Making Domino drawer boxes with the Domiplate.

[erock]

Hi guys,

   Just wanted to give a quick shot out to the men over at Senecawoodworking.   I bought the Domiplate a couple months ago and was able to get some time to play around with it today.  So I wanted to share my thoughts.

I seen the Domino drawers on the FOG in the past and I am planning my kitchen cabinets (the reason for buying the Domiplate).  I have a dovetail jig and Incra router table so making my drawers boxes with dovetails for the kitchen would be no problem.  But the wife and I are looking for something new, something that you don't see in every other kitchen.  SO once I seen the domino drawers I wanted to try it out and run it pass the boss.  

The Domiplate made this very easy!!    I just cut four pieces of 19mm birch ply at 300mm.  Routed a 5mm rabbit for the bottom.  Attached the Domiplate to my domino.  Lined up the pins too the sides and plunged.  I love not having to mark each piece for each mortise.  Each plunge was dead center of the plywood.
Here are some pics for show and tell.

This first pic is how I made the mortise for the front and back.  28mm plunge cut.
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This pic is how I did the thru mortise cut.  I used a backer to avoid blowing out the work piece.
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A view of the mortise cuts.
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Putting it together.
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Dry fit the box.  It came out perfect!  Very happy with the results!!
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I pulled out the old Porter Cable Trim router and cleaned the domino sticking out of the box.  I wanted to leave the domino long so I could flush cut the tenon.  AFTER using the Porter Cable router I wanted to kick myself for not using my OF1400.  I think the speed of the PC was too fast and burnt the Domino tenon.  So the next test box  I make will be with the OF1400 and a new flush cut bit.   I may buy some Sippo tenons so I can get a color contrast.  
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So just my two cents about the Domiplate.  GET ONE!!!!  I can't wait to use it when I make my cabinets.  I now know how my drawers will be made for the kitchen.  
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And yes.  That is BLAKLADER vest and pants I have on.   I freakin' love the Blaklader vest!  Buy one of those too!!!  
Thanks for looking.  

Eric

 

[Kev]

Thanks for that. I'm still to use my Domiplate in anger ... can see I'm going to enjoy it  [smile]

 

[Kev]

Thanks for that. I'm still to use my Domiplate in anger ... can see I'm going to enjoy it  [smile]

Huh????

I hope that didn't cause pain  [smile]

You'd have to appreciate the mess I'm in with workspace at present to understand why I'm getting nothing done ... and work is chewing all of my time.

Sorry!

 

[evanism]

Went to grab one but all out of stock  [sad]

Looks like a fab idea.  I'm making a truck load of boxes with the through-domino type  soon, so let's hope they come in soon!

 

[Zacharytanner]

Hi guys,

   Just wanted to give a quick shot out to the men over at Senecawoodworking.   I bought the Domiplate a couple months ago and was able to get some time to play around with it today.  So I wanted to share my thoughts.

I seen the Domino drawers on the FOG in the past and I am planning my kitchen cabinets (the reason for buying the Domiplate).  I have a dovetail jig and Incra router table so making my drawers boxes with dovetails for the kitchen would be no problem.  But the wife and I are looking for something new, something that you don't see in every other kitchen.  SO once I seen the domino drawers I wanted to try it out and run it pass the boss.  

The Domiplate made this very easy!!    I just cut four pieces of 19mm birch ply at 300mm.  Routed a 5mm rabbit for the bottom.  Attached the Domiplate to my domino.  Lined up the pins too the sides and plunged.  I love not having to mark each piece for each mortise.  Each plunge was dead center of the plywood.
Here are some pics for show and tell.

This first pic is how I made the mortise for the front and back.  28mm plunge cut.
[attachthumb=#]

This pic is how I did the thru mortise cut.  I used a backer to avoid blowing out the work piece.
[attachthumb=#]

A view of the mortise cuts.
[attachthumb=#]

Putting it together.
[attachthumb=#]

Dry fit the box.  It came out perfect!  Very happy with the results!!
[attachthumb=#]

I pulled out the old Porter Cable Trim router and cleaned the domino sticking out of the box.  I wanted to leave the domino long so I could flush cut the tenon.  AFTER using the Porter Cable router I wanted to kick myself for not using my OF1400.  I think the speed of the PC was too fast and burnt the Domino tenon.  So the next test box  I make will be with the OF1400 and a new flush cut bit.   I may buy some Sippo tenons so I can get a color contrast.  
[attachthumb=#]

So just my two cents about the Domiplate.  GET ONE!!!!  I can't wait to use it when I make my cabinets.  I now know how my drawers will be made for the kitchen.  
[attachthumb=#]

And yes.  That is BLAKLADER vest and pants I have on.   I freakin' love the Blaklader vest!  Buy one of those too!!!  
Thanks for looking.  

