How to Glue up Domino Joint?

[Patrick Cox]

Hello,
I was working on my first domino project today and I ran into an issue.  After dry fitting my pieces (1x material), I poured glue in the mortises and found it was more difficult to fully insert the domino and join the pieces so I used a rubber mallet and this caused glue to be forced out the side wall of the board.  I thought the glue would be forced up the sides of the domino and come out through the mortise opening but I guess the fit was too tight so the glue blew out the side wall of the board instead?  So what is the best way to glue up a domino joint without this happening?

Thanks!

 

[ear3]

Yup, that's happened to me too.  From the hydraulic pressure created by the glue.  Simple fix is to not put too much glue in the mortises.  What I do is pour out some glue in a container, roll the domino in it, then stick it in the mortise.  For the facing mortise I put a few drops in -- but not too much -- maybe spread it slightly on the side walls so there's no pooling on the bottom to build up pressure.

Hello,
I was working on my first domino project today and I ran into an issue.  After dry fitting my pieces (1x material), I poured glue in the mortises and found it was more difficult to fully insert the domino and join the pieces so I used a rubber mallet and this caused glue to be forced out the side wall of the board.  I thought the glue would be forced up the sides of the domino and come out through the mortise opening but I guess the fit was too tight so the glue blew out the side wall of the board instead?  So what is the best way to glue up a domino joint without this happening?

Thanks!

 

[peter halle]

This is another advantage of using a wider setting when you can.

Peter

 

[Birdhunter]

I spread glue on the Domino tenon using a trimmed flux brush and then tap it in. The exposed side of the tenon gets a light coating of glue. Then, the pieces are clamped. This technique eliminates the hydraulic pressure problem.

 

[erock]

  I used cheap acid brushes from Harbor Freight.    Drop a little glue in the domino slot and spread it around with the acid brush.  I also brush a little glue on the tenon. 

Too much glue in the domino slot and blow out the board ?  I've never done that once.......maybe two or three times before I learned my lesson.    [embarassed]

Eric

 

[tjbnwi]

Roll Domino in glue, insert in mortise.

Tom

 

[Cheese]

I flux brush glue the Domino & flux brush glue the mortise.

The brush and Ziploc cup both fit inside the Systainer for the Dominos.

 

[deepcreek]

For regular Dominos (500), I used a Glu-bot to put a little glue in the mortise and then a silicone paddle to spread it on the sides. http://www.woodcraft.com/product/147917/glue-spreader-6-piece.aspx

I also paint the loose tenon with glue using an acid/flux brush.  Paul Marcel (Half Inch Shy) did a video on improved holding power using this method.

For Xl Dominos (700), I use an acid/flux brush to spread glue in the mortise and then paint the loose tenon.

 

[sancho57]

I usually domino one side tight one side middle setting. I insert the domino into the tight mortise the gulf on the odomino brushed on with a acid brush glue the edges spread with a acid brush and put the w
Edges together and clamp.

 

[Owego]

Assure the combined mortise depths are greater than the domino length.  Mark the center of the length of the domino.  Smear a light coating of glue on the faces of one mortise and half of one domino.  Sink it to your marked line.  Smear the other mortise's faces and domino.  Assemble.
Also, if you using the wide setting for one of your mortises, sink the domino in the narrow mortise first.  If you have a big/complex glue-up where time can be an issue, try hide glue.  It's got a longer set up time and it's "slipperier".  Also, if you are cutting your own dominos, bevel the edges to aide in initial alignment. 

 

[Woodwork Wizard]

Quote:
Smear a light coating of glue on the faces of one mortise and half of one domino.  Sink it to your marked line.  Smear the other mortise's faces and domino.  Assemble.

This is what I do with a silicone brush, except I just guess the middle of the Domino rather than marking them.

 

[grbmds]

Roll Domino in glue, insert in mortise.

Tom

This is the preferred method in the Festool classes I've taken. However, prior to taking these classes, I used throw-away glue brushes to brush some glue on the first half of the Domino and the sides of the mortise. Then I inserted that Domino end in the mortise. Then, did the same process with the end of the Domino sticking out and the mortise that end would be inserted in. I found  this is a better for me when the assembly is complicated and comprised of quite a few Dominos. It keeps the exposed glue ends on the Dominos fresher since there are some limitations on open time with wood glues. I also found this way to be less messy when assembling - less squeeze-out since you have a little more control over how much glue is on the Dominos.

However, for simple glue-ups where you can easily clean up the squeeze-out, rolling the Dominos in a pool of glue works well, is faster, and does the job.

Squeezing glue in the mortises is not my preferred method for the reasons given and squeezing the glue in the mortise doesn't necessarily give even spreading on the sides.