Domino - How far can they be pushed

[ForumMFG]

Question:

How far can (1) domino of the largest size go? 

I am looking at building my first bench and it's going to be made from some rather thick materials.

Structural support and legs will be 3" x 3" hard maple

Cross members will be 1 1/2" x 3" hard maple

The Top is 2" x 36" x 84" composed of 1 1/2" x 2" strips of maple. ( I will have a 5" apron around the outside of the top.

I am going to domino everything (if a can).  Just want to make sure that using the largest domino will hold up will.  I don't know have much experience using the larger domino's or do I know how much strength then have.

 

[tbellemare]

If I want more strength in a Dominoed joint, I just use more Dominoes. You can come up with some clever ways to stagger them in table legs and such so that they don't interfere with one another.

Tom

 

[Neill]

As Tom said, one of the great things about the domino is how versatile it is.  You can arrange them in numerous configurations.  You can also vary the depth in opposing mortises.  In other words, if the tenon (domino) is 50mm in length you can make one mortise 20mm deep and the other 30mm deep.  (I am just using these numbers for example purposes).

One thing you might want to do as a new user is access the Festool USA website.  There you will find links to some excellent technical and educational resources from some of the fine people who post here such as Brice Burrell, Jerry Work, John from Workshop Demos and Rick Christopherson.  This material is available to you at no cost and has been written in a very professional matter.  I have printed them all out and made spiral bound manuals out of them.  I refer to them before I look at the Festool produced manual.

Neill

 

[Woodenfish]

I have had my Domino since the original release date here in the US and find it to be an amazing tool on so many differing projects. That said, I don't think I would chance using it for major support pieces in such a large workbench without additional strength from some bolts. I did though, use it extensively for a smaller router table and it worked great.

 

[JeromeM]

Question:

How far can (1) domino of the largest size go? 

I am looking at building my first bench and it's going to be made from some rather thick materials.

Structural support and legs will be 3" x 3" hard maple

Cross members will be 1 1/2" x 3" hard maple

The Top is 2" x 36" x 84" composed of 1 1/2" x 2" strips of maple. ( I will have a 5" apron around the outside of the top.

I am going to domino everything (if a can).  Just want to make sure that using the largest domino will hold up will.  I don't know have much experience using the larger domino's or do I know how much strength then have.

I found a very good system from Fine Woodworking #181 and Bob C who laminated his bench base from thinner stock (I think he used maple or beach) and used it for my bench though, I made do with plywood, this permits very large tenons. I feel that the domino is good for many joints but not all.

His system also avoids the problems (and high cost ) associated with using large dimension stock

Ends being glued up and tested for fit, note the roll of cling film used to wrap the spacers. This works well to prevent the glue locking them in place.

The cling film wraped spacers. 1 being knocked out.

The ends being marked up for carrage bolt holes.

I made my bench a knock-down one though neither of the benches that inspired it were.

 

[tarpon2007]

The Domino is a fine loose tenon machine for smaller joints, but is limited by its largest tenon size of 10x25x50 mm.  For large joints that will be highly stressed such as those on a work bench (or even on a chair) you would do well to use a larger traditional mortise and tenon joint.

For your leg and stretcher sizes (3"x3" and 1-1/2"x3") an appropriate mortise size would be 3/4" to 1" thick by 2" to 2-1/2" wide by 1-1/2" deep - far larger than achievable with a Domino, even with multiple Dominos.  Normally on a workbench, these mortise and tenons would be fitted dry (unglued), and further reinforced with a drawbolt or continuous all-thread from leg bent to leg bent to allow the joints to be snugged up periodically, and the bench disassembled when needed.

Bottom line, IMHO, a heavy duty workbench joint is beyond the capabilities of the Domino.  You may want to check Fine Woodworking's evaluation of the Domino joint versus other joints, they rated it on a par with biscuit joiner joints.

 

[ForumMFG]

Tarpon:  Thanks for the information, well said.

 

[mat]

Not saying that it is the answer in this case but many people make their own dominos to fit the largest size mortice that can be cut with the machine. ie max width with switch to extra wide 2 and max plunge.
This certainly adds to the versitility of the machine.

 

[tvogel400]

forumMfg

I'm going to agree with Tarpon here- I don't see a need for domino joints here.

Your top-

The Top is 2" x 36" x 84" composed of 1 1/2" x 2" strips of maple. ( I will have a 5" apron around the outside of the top.

This beast won't need any. The way I read it you are going to glue up some 22-24 stave's of maple with a 2" face meeting a 2" face.

If true that is a lot of glue surface, with a well prepared joint dominos will only reduce glue surface. They won't hurt but all that extra work is unnecessary.

As for keeping the top joints flush I wouldn't count on dominos- your best bet is careful milling and a slow and steady glue up.

Please expand upon your process- Your audience is interested- I love big glue ups, my wife thinks it's really funny when I come home with glue in my hair.

What is your strategy, lots of time involved here- how are you going to clamp this beast up? 

T-bone

 

[ForumMFG]

T-Bone,

After talking with you guys and some guys in my shop I came across a German guy who is extremely talented.  He gave me some information on his technique on glue ups.  I am going to lay out my top and dry fit it first.  I am then going to roll each piece of maple so that the glue side is face up.  I am then going to clamp all the maple into the shape of the top.  Then I will apply glue to the whole surface.  Once that is done, I will remove all the clamps and the roll each piece of maple back to it's original position and then use waxed pieces of wood to help clamp it together.

Once it sets up, I will scrape all the excess glue off and then run it through my wide belt sander (48" wide max). Square it up if need be then I will finish it off with my RO 125.

Thats we I am at so far, I'm going to take it slow and I will keep you updated as I continue.

 

[spokeshave studio]

I have just completed my first project since purchasing the domino and rotex machines. When I realised I was going to have to make 60 mortise and tenon joints in the 2300mm x 1300mm armoire I decided to bite the bullet and invest a little more in my workshop. 120 domino M&T joints later, I am convinced the domino system is strong and extremely fast. The stiles and rails for this project were 40mm thick x either 100mm or 140mm wide.