Domino Help

[regulator95]

Hey

I am hoping someone can help me. I was playing with the domino last night. Dust extraction is amazing. The issue I am having is that the first domino i do is fine but it seems the further down the two boards I am edge joining I go, the more offset the pieces get. It slowly gets uneven so the two boards are not flush on the top anymore. Any ideas? It seems I am just getting inconsistent results.

Thanks
Shaun

 

[fritter63]

Take your time positioning it to make sure the fence is seated firmly. Slide in from the side to make sure the paddles aren't hanging up on the piece.

 

[semenza]

Hi,

If the surfaces are not coming out flush and it gets progressively worse from one end to the other , then I think your fence is creeping upwards. Thus lowering the cut a  little bit each time.  Make sure tha the fence height lock is tight. I think the tention lever can be adjusted to make it grab more.

I have had this happen and that was the problem. I think this has been discussed in another thread. I will try to find it.

In general though make the cuts carefully and check the positioning, hold the Domino in a consistant way each time etc. Don't try to go too fast. The Domino is one of those things that takes a little getting used to , method wise, and the speed will come later.

Seth

 

[semenza]

Hi,

Here it is  http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-how-to/domino-question-8981/

Seth

 

[Sean7a]

Seth, did that help?  The removal and tightening of the fence height knob that is.

Like some of the others have said, move slow, make sure the fence is seated flat, make sure the flaps aren't hooking up on anything and be sure to push evenly, fluidly, not too slow and not too fast...from the back of the Domino, almost using just your thumb and cradling the plug it cord. 

I gotsa feeling (especially because you posted a link to that other thread) that tightening the fence was the trick there.

 

[PaulMarcel]

I remember that happening to me from time to time when I first got it.  Either I got better at tightening the fence appropriately or it needs a little breaking in because it hasn't happened to me in a couple years now IIRC.

 

[RONWEN]

The fence drift seems to happen to many of us when we first start using the machine.  The link that Seth provided describes the cure -- the Domino is ruggedly built so don't be afraid to FIRMLY tighten down the clamping lever. You only need to ruin an expensive piece of lumber once & you'll find the extra strength you need to tighten it properly.  [smile]

 

[Kevin Stricker]

It's probably fence drift.  One thing to always do is put all of your weight onto your front hand holding the fence firmly on the wood.  Your other hand should be back by the chord just feathering the domino into the slot.  Think of it like you were playing pool.  If you do not put any downward pressure onto the Domino machine you wont have the problem you are having and your mortices will come out better as well.

 

[regulator95]

Thanks guys for all the suggestions. I definitely have to practice with it and figure out how fast or slow I need to go. I was just playing around last night and it was the first time i ever turned it on.

 

[tbellemare]

For years, I have resisted posting in response to "DOMINO Fence Drift" but I think it might be time...

I have used both "Die Sets" repeatedly, the one with pins and the one with paddles. Neither one "drifts" on me.

Maybe I'm lucky and got to use a series of unusually well made pieces of Festool Engineering but that seems unlikely.

I would suggest that users set the locking mechanisms solidly and use that machine as it's meant to be used, repeatedly. I know it's not recommended for safety reasons but when I am making multiple mortises in multiple work pieces, I generally don't even shut down the machine. I just change out work pieces and go. The design of the DOMINO machine is such that the dangerous part (spinning bit) is completely contained within while sitting on the bench running.

I suspect that if you're slipping, it's operator error. If you're having difficulty figuring out what is causing irregular or non-useful mortises, please give me a call. EVERY time a customer has called me or called me to their shop to discuss bad DOMINO mortises, we figured it out.

Tom

 

[Brice Burrell]

For years, I have resisted posting in response to "DOMINO Fence Drift" but I think it might be time...

I have used both "Die Sets" repeatedly, the one with pins and the one with paddles. Neither one "drifts" on me.

Maybe I'm lucky and got to use a series of unusually well made pieces of Festool Engineering but that seems unlikely......

Tom

I don't know what is causing the errors the op is getting, maybe it's just not enough hands on time with the tool.  That said, from the number of times I heard of the drifting problem I believe it is a real problem with some Dominoes.  It seemed to be traced to the later pin model.  I thought I remember one of the improvements with the tab model was courser machining where the fence locks down for added friction to reduce the possibility of drift.   

 

[tbellemare]

Is this an International problem? I ask sincerely because I doubt that our "Die Sets" are made on different machines.

Tom

 

[bevans]

Hi Shaun,

I am relatively new to posting on the FOG and not nearly as experienced as the awesome folks here with providing help but I did have a similar problem and it was when I first got my domino. I could not figure out what I was doing wrong. I slowed the process down as well as with authority. A few days after I put the material away I noticed that the board I was using was cupped ever so slightly and I did not notice it so much during the work. I have had better luck with better wood.

