Domino Xl case work on 18mm stock

[Clarkr]

This may sound rediculous but I have bought a second hand XL Domino I want to make a cabinet in 18mm plywood and cant for life of me work out how i can mortice my holes without hitting the edge of my face board Im using the 8mm cutter and 40mm dominos.
Can anyone send me a link to video or explain?
Many thx
Rich

 

[RKA]

It wasn't made for thin stock like 18mm plywood.  But there is an aftermarket accessory available that will allow you to do what you want.
https://www.senecawoodworking.com/collections/featured/products/smal-mortise-set-for-festool-domino-xl-df700

 

[rhoyer]

[member=69203]Clarkr[/member] ,

I'd recommend you watch all of [member=3513]PaulMarcel[/member] 's Domino crib sheet videos because they're fantastic, but this one in particular discusses the Seneca kit.

I would love to link the proper one of his videos at the proper time but in one of them he discusses cutting the plastic shim that comes on the unit to length to act as a stopper to allow for a shorter depth of cut than the XL normally allows but I don't have the time to look through them all right now. If I were you I'd take the hour or so and watch them all. I'm sure you'll learn a lot. I do every time I watch them.

 

[Cheese]

The DF 700 when registered off of it's base will place the center of a Domino 15mm above the base. When registered off of its flip down fence, it will place the center of a Domino 10mm below the fence. So either 15mm + 4mm or 10mm + 4mm in 18mm material isn't a good situation.  [smile]. Remember the thirds rule.

Like Raj said, the DF 700 wasn't made for use in 3/4" sheet goods. There are however work arounds and this is one of them, though spendy, it does work well. It will also work on a DF 500. It also happens to be on sale.
https://www.woodpeck.com/df500-offset-base-system.html

 

[Cheese]

I would love to link the proper one of his videos at the proper time but in one of them he discusses cutting the plastic shim that comes on the unit to length to act as a stopper to allow for a shorter depth of cut than the XL normally allows.

I use these on my DF 500 and they also fit the DF 700. Cut depths are adjustable in 1mm increments.
https://traxxas.com/products/parts/3769

 

[RKA]

One more thing, you may discover the 8mm dominos in 18mm ply doesn’t leave enough meat around the domino.  Plywood (especially lesser quality) may split between the layers when a glue laden domino is tapped into the mortise. If it doesn’t split, a bulge may telegraph through your finish.  5 or 6mm dominos would be better.  Only the 6mm come in 40mm lengths if that’s what you need.  Both would require that Seneca adapter though.

If you want to try the XL as it comes first, use some shims under the fence to get the mortise centered.  Do some tests and see if it will work before you commit. 

 

[Cheese]

Echoing Raj's thoughts, I usually use 5mm or 6mm Domino's in 3/4" or 18 mm material. My latest project mandates 8 mm Domino's in 18 mm baltic birch because i need to use the D8/50 Festool connectors. But that's the exception and not the rule.

 

[Mike Goetzke]

Interesting discussion.

I'm planning to build simple bookcase and wanted to use my XL. I forgot about the center of the cutter being 15mm from the base. I was just looking over the Domino XL Supplemental Manual and for 3/4" ply it recommends 6mm tenons. Plus on page 17 it goes over the process of making shelf butt joints. It says to lay the shelf bottom side up on the side and make the mortises referencing off the base. Is my math incorrect or would this be 1mm short of blowing the mortise right out the bottom of the shelf (15mm + 3mm = 18mm)?

 

[Cheese]

1. I was just looking over the Domino XL Supplemental Manual and for 3/4" ply it recommends 6mm tenons.

2. Plus on page 17 it goes over the process of making shelf butt joints. It says to lay the shelf bottom side up on the side and make the mortises referencing off the base. Is my math incorrect or would this be 1mm short of blowing the mortise right out the bottom of the shelf (15mm + 3mm = 18mm)?

1. I think the statement you're referring to is on page 15. It reads, "Choose a Domino tenon size to be less than or equal to 1/3 of the board’s thickness."

Because the 700 is made for thicker material, 24 mm and over, that would yield a Domino that is 8 mm thick.

The same applies to #2.

It's really best to use the smaller Dominos in 18 mm sheet goods. As noted earlier, Woodpeckers offers an option as does Seneca.
https://www.senecawoodworking.com/products/rts-500-cutter-adapter-for-festool-df700
https://www.senecawoodworking.com/products/1-2-domi-shim

 

[Mike Goetzke]

1. I was just looking over the Domino XL Supplemental Manual and for 3/4" ply it recommends 6mm tenons.

2. Plus on page 17 it goes over the process of making shelf butt joints. It says to lay the shelf bottom side up on the side and make the mortises referencing off the base. Is my math incorrect or would this be 1mm short of blowing the mortise right out the bottom of the shelf (15mm + 3mm = 18mm)?

1. I think the statement you're referring to is on page 15. It reads, "Choose a Domino tenon size to be less than or equal to 1/3 of the board’s thickness."

Because the 700 is made for thicker material, 24 mm and over, that would yield a Domino that is 8 mm thick.

The same applies to #2.

It's really best to use the smaller Dominos in 18 mm sheet goods. As noted earlier, Woodpeckers offers an option as does Seneca.
https://www.senecawoodworking.com/products/rts-500-cutter-adapter-for-festool-df700
https://www.senecawoodworking.com/products/1-2-domi-shim

But even using say a 6mm tenon if you follow the manual I reference
https://service.festoolusa.com/media/pdf/Domino_XL_DF700.pdf

I'm looking at page 17. There will not be much base material left between the tenon and surface. I think one should offset the work by around the 5mm difference between the cutter height of the 500/700.

 

[Cheese]

I think one should offset the work by around the 5mm difference between the cutter height of the 500/700.

That's exactly the reason when you want to mount the Woodpeckers DF 500 offset base on a DF 700, you need to also purchase two 5mm stainless spacers.

 

[Mike Goetzke]

I think one should offset the work by around the 5mm difference between the cutter height of the 500/700.

That's exactly the reason when you want to mount the Woodpeckers DF 500 offset base on a DF 700, you need to also purchase two 5mm stainless spacers.

I can see the utility of the Woodpeck system on panels and shelves but what about the vertical sides of a book case where the mortiser face is on the panel. For the 700 you need some kind off offset for this too. Again referencing page 17 in the supplemental manual.