Domino use process

[Kodi Crescent]

Hi,

I have a Domino.  I really want to like the tool, and I use it relatively frequently for things like boxes and so forth.  One of the things I'm struggling with is matching mating parts after I've made all the cuts on my various box pieces.  I dry fit things together, and everything seems great, but then I dissemble, sand all the marks off, and go to glue things together.  The final product is always a bit off from what the dry fit was.

It's unclear if something is changing between rough assembly and glue up, or I'm getting my parts mixed up and things end up just slightly off at the end.

Has anyone come up with a foolproof process to keep parts from getting mis-oriented during assembly and glue up?

Thanks!

 

[Scott in San Diego]

First, keep the reference side of the workpiece consistent.  Blue painters tape with a Sharpie marker is my choice.  I use matching numbers, letters, tick marks or arrows that make sense for the situation.  Leave the tape attached until the glue up is complete.

 

[greg mann]

If your dry fit looks good then the Domino is doing its job. To avoid mistakes after that try to keep your reference marks in place until the glue-up is done. If you cannot then remove them as you proceed. Also, be careful with the sanding. You may be taking too much off and degrading the reference surfaces. If possible, do your sanding before using the Domino. Lastly, think about clamping pressure and its ability too pull things out of alignment if not properly executed.

It is important to understand that a good dry fit means you have machined the joinery well. There is only one way for things to go from perfection and you need to figure out what is creating that negative influence. 

 

[Mismarked]

When I first got the Domino and used it for 3/4 plywood cabinets and shop furniture, I sometimes had edges that didn't quite match.  The mortise wasn't centered in the plywood, but I referenced from the outside edge on all pieces, so it should have been flush anyway.  Usually it was, but sometimes a little off.  I think it was a problem with either starting the cut too fast so the Domino jumped around or not clamping the plywood down near enough to the edges so that the plywood would lift up slightly from the MFT work surface.  I don't think it was a problem of mixing up the parts or reference edges during assembly. 
I then got the Seneca Domiplate, and the problem instantly disappeared.  I think having the Domiplate hang over the edge of the workpiece, instead of having the DF500 resting flat on the work surface, makes it more accurate.

 

[RKA]

In terms of the reference surfaces, you could always offset the mortise just enough to visually identify which way the part should go.  Then you don't need to worry about maintaining the marks. 

 

[ajalger]

Practice helped me the most.  Being new to woodworking in general I made a few mistakes with it but the more I used it the easier it got.  I also have gotten bit by warped wood/plywood that I didn't notice.  I also found that I needed to consistently diss-assemble and re-assemble to be sure I got things back exactly the way I started.  I know my suggestions are pretty basic

 

[Kodi Crescent]

When I first got the Domino and used it for 3/4 plywood cabinets and shop furniture, I sometimes had edges that didn't quite match.  The mortise wasn't centered in the plywood, but I referenced from the outside edge on all pieces, so it should have been flush anyway.  Usually it was, but sometimes a little off.  I think it was a problem with either starting the cut too fast so the Domino jumped around or not clamping the plywood down near enough to the edges so that the plywood would lift up slightly from the MFT work surface.  I don't think it was a problem of mixing up the parts or reference edges during assembly. 
I then got the Seneca Domiplate, and the problem instantly disappeared.  I think having the Domiplate hang over the edge of the workpiece, instead of having the DF500 resting flat on the work surface, makes it more accurate.

I have one of these.  I hadn't used it before this weekend.  I had a box I wanted to make for a friend, and I wanted it to be perfect.  I had noticed in the past that when I used the MFT as my reference surface, sometimes things wouldn't quite match up.  I'm guessing it was variations in the spot on the MFT where I did this.

I did a test joint on the Domiplate so I could get some practice using it.  It turned out perfect.  I then went to make my box, and then in the process, something got slightly off or I got the pieces mixed up.

Perhaps the best thing I need to do is plan out all my cuts in advance, and add offsets in certain spots so that the pieces are "keyed" and cannot be reversed.  I can then sand my marks off without getting things mixed up.

Thanks all for the help!

 

[bertv]

I did a test joint on the Domiplate so I could get some practice using it.  It turned out perfect.  I then went to make my box, and then in the process, something got slightly off or I got the pieces mixed up.

I use chalk to mark the outward facing planes & a little crib sheet I made to remind me how to use the Domiplate.

 

[Birdhunter]

I rely on pencil marks and blue tape to keep all the pieces correctly oriented.

I also have found there are both good and bad ways to clamp boxes. Too much clamping pressure can produce offset miters even when the dry fit looks perfect. I found a trick that works well for glue ups. I line up two sides of a small box against a straight edge so that the exterior sides are facing up and butted together tightly. I then place a width of wide clear packing tape across the joint lengthwise. The tape keeps everything lined up for the glue up.

I've turned to using splines for box miters instead of Dominos. For me, splines are easier to get perfect than Dominos.