen were going to do the schuhplatztanz out onto the semicircular track and then disappear back inside as the hour chimed.  "Those little golden birdies, look at them."

Regards,

John