Eric

Eric,
Are you using 5 or 6mm domino's

Frank

 

[erock]

Frank,

    For this box I used an  8 x 50mm domino.  I left the domino proud so I could flush cut it, I believe I left it 6mm proud (maybe more?).    I used  3/4" (19mm)

plywood.  I set the Domino plunge depth at 28 for the front and back pieces.  And  clamped a scrap piece of mdf to the side pieces to make my thru plunges. 

Last thing I want  to do is make a Domino mortise on the top of my MFT tables.

I will make a couple more examples for the wife to choose from.  I plan on using every domino size available.  And play around with the number of

domino's and the spacing. 

I would say be creative.  Use different sizes and see what looks best to you. 

Hope this helped.

Eric

 

[Zacharytanner]

Thanks Eric

 

[rmwarren]

Frank,

     For this box I used an  8 x 50mm domino.   I left the domino proud so I could flush cut it, I believe I left it 6mm proud (maybe more?).     I used  3/4" (19mm)

plywood.   I set the Domino plunge depth at 28 for the front and back pieces.  And  clamped a scrap piece of mdf to the side pieces to make my thru plunges. 

Last thing I want  to do is make a Domino mortise on the top of my MFT tables.

I will make a couple more examples for the wife to choose from.   I plan on using every domino size available.   And play around with the number of

domino's and the spacing.   

I would say be creative.  Use different sizes and see what looks best to you. 

Hope this helped.

Eric

Eric,

Did you consider or try plunging thru both pieces at once? I have not tried it myself but I wonder if it would work and thereby speed things up and eliminate any chance of misalignment?

RMW

 

[erock]

RMW,

    Once I completed this test drawer, I did think to myself "why not plunge two pieces at once, or clamp the drawer together and do all four side."

I have not tried it yet.  I may have too.  I would just need to make sure the clamps don't get in the way.

But with the pins on the face of the Domino and the Domiplate,  I have to say it really took no time to make all the cuts.  Plus, I think that

maybe clamping the drawer pieces together, squaring them up so everything lines up, and stays inline during the plunging process may just take

a few more minutes to set up.  Rather then just do them individually.  But worth checking into.  Thanks!

Eric

 

[hobbes]

Looks good!  [thumbs up]

Just a suggestion since you're looking for more contrast you can buy some walnut dominos made by Tuffer. I got some 8x50mm ones from Woodcraft that they currently still have on clearance.

 

[rmwarren]

Eric,

Good point that the time saved in cutting will probably be lost in aligning/clamping.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"...  [big grin]

Thanks,

RMW

 

[mastercabman]

That's really nice!
Are you planning on having the dominos to show on the side of the drawers?
I think it's much quicker to do it that way than doing dovetail joints,witch i think it's a little over rated for kitchen cabinets.

 

[erock]

Hobbes,  Thanks.  I will look into the walnut domino.  Show the wife and let her make the call.  Since it's a clearance item, I may just buy them. One never knows when he might need a walnut domino.

Mastercabman,  Yes,  the plan and idea behind the domino drawer is to show off the beauty of the domino  [laughing].
  Yes,  dovetails for kitchen cabinets have become a little over rated.  That's why I'm going the domino route.
How may kitchens have them at a detail?

I could make dovetail drawers,  this method is Faster, Easier and Smarter    [big grin]

Eric

 

[Trosey]

Good point that the time saved in cutting will probably be lost in aligning/clamping.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"...  Big Grin......

Disagree.....try using that old dovetail jig(that is collecting dust) to do the aligning/clamping....3 plunges per corner..12 per box...how long does that take???

Easy----Peezy

faster-easier-smarter [big grin]

 

[Alan m]

that wouldnt work trosey  as the clamp at the front would be in the way but good thinking.
i am sure you could make a jig to hold the pieces . make a 4 sided box with fences on it to hole the pieces square and a few toggle clamps. put a stop at the back to hold the piece out the thickness of the other piece
i have a few boxs to make i a few weeks and might make a jig like this

 

[erock]

Alan,

    You must have Jedi mind powers.  I have been thinking of this since RMW brought up the fact of cutting two pieces at one time.

A nice shop made jig would come in really handy for holding all the pieces together to make all the plunges at one time.