Bruce

 

[regulator95]

thanks for all the suggestions and yes i am sure its operator error. I only used it for about 5 minutes so far. I tried tonight a little with better mortises. Every 4 or 5 were off but most were straight. Just gotta keep practicin

 

[ccarrolladams]

Technique has a whole lot of influence on the success of using a Domino. There is no getting around that it takes practice to gain experience, confidence and skill using a Domino.

The combination of rotating and oscillating of the bit causes vibration which is different from anything any of us experienced prior to using a Domino.

In a perfect world everyone would be able to purchase their Domino from a deal who offers hands-on instruction and coaching. Unfortunately many good Festool users do not live close to any dealer.

My suggestion is to be sure the material you intend to mortise is securely clamped in place so you can devote all your energy holding the tool in place firmly.

Someone suggested leaving the motor running. Personally I run my own Domino on a separate circuit from the CT. I set the CT to manual with full extraction, using a 27mm AS hose up to 6mm and a 36mm AS hose for 8mm and 10mm dominoes. Then I plug my Domino into an outlet connected to a foot switch. This way I can lock the Domino's own power switch, leaving my hands free to hold the machine the best way to make the plunge. When I am ready I step on the foot switch and I let off the foot switch before I allow the bit to retract. Personally I feel there is a risk of enlarging the mortise by letting the motor run continuously, especially when letting the machine extract the bit.

That is an entirely different way of thinking than concluding a cut with a plunge saw, where to avoid blade wobble it often is best to let the springs lift the blade while it is still turning at full speed. Dominoes and plunge saws are not the same thing.

Of course we all need to experiment on scrap with all our tools to figure out what works best for each of us.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

It's unfortunate that this discussion usually gets lost in the emotion of "pins" versus "dogs" discussions, but the fence redesign also eliminates the slip of the fence. It's one of the changes made during the same time.

The original Domino fence was ground with a very fine finish, which left it prone to slipping. It was a case of being too precise. The new fence used a coarser grind on the faces to eliminate this problem.

 

[Brice Burrell]

It's unfortunate that this discussion usually gets lost in the emotion of "pins" versus "dogs" discussions, but the fence redesign also eliminates the slip of the fence. It's one of the changes made during the same time.

The original Domino fence was ground with a very fine finish, which left it prone to slipping. It was a case of being too precise. The new fence used a coarser grind on the faces to eliminate this problem.

The first batch of Dominoes in the US didn't have this problem.  In fact I remember there is a breakaway part that would shear to prevented you from over tightening the fence and doing damage.  The later pin model Dominoes must not have this part and you could really bear down on the fence lever.

My Domino is a first generation, I've never had problems with the fence creeping and I don't have to crank down on the lever.   

 

[chrisrosenb]

It's unfortunate that this discussion usually gets lost in the emotion of "pins" versus "dogs" discussions, but the fence redesign also eliminates the slip of the fence. It's one of the changes made during the same time.

The original Domino fence was ground with a very fine finish, which left it prone to slipping. It was a case of being too precise. The new fence used a coarser grind on the faces to eliminate this problem.

The first batch of Dominoes in the US didn't have this problem.  In fact I remember there is a breakaway part that would shear to prevented you from over tightening the fence and doing damage.  The later pin model Dominoes must not have this part and you could really bear down on the fence lever.

My Domino is a first generation, I've never had problems with the fence creeping and I don't have to crank down on the lever.   

When I got my first Domino, I had trouble with the fence moving. I then reset the lever so I could tighten it tighter. That lead to the part breaking. The replacement part was redesigned & it solved both problems on that Domino. 

 

[Brice Burrell]

It's unfortunate that this discussion usually gets lost in the emotion of "pins" versus "dogs" discussions, but the fence redesign also eliminates the slip of the fence. It's one of the changes made during the same time.

The original Domino fence was ground with a very fine finish, which left it prone to slipping. It was a case of being too precise. The new fence used a coarser grind on the faces to eliminate this problem.

The first batch of Dominoes in the US didn't have this problem.  In fact I remember there is a breakaway part that would shear to prevented you from over tightening the fence and doing damage.  The later pin model Dominoes must not have this part and you could really bear down on the fence lever.

My Domino is a first generation, I've never had problems with the fence creeping and I don't have to crank down on the lever.   

When I got my first Domino, I had trouble with the fence moving. I then reset the lever so I could tighten it tighter. That lead to the part breaking. The replacement part was redesigned & it solved both problems on that Domino. 

Chris, you were likely the exception to the rule because I don't remember hearing about this more than once or twice with the first generation Domino. 

 

[chrisrosenb]

Brice, I do remember it happening to at least one other owner before mine broke. Mine could have just been a faulty part.
I still have the broken part, it is a very light weight cast material & not very thick for its intended use.