How to use Domino with 4mm cutter & 1/2" stock

Joined
Apr 2, 2010
Messages
14
Good Day:

I am making drawer organizers out of 1/2" plywood and wanted to us the 4mm Domino cutter to join everything together.  Can someone give me some advice for the setup of the Domino with the 4mm cutters?

Thanks for your help,

Michael
 
I can recommend you to buy domiplate (search FOG for it). You should setup cutting depth 20mm.  That's it.

VictorL
 
Another thing that can help if you need to elevate your work a little is to find or make some thing sheets of plywood (either buy or make with a thickness sander) to elevate the work so the centerline of the work is at the same level as the centerline of the cutter on the Dominoa
 
The 4mm cutter is shorter than the other cutters so you need to subtract 10mm from the mortise depth, i.e. a 20mm setting produces a 10mm deep mortise.

 
Hi:

Thanks for the info.  I was looking for help on the setup of laying out the material where they intersect (not at the end, like drawers).  The referenced sides are different compared to using 3/4" material?

Thanks again,

Michael
 
It is really simple. And as good as the domiplate is I do mot think it would really apply here, so save your money and try this. Mark reference lines at the intersection of the mating pieces. Now mark where the dominos are to be set. Remember that from the bottom of the domino machine the distance to the centerline of the cutter can never change. This is a constant value. Where you have marked for the domino placement will aid in the proper referencing of the domino cutter. For instance on the side piece to the cross piece you will have a line drawn across the side piece. Also you will most likely have a mark for where you need the domino. Extend the mark for the domino so you can see it while the fence is totally retracted out of the way. Now clamp a piece of straight edge onto your reference line. This is what you set the bottom of the domino unit on. Now plunge to proper depth. Now set your cross piece onto your bench. The fence on the domino may now be set to the 90 degree position. Now line up your mark and plunge to proper depth into the end grain. Assemble the pieces and check for proper alignment. This will take some practice but once you get the principle you will find it accurate and very cost effective as well. I do this all the time and so far the centerline of the cutter distance to the bottom of the domino machine has remained constant. And how many things in life can you say that about?
 
TomGadwa1 said:
It is really simple. And as good as the domiplate is I do mot think it would really apply here, so save your money and try this. Mark reference lines at the intersection of the mating pieces. Now mark where the dominos are to be set. Remember that from the bottom of the domino machine the distance to the centerline of the cutter can never change. This is a constant value. Where you have marked for the domino placement will aid in the proper referencing of the domino cutter. For instance on the side piece to the cross piece you will have a line drawn across the side piece. Also you will most likely have a mark for where you need the domino. Extend the mark for the domino so you can see it while the fence is totally retracted out of the way. Now clamp a piece of straight edge onto your reference line. This is what you set the bottom of the domino unit on. Now plunge to proper depth. Now set your cross piece onto your bench. The fence on the domino may now be set to the 90 degree position. Now line up your mark and plunge to proper depth into the end grain. Assemble the pieces and check for proper alignment. This will take some practice but once you get the principle you will find it accurate and very cost effective as well. I do this all the time and so far the centerline of the cutter distance to the bottom of the domino machine has remained constant. And how many things in life can you say that about?

This method works fine for 3/4" -1" stock. It's not applied to the 1/2" stock. Distance from the sole of domino and center of the cutter is 10mm. Cutter's radius is 2 mm. Thickness of 1/2" stock is 12mm.

VictorL
 
Duly noted. Perhaps an accurately milled piece of 1/4 inch thick material fixed to the base with countersunk screws would make up the difference needed to center the cutter in the half inch stock. I confess that I normally have been working with 3/4 inch materials, thus my oversight.
 
Excuse my reverse logic after reading Victors reply once more I find that adding to the bottom would only make matters worse. Sorry!
 
I have used the fence for drawers of half inch thickness many times. I use the reference marks on the sides to set intermediate pieces without ant issues.
 
How does one get an accurate reference when plunging into the face of the material when the fence is set for face plunge?
 
Top of the sole goes exactly through the center of the cutter. Scribe line, then place  DF and cut.
I'll post picture later.

VictorL
 
Back
Top