Dominos that Don't Fit?

[fdengel]

Ok, I'm surprised.

Microwave shrank the domino by about .5 mm (eyeballing off a Woodpeckers square this time) and it was still wider than the mortise, but I was actually able to knock it in with a deadblow mallet.

Not optimal, I still suspect something is just a hair off, but at least I was able to make it work.

I will experiment further as I am able.

By the Woodpeckers-square-eyeballing-crudely method, the domino originally was roughly 19mm wide, the mortise roughly 17mm wide.  Toasty domino about 18.5mm wide, but at least with the pine 2x I tried it on this time, I could hammer it in.

Now to find out if it will squeeze into plywood...

 

[jacko9]

Ok, I'm surprised.

Microwave shrank the domino by about .5 mm (eyeballing off a Woodpeckers square this time) and it was still wider than the mortise, but I was actually able to knock it in with a deadblow mallet.

Not optimal, I still suspect something is just a hair off, but at least I was able to make it work.

I will experiment further as I am able.

By the Woodpeckers-square-eyeballing-crudely method, the domino originally was roughly 19mm wide, the mortise roughly 17mm wide.  Toasty domino about 18.5mm wide, but at least with the pine 2x I tried it on this time, I could hammer it in.

Now to find out if it will squeeze into plywood...

My observation on the domino width is that there is a rib on each end that compresses as you push the domino into the slot,  I think this is on there to add in alignment.

Jack

 

[fdengel]

And maybe that "rib" is where I was off... though I still need to hammer them in.

I can get them into the plywood though, so far so good.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions - still much to learn here, as always...

 

[tbellemare]

I just pushed in a bunch of 4mm tenons. All of the mortises were on the tight setting down strips cut from the same planks with the grain in the same direction for both pieces.

I usually use the next tenon in line as a flat spot to push the one I am inserting. I used to try to push them in with my thumb or hit them with a mallet but I've found using another as a flat spot works quite well. When sinking them, if they get a little off angle, they want to stop. Using the next tenon as a pushing surface makes it fairly easy to keep them aligned with the mortise.

Tom

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Did you check the cutter for damage?

 

[tjbnwi]

I just pushed in a bunch of 4mm tenons. All of the mortises were on the tight setting down strips cut from the same planks with the grain in the same direction for both pieces.

I usually use the next tenon in line as a flat spot to push the one I am inserting. I used to try to push them in with my thumb or hit them with a mallet but I've found using another as a flat spot works quite well. When sinking them, if they get a little off angle, they want to stop. Using the next tenon as a pushing surface makes it fairly easy to keep them aligned with the mortise.

Tom

Tom, you don't have a 4 mm tenon installation tool?

Tom

 

[tbellemare]

I honestly never even considered that, Tom...

What'll you think of next?

Tom

 

[semenza]

Slick Tom, very slick.

Seth

 

[fdengel]

Did you check the cutter for damage?

Nothing was obvious to me in looking at it.  Given that it measured almost exactly the same as the one from the assortment systainer (correct or not, at least the same), I'm not inclined to believe that the cutter is damaged.

It may be partially moisture as was previously suggested; some of it may be learning curve.

I'll need to work with it a bit more, but I would not have been able to get the dominos into the narrow mortises without a tool (deadblow hammer in this case) and I don't remember needing to do that when assembling the cabinet I made in that class (included some narrow mortises which I believe would have been the 5mm, as we were working with 3/4" material).

On the other hand, I was able to get a few into slots without microwaving them first, but I had to start them at an angle and use the deadblow hammer to put them in, straightening them out as I went.

I haven't tried one with glue yet...

 

[tjbnwi]

What'll you think of next?

Tom

Not sure, but I'll come up with something........

Tom

 

[Bob Mircetic]

Just wanted to let you know, you're not the only one.  I've always had that same issue with the 5mm, and I've had my domino for several years now (mine is the older "pin" type model).  I just use pencil marks and the medium setting now.  Curiously, the issue seems to be only with the 5mm; the larger sizes (6mm, 8mm, and 10mm) all seem to fit perfectly on the narrow setting.

 

[fdengel]

Just wanted to let you know, you're not the only one.  I've always had that same issue with the 5mm, and I've had my domino for several years now (mine is the older "pin" type model).  I just use pencil marks and the medium setting now.  Curiously, the issue seems to be only with the 5mm; the larger sizes (6mm, 8mm, and 10mm) all seem to fit perfectly on the narrow setting.

I'm curious: have you switched bits in that time - does it still happen with a new bit?

Thinking of swapping mine out for the one that came with the assortment systainer, since I have that second one, to see if there is any difference.

The 5mm dominos are so tight that when I tried to pull apart something I had experimentally dry-fit with the medium setting, the wood broke where the dominos were coming out.

 

[Bob Mircetic]

have you switched bits in that time

That's a good question.  I honestly can't remember the last time, if ever, I've replaced a bit.  Worth a try, I guess.

 

[kcasser]

I know I'm late on this, but I've experienced the same thing with some but not all of the 5 mm's.  I thought it was just a little extra material left over in manufacturing - like the dominos weren't trimmed properly when they came out of the mold (if that's how they make them).  I just ran the sides over my block plane to trim them a touch and they worked fine.  It was the width that was the problem - not the thickness.

 

[fdengel]

I finally took the cutter out of the Domino.  When I sat it next to the one from the assortment systainer, I made a rather interesting discovery...

[attachimg=1]

 

[fdengel]

The shorter cutter in the picture is the one that came in the tool.

The longer one is what was in the assortment.

With the shorter one, I have to really work hard to force the dominos in, and pull them out with a tool as well, and I knew it wasn't quite right.

With the longer one, they fit perfectly, and I can push them in and pull them out without a tool or significant effort.

Looks like Shane was right and the cutter was indeed the issue.

 

[kcasser]

Thanks for the update.  Maybe mine is short too?

 

[grbmds]

The shorter cutter in the picture is the one that came in the tool.

The longer one is what was in the assortment.

With the shorter one, I have to really work hard to force the dominos in, and pull them out with a tool as well, and I knew it wasn't quite right.

With the longer one, they fit perfectly, and I can push them in and pull them out without a tool or significant effort.

Looks like Shane was right and the cutter was indeed the issue.

That should only affect the depth. I thought the problem was the Dominos fit in the mortise too tightly.

 

[tbellemare]

If it's short, it won't reach as far out from center as it oscillates, making the mortise too narrow.

Tom

 

[fdengel]

If it's short, it won't reach as far out from center as it oscillates, making the mortise too narrow.

I was wondering too about that too, but this makes sense and explains the problem.

Came with a bad cutter installed - with the new one from the assortment sustainer it is working perfectly.

Thank you!