Domino Parallel adjustment

[lseap107]

Hi guys, I just purchased my firs Festool product last week.  I bought a Domino 500 that a guy used only once.  I already own a Dowelmax jig but thought the Domino migh offer some good alternatives as well.  I tried it out yesterday by enjoying to smaller pieces of birch plywood.  I thought this would be a test since plywood is pretty uniform.  I only made four plunges in each board and placed the boards edge to edge and noticed they were not parallel.  Now, I'm not blaming the tool but could anyone offer some tips on operation of the Domino to achieve parallel edge joints.  Non parallel joints is what frustrated me about the biscuit joiner so that's why I purchased the Dowelmax.  That is one thing I really like about the Dowelmax.  It takes a little longer but it's dead on. 

Thank you,
John

 

[tbellemare]

Often, if the user plunges too fast, the resulting mortise is not parallel to the reference surface.

Also, put a lot of weight on the black knob on the fence and the hand doing the plunging should be gentle so as not to plunge too fast or twist the machine.

Tom

 

[tjbnwi]

Not sure how thick the ply is, but you need to have the edge being plunged into hanging over what ever surface you have the ply on. The bottom of the Domino will rest on the work surface instead of the top fence resting on the piece to be Dominoed. This causes a tilt and a myriad of other problems.

Practice, will get you great results.

Make sure you tighten the fences vertical clamp, and I mean TIGHTEN. 

Tom

 

[fshanno]

The Domino is not more accurate than a Lamello.  In fact the Domino is not as sturdily built as any of the Lamello biscuit joiners.  And the Domino will never be as reliably accurate as the Dowelmax.  Apples and oranges.  The Dowelmax is a clamped solution. 

But you have the right combo of tools now.  You've got the best of both worlds.  Speed and accuracy, just not in the same joint.

On the other hand, in that joint you could have used a dowel at each end and then put Dominos in between.  No more fiddling with that rod thing.  Speed and accuracy. 

 

[lseap107]

I have a Lamello biscuit joiner also.  I was planning on selling it now that I bought the Domino.  I figured the Domino would be more accurate.

 

[sancho57]

What tbjnwi said