Domino - Use in Building Bookcases

[KevinW]

I have a number of book cases I must build. I would usually dado the side for the shelf and use a pocket screw from below.  Would the Domino be useful in make sturdier bookcases?  Can you use a Domino in a dado joint?  How helpful would a Domino be to such a project?

Thanks

Kevin

 

[Spike]

I have a number of book cases I must build. I would usually dado the side for the shelf and use a pocket screw from below.  Would the Domino be useful in make sturdier bookcases?  Can you use a Domino in a dado joint?  How helpful would a Domino be to such a project?

Thanks

Kevin

Hi Keven,
Technically the dado would have more shear strength than the Domino, but that really shouldn't be a concern in basic bookshelf design and use. The sliding dovetail would be the strongest joint to join the shelf to the carcase. This would eliminate the case from spreading apart or bowing while giving great shear support at the same time.

As far as using the Domino in a dado, I forget what the depth is for the Domino but in traditional 3/4" case side construction with a 3/8" dado depth I would say it is not going to work.

 

[Cannuck]

I think it would be difficult to get the domino to "register" the mortises in the dado accurately?  As the domino only has a "looseness" adjustment in the horizontal plane, you would have to build a jig to register the domino into the dado, so that the registration point is off the same reference point as the shelf. 

I'm thinking you could create a couple of "blocks" that are the same width  as the shelf and same depth as the dado, that slip over the domino registration pins.  Use the blocks to cut the mortises in the dado.  You could then set the height adjustment on the domino to these blocks, and remove the blocks when cutting the mortises for the shelfs.

Would probably be a bit of work to accurately create these blocks though.

 

[Greg in Memphis]

Depending on how deep of a cut the dado is, it might be easier to make the domino mortises first, then cut the dado over the top of them afterwards.
If you're using 5mm dominoes though, I think the max depth is 20mm (a little over 3/4 inch)because of the bits short shank. It's up to 28mm (almost 1 and 1/8 inches) in all the others.
Of course, you'd have to cut deeper on the non-dado side to make up for it.

Hoping this might help

Greg

 

[festoolfan1000]

Like a biscuit joiner, a Domino could be used to assemble the entire unit. from the box to the shelfs.

It has been done with similar tools for a long time with great results. A simple jig for placing the Domino can be used to find the location of each shelf (essentially plywood piece as long as the shelf unit is tall with a strip of wood pinned to one end, like a long t-square.)  Once a shelf is is cut cut the jig down to the next lowest (or highest) shelf and proceed.

M

 

[KevinW]

It seems like cutting a dado may not be the best approach with the domino.  Do you think just fastening the shelf to the carcase with the domino would be strong enough. I thinking of hardwood plywood and shelves 24 inches in length. Or is the domino really not best suited for building shelves.  I could use pocket screws but I rather avoid having visable holes.

Thanks

 

[Eli]

I generally fasten the shelf to the sides with dominos and glue. No dados, no screws. I'd say it's strong enough, but no one's ever asked me to build shelving for their car battery collection yet.

 

[festoolfan1000]

Kevin,

Your good to go without the dado and just the Domino's. 24inch long shelves are quite narrow, your well within spec for hardwood plywood. One of the great things you can do with butt connections is (related to aesthetics rather then strength)  to inset the front edge of the shelves back from the front edge of the cabinet and 1/8" or so. Makes for a cleaner look, the small shadow line also minimizes any errors made in production (can you guess I'm a finish carpenter, we love shadow lines.)

M

 

[KevinW]

MichaelM, could you please explain what you mean by "to inset the front edge of the shelves back from the front edge of the cabinet and 1/8" or so."  i have trouble grasping these kind of things when I can't see it.

Thanks

 

[etherfarm]

Before I had the Domino, all my bookshelves were made with biscuits. And they're holding up just fine (with plenty of books, even).

If I were to use the Domino in this application, I'd use it exactly like I did the biscuit joiner. On the shelf ends I'd use the "tightest" horizontal setting for one domino (probably pin-registered off the front) looser settings for all others. I wouldn't dado. If I did dado, I wouldn't also do the domino.

I too would set the inside of the shelves in from the front of the bookcase or put a faceframe on the outer edges. And I'd assemble and attach that frace frame with--you guessed it--Dominos.

Here are some bookshelves I made about 8 years ago. Birch ply and cherry and slate.

They were made for a long wall, then we moved, and I separated the three shelf units (and haven't yet found the time to cut the slate tile on the rightmost unit...or hang artwork above the shelves. Man, I'm slow.).

You can see the inset shelves if you look closely at the verticals. See how they throw a shadow on the corner? Those help a lot, not just to hide production errors, as Michael suggests, but to break up the monotony of a single-plane grid, which is what would happen if all the shelves were flush.

I've got several units in this "style" throughout the house--all biscuits, all just fine. Dominos would be much easier, I would think, as there's far less vertical play in a Domino slot than there is in a biscuit slot.

 

[Les]

How many biscuits per shelf?

 

[etherfarm]

It was a while ago, but these shelves aren't very deep. I think they're 9" (I have another set of shelves for the big art books). I probably had 2 biscuits in each end of each shelf, so 4 biscuits a shelf.

I'd probably do the same with Dominos (maybe I'd add 1 per side), and I'd sink them shallower into the case sides than into the shelves. For the artbook shelves, I'd use 3 or 4.

The backs of these shelving units are 1/4" ply rabbeted into the case sides. Other than one or two nails to keep the ply in one place and prevent any gaps between the shelves and the back, the shelves are not connected to the back.

Sometime early next year I'll be making two very large shelving units for the house; I look forward to using the domino for those.