Domino Question

GreenGA

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Oct 11, 2007
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I will be installing some 4 1/2" crown molding and was considering using the Domino 5x30mm dowels to connect the inside and outside corners as well as the scarf joints for the long runs.

Does anyone have any comments about doing it this way?  Will the 5x30 work?  Are they too big, too small, should I not do it...

Inquiring minds want to know.  :)

Thanks.
 
4 1/2" crown isn't that big, so I doubt you would need a domino.  I think it would be difficult to get a domino into the coped side of the crown, unless you were planning on mitering them.  If you cope the crown, the joint will be nicer and stay tighter IMO. 

Is it paint grade or stain grade work?  If it is paint grade, 15ga or 18ga and some tightbond at the scarf joint and outside corners should be good.  If it is stain grade some liquid nails behide the piece and a micro pinner works well and you don't really even need to patch the holes if you don't want to. 
 
I don't think that the crown will be thick enough to handle a domino.  You might want to check that out first before going into the logistics of setting up the tool.

Just my thoughts,

Peter
 
I just finished crown moulding of about 3 1/2" wide. I connected the long, straight parts with two clipped nails. I used a slice of the molding of a 1/4" wide, drilled two small holes in it, parallel to the length of the molding and copied the holes to the ends of the molding, that were to get connected. I clipped the heads from two nails, pushed them in one side and used that to align the ends.
 
Vindingo said:
4 1/2" crown isn't that big, so I doubt you would need a domino.  I think it would be difficult to get a domino into the coped side of the crown, unless you were planning on mitering them.  If you cope the crown, the joint will be nicer and stay tighter IMO. 

Is it paint grade or stain grade work?  If it is paint grade, 15ga or 18ga and some tightbond at the scarf joint and outside corners should be good.  If it is stain grade some liquid nails behide the piece and a micro pinner works well and you don't really even need to patch the holes if you don't want to. 

Yes, the crown is paint grade.  I am using poplar from a local trim shop.  The way I prepare any trim, is to get it into the house then let it sit for about a week so it becomes acclimated to the environment.  They a light sanding, a coat of high quality oil based primer on ALL surfaces, after that dries, repeat, let that dry, then a light sanding followed by a high quality oil based paint, a sanding then final coat of paint.  There are no exposed edges or surfaces on anything.  Then it's time for installation.

I had not planned on coping.  I have a few outside corners and they need to be mitered.  I figured since I had to miter them, I may as well miter the insides as well.

peter halle said:
I don't think that the crown will be thick enough to handle a domino.  You might want to check that out first before going into the logistics of setting up the tool.

Just my thoughts,

Peter

That's why I posed the question.  I have never been down this path with the Domino and I thought, perhaps, others had already blazed the trail.  If the 5mm is too large, did not Festool recently released a 4mm version...?

Wim said:
I just finished crown moulding of about 3 1/2" wide. I connected the long, straight parts with two clipped nails. I used a slice of the molding of a 1/4" wide, drilled two small holes in it, parallel to the length of the molding and copied the holes to the ends of the molding, that were to get connected. I clipped the heads from two nails, pushed them in one side and used that to align the ends.

Interesting approach.  It sounds like you used the clipped nails as I was thinking of using the Domino.  Hmmm...
 
That's why I posed the question.  I have never been down this path with the Domino and I thought, perhaps, others had already blazed the trail.  If the 5mm is too large, did not Festool recently released a 4mm version...? 

They will be available on August 1.

  Bob
 
I have used the 5 mm Doms for crown, but only on the butt joints.  There is BARELY enough room to get a domino in there and I had to use a spacer under the tool's fence to get the mortise to center in the thin crown.  (Unless I forget the domino) I will never again use any kind of scarf joint or back reinforcement for crown again.  The domino is so much faster and the end result using butt joints is near perfect.  When glued, I highly doubt it will ever seperate.  If you use good glue and pin or clamp your outside mitres, you shouldn't have to worry about them opening either.
 
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