Drawer construction using dominos

[Woodworkingnut]

Does anyone use the (500) domino cutters for drawer construction?
I have for several years now and find it extremely quick to do with very little effort(marking). I built a jig and can cut all the domino locations in four boards in 4-5 minutes consistantly. It is the only method I use now for drawer construction.

 

[Bernmc]

pics of the jig? I've got around 4.7 billion drawers to make...

 

[TheTechRunner]

Definitely need some more info on that! Can you post some pictures along with how you construct your drawers? I just got done making 11 drawers using 4x20 dominos in 1/2" plywood but I'm not necessarily sold on my construction method. Thanks!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Woodworkingnut]

Hi, Give me a few days to put a few pictures together. Hope to have it to you by Friday.  I was just finishing up on a cyclone system for my Mini.

 

[vkumar]

Looking forward to the pictures.

 

[Woodworkingnut]

I was just searching the web and found that no one makes the drawers the way I do. So go check it out. This is my first video so don't be to critical. More importantly it so fast and easy to make drawers this way I was surprised I didn't see tons of videos showing this method. Hummmm...made me wonder about all my other Festool tool improvements. I plan on making more videos. in the search box on youtube type in  Domino Drawers in 3 minutes  Please let me know what you think of this method. Like I said it is simple and fast!

 

[elfick]

That's funny... doesn't seem to want to let me past a youtube link...  youtu.be/Tro7ecIPP-o

 

[Cheese]

Here are a couple on the top shelf of the work bench. There's probably 20-25# of stuff in each one and they need to be lowered down to the bench each time to get what I want. I made them about 6-7 years ago and they're still tight/rigid after all the use.

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Here are some under-bed rolling drawers using bed box wheels.

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[Woodworkingnut]

I just went to youtube and copied the link. hope this works...

 

[jarbroen]

For those of you that have built boxes with Dominos have you also tried using dado sides/rabbet f&b?

I have the Domino and recently got a lot of practice when building 2 loft beds, a dining table and other odds/ends.  It's definitely way faster than any method of M&T I've tried and gives some unique options and efficiencies.
What I'm wondering is whether the Domino drawer box method is any faster or more efficient than the dado/rabbet.
Both are excellent at alignment and helping with squareness, less clamps/aids for assembly, and much faster than box joint or dovetail.

I don't want to derail this thread from the Domino method, just wondering how it compares to other options.

p.s. Cheese - I wish I'd seen your post about bed box wheels a week ago!  I could have used those for loft bed drawers instead of slides.

 

[Woodworkingnut]

 

[Woodworkingnut]

It is much faster than M&T method. Because your not marking parts and adjusting tools and bits. Using the correct amount of Dominos make a box of equal strength. It all comes down to your time and how long you want to spend setting up your tools. I can cut a drawer box in about two minutes without marking a single piece and more importantly everything is flush . The Domino tool is very expensive, but it's one heck of a tool!

 

[cpw]

The jig you made to hold the domino in place is great!

On the small number of domino drawers I've done, I have made the sides longer and the front/back shorter.  That way the edge of the plywood will die into the false front instead of sticking out the side.

 

[vkumar]

Nice video. Nice jig.

What is the plywood thickness, and the size of the dominoes? Also the dominoes will not offer much strength in the pull direction. How is the bottom attached?

 

[Cheese]

Cheese - I wish I'd seen your post about bed box wheels a week ago!  I could have used those for loft bed drawers instead of slides.

This style of bed box wheel has always been very popular, they were available everywhere. Then about 4-5 years ago they suddenly became unobtainable. They actually disappeared and no one offered them including Häfele.

I've noticed now that recently Häfele has reintroduced them however in a different style. While this new style takes up more real estate, it is a better design as the earlier version sometimes loosened up after a lot of use.
https://www.hafele.com/us/en/product/bed-box-caster-rigid-35-mm/000000170001a46e00020023/

 

[TinyShop]

I concur with [member=163]vkumar[/member] - the drawer front will eventually pull out since it's not inset and domino'ed into the sides . That's why you were unable to find anyone else who builds drawers this way - it's a recipe for structural failure.

That said, I admire your method of bolting the domino down to the work surface - I think I'll adopt that method along with using clamping elements to hold the parts fast to the face of the domino. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Woodworkingnut]

Have faith in the Domino, modern glues , and proper gluing. It will hold well. If not just rotate the box 90 degrees and the domino location is now the way you are comfortable with.

 

[ChuckM]

Yes, the proper solution is to rotate the orientation, if the intention is to build to last.

 

[Cheese]

Like others have said, you want to place the Domino in shear to the load direction. That way the joint is supported by the shear strength of the Domino and the strength of the glue.  Belt & suspenders... [smile]

 

[sancho57]

I just clamp them to my MFT at 90 degrees like clamping it in a dovetail jig and domino them together very fast and easy.

You could always find a old used dovetail jig craigs list swap meet etc and use for the domino drawers.

Using the mft is just as fast if ya ax me