Domino stoopid user mistake - how best to fix?

[glynster]

I've been making a the headboard and footboard for a King Size bed in European quartersawn oak - largest project I've ever attempted, and I have used my Domino to joint the footboard and headboard rails to the bed posts.

With the footboard all went swimmingly - I used the fence height adjuster to cope with all of the offset pieces and I'm very impressed. However, due to my own STUPID error, when I cut the domino mortises for the headboard I hadn't noticed that I had the flip down fence just under 90 degrees  (that's about 89 degrees).  I noticed it when I assembled the pieces and noticed that the joints didnt want to close fully.

I have worked out of course that if I simply flip over the rails then the two angles cancel each other out and the joints close - but then nothing is flush since the dominoes were not dead centre on the rail ends and my work pieces have definite A and B sides I would rather avoid that.

Do you think it's OK to replunge/re-cut the same mortises at 90degrees? I have never tried this before and was worried it might damage the cutter.

Obviously I know this will make for a sloppy joint (I cut the joints on the tightest setting to begin with) but I figure if I use epoxy instead of wood glue then it should still be rock solid when it's glued up.

 

[Kev]

I doubt you'll damage the cutter if you keep everything solid, but the back of the mortise is certainly no where you want it to be sloppy ... I'd fabricate a mock up of your problem and glue it up and see if you're satisfied with the joint before you tackle the remediation work.

 

[Locks14]

Simply glue a domino into the incorrectly cut mortice to plug/fill it, cut it flush and then re-do the mortice at 90 degrees. Easy!

Although I really don't think once glue is in the joint that 1 degree of error would actually make that much difference so you could just do as you suggest and recut at 90 degrees.  And as you suggest, if you wanted to be extra sure and have peace of mind it's 100% strong use a 2 part epoxy.

 

[Crox G]

Another option might be to re-cut the mortises at 90 degrees, but for the next thicker size Domino.

Good luck, and welcome to the club of mistake-fixers!

 

[Owego]

I've used both of the methods that Locks14 and Crox G described - worked fine.  With just a one degree "offness" I think moving up to the next domino size should work. 

 

[Stone Message]

I would go 100% with Locks suggested plan. It will be the best and you will not notice any difference in strength - just let the glue go off really well before you re-cut the correct domino slot.

Peter

 

[glynster]

Simply glue a domino into the incorrectly cut mortice to plug/fill it, cut it flush and then re-do the mortice at 90 degrees. Easy!

Although I really don't think once glue is in the joint that 1 degree of error would actually make that much difference so you could just do as you suggest and recut at 90 degrees.  And as you suggest, if you wanted to be extra sure and have peace of mind it's 100% strong use a 2 part epoxy.

That's a fantastic idea - why don't I ever think of such things? My only concern is how well glue would cut with the cutter. I suppose I could "glue" them in with epoxy and then re-cut them, I believe epoxy cuts, drills and planes well.

Thanks to you all for your ideas and suggestions - really helpful.

 

[greg mann]

Simply glue a domino into the incorrectly cut mortice to plug/fill it, cut it flush and then re-do the mortice at 90 degrees. Easy!

Although I really don't think once glue is in the joint that 1 degree of error would actually make that much difference so you could just do as you suggest and recut at 90 degrees.  And as you suggest, if you wanted to be extra sure and have peace of mind it's 100% strong use a 2 part epoxy.

That's a fantastic idea - why don't I ever think of such things? My only concern is how well glue would cut with the cutter. I suppose I could "glue" them in with epoxy and then re-cut them, I believe epoxy cuts, drills and planes well.

Thanks to you all for your ideas and suggestions - really helpful.

I would not bother with epoxy. The only glue you will encounter that you will even notice would be that which pooled at the bottom of the mortise. I've made similar mistakes before and have filled those mistakes and re-cut within a half-hour suffering no problems other than my frustration with making the mistake in the first place. In one case, where I put the cuts in the wrong face I plugged them up and made my correct cuts and the bit came out with wet glue on it from the bottom of the wrong cut. [embarassed]

My biggest problem using the Domino is that it is so easy and fast that I sometimes 'zone out' and fail to mark my work well enough to keep me from making my cuts in the wrong orientation. One can ruin the work pretty fast that way. I made a play table for my grandson last year and there is a nice extra domino in one of the corners looking up at me every time we visit. I did give a fleeting thought to putting matching dominos in all of the corners and calling them design elements. ;D

 

[Stoli]

Just make sure you give the glue enough time to dry in that enclosed area.  You will end up with a gunky mess at the tip of your bit.

 

[Elmar50]

Agree with the loose tenon fill-in and making a larger mortise solutions. As for the "stoopid" self-assessment, one of the hallmarks of a a good craftsman is being able to correct our mistakes.

 

[Birdhunter]

You learned two good ways to fix Domino errors. That's a good thing. Stupid is to not learn from a mistake. A really good flush cut saw is considered a Domino accessory in my shop based on the number of "do overs" I've had to do.

Another problem that occurs with the 500 Domino is the fence drifting up as a result of it not being locked down hard. I've not seen this with my 700 although I guess it could happen.

 

[ear3]

By coincidence, I just posted a project in the jigs and enhancements subforum in which i had to make that very fix:

[attachthumb=1]

The Domino is very forgiving.

 

[jacko9]

I've made similar errors and I just glue in a Domino Tenon let it dry and cut it flush and recut in the correct location like Locks14 suggested.

 

[pingvinlakrits]

I have done all of the above in terms of repair.

Recutting to larger size is my go to for occasional "repairs" but if it isn't possible I don't mind gluing in one Domino and wait a while before recutting it.

The Domino is quite forgiving but I have worked the Domino so much I have gotten to the point where I just freebase stuff and seldom mark up the pieces and during a larger project I got to plunging through the boards by mistake - I forgot to switch the depth of cut. However I got away with making the tenons visible but it also made me have to plug the other boards with Domino stumps and recut to correct depth.

I have also plunged through a board and into a finger with the Domino as I was pressing the material against the Domino.
That was awkward. After that I can promise that I have always double checked the depth of cut. I think that incident was five or six years ago but I did learn from it.  [unsure]