As a matter of fact, I have maybe 4 -6 toggle clamps in a tote somewhere in my shop.  Maybe this could be a project in the near future.  [scratch chin]

Eric

 

[Alan m]

as a side question. is the 4mm o5 etc long enough to go through  all of the material (lets say 8 or 12mm) and enough into the other piece

 

[Trosey]

Alan stated...."that wouldnt work trosey"

I don't know WHY it will not work.  I have been doing it that way for over three years.

For S's and G's, I just went out to the shop and set up my Leigh Super 24 dove tail jig so that I can better explain how it is done.....

1. set the fingers/ template off to the side..not needed for the domino method
2. set the router DC fixture off to the side.....not needed for the domino method
3. adjust the front clamp to hold the vertical member(drawer side)
4. adjust the top/back clamp to hold the horizontal(drawer fronts and backs)
5. put a drawer side into the front clamp with the top above the plane where the horizontal member will be.Clamp down.
6. put the horizontal member into the top clamp and side it forward until it is against and square with the vertical member. Clamp down.
7. loosen the front clamp and lower the vertical member until it is flush and square with the horizontal member. Clamp down.
8. Pick up your domino jointer with the left pin flush and bumped up against the  left edge on your clamped up corner. Plunge.
9. Align the right  pin flush and bumped up against the right corner. Plunge.
10. draw a line in about the center of the box and plunge.
11. repeat the above for the other three corners.

I could have domino-ed three boxes together with glue in less time than it took me to describe the procedure.

BTW is your last name O'Quinn? My FIL's name was O'Quinn. He was always telling me that it wouldn't work. [smile]

 

[rmwarren]

Alan stated...."that wouldnt work trosey"

I don't know WHY it will not work.  I have been doing it that way for over three years.

For S's and G's, I just went out to the shop and set up my Leigh Super 24 dove tail jig so that I can better explain how it is done.....

1. set the fingers/ template off to the side..not needed for the domino method
2. set the router DC fixture off to the side.....not needed for the domino method
3. adjust the front clamp to hold the vertical member(drawer side)
4. adjust the top/back clamp to hold the horizontal(drawer fronts and backs)
5. put a drawer side into the front clamp with the top above the plane where the horizontal member will be.Clamp down.
6. put the horizontal member into the top clamp and side it forward until it is against and square with the vertical member. Clamp down.
7. loosen the front clamp and lower the vertical member until it is flush and square with the horizontal member. Clamp down.
8. Pick up your domino jointer with the left pin flush and bumped up against the  left edge on your clamped up corner. Plunge.
9. Align the right  pin flush and bumped up against the right corner. Plunge.
10. draw a line in about the center of the box and plunge.
11. repeat the above for the other three corners.

I could have domino-ed three boxes together with glue in less time than it took me to describe the procedure.

BTW is your last name O'Quinn? My FIL's name was O'Quinn. He was always telling me that it wouldn't work. [smile]

Guess I need to buy a dovetail jig to domino my drawer boxes with...  [poke]

RMW

 

[Alan m]

Alan stated...."that wouldnt work trosey"

I don't know WHY it will not work.  I have been doing it that way for over three years.

For S's and G's, I just went out to the shop and set up my Leigh Super 24 dove tail jig so that I can better explain how it is done.....

1. set the fingers/ template off to the side..not needed for the domino method
2. set the router DC fixture off to the side.....not needed for the domino method
3. adjust the front clamp to hold the vertical member(drawer side)
4. adjust the top/back clamp to hold the horizontal(drawer fronts and backs)
5. put a drawer side into the front clamp with the top above the plane where the horizontal member will be.Clamp down.
6. put the horizontal member into the top clamp and side it forward until it is against and square with the vertical member. Clamp down.
7. loosen the front clamp and lower the vertical member until it is flush and square with the horizontal member. Clamp down.
8. Pick up your domino jointer with the left pin flush and bumped up against the  left edge on your clamped up corner. Plunge.
9. Align the right  pin flush and bumped up against the right corner. Plunge.
10. draw a line in about the center of the box and plunge.
11. repeat the above for the other three corners.

I could have domino-ed three boxes together with glue in less time than it took me to describe the procedure.

BTW is your last name O'Quinn? My FIL's name was O'Quinn. He was always telling me that it wouldn't work. [smile]

i stand corrected.
sorry.
in most case i dont think it would work
have you a pic of that set up just for clarity.

i have a cheap dovtail jig and have used a few better ones buy i dont think that the clamp was low enough for the fence not to hit. the clamp on those jigs is up high so that it clamps near the top.
i know that the fence is easily over 86mm(height of a sys 1 mftb box ,tim tools plans.) from the dominplate to the top of the fence.