My (unusual) take on the Domino DF 500...

[Stevenski]

Dear FOGgers

Some of you may be aware that I not so long ago took the plunge and purchased a DF500 (thank you so much for your pre-purchase help, by the way!!)
I have now had some time with it and given a bit of test drive and I "review" it in my new video diary.

Maybe you would be so kind and give me 10 minutes of your time and take a look at what I think of the Domino and how I used it in a way that I haven't seen in any text book

FYI - I am very serious about what I am doing and making even I do not take myself too seriously in the process
Let me know what you think - I am thick-skinned (not really hehe)

Very best!
Stevenski

 

[ChuckS]

Congrats on using your DF500 with great results -- and satisfaction.

Two things came to mind that would help you achieve precision when making vertical plunges:

1) Find a spacer (any scrap) of the same thickness as the work and lay it by the work to enlarge the registration surface for your machine
2) Use the support bracket when making vertical cuts, or better, use an upgraded support bracket for added stability (such as the TSO Bigfoot or a 3D printed bracket (Etsy is one of the sources or anyone who has a 3 D printer) - https://festoolownersgroup.com/thre...domino-that-is-the-question.77064/post-750746

Even though new to the machine, you just proved some naysayers wrong who think the Domino machine isn't worth its weight in gold.

 

[Michael Kellough]

That is a clever use of the Domino. Many people have made stuff from “long Dominos” that they custom made but this is the first use I’ve seen of the fan array.

While it looks like it worked out just fine I think your mortise angles might not be what you expected them to be. This is because the Domino fence did not completely contact the work surface. The base of the machine is proud of the fence when the fence is angled. This makes the angle you get less than the angle the fence is set to. So if you set the fence to 10 degrees the mortise would be about 7 degrees. Your stock is flexible so this discrepancy didn’t prevent the piece from being assembled. To avoid the discrepancy just add a flat shim (about 10mm) to the face of the fence then you can go by the degree increments on the tool.

 

[ChuckS]

That is a clever use of the Domino. Many people have made stuff from “long Dominos” that they custom made but this is the first use I’ve seen of the fan array.

While it looks like it worked out just fine I think your mortise angles might not be what you expected them to be. This is because the Domino fence did not completely contact the work surface. The base of the machine is proud of the fence when the fence is angled. This makes the angle you get less than the angle the fence is set to. So if you set the fence to 10 degrees the mortise would be about 7 degrees. Your stock is flexible so this discrepancy didn’t prevent the piece from being assembled. To avoid the discrepancy just add a flat shim (about 10mm) to the face of the fence then you can go by the degree increments on the tool.

Good point about the angles @Michael Kellough

 

[Stevenski]

Congrats on using your DF500 with great results -- and satisfaction.

Two things came to mind that would help you achieve precision when making vertical plunges:

1) Find a spacer (any scrap) of the same thickness as the work and lay it by the work to enlarge the registration surface for your machine
2) Use the support bracket when making vertical cuts, or better, use an upgraded support bracket for added stability (such as the TSO Bigfoot or a 3D printed bracket (Etsy is one of the sources or anyone who has a 3 D printer) - https://festoolownersgroup.com/thre...domino-that-is-the-question.77064/post-750746

Even though new to the machine, you just proved some naysayers wrong who think the Domino machine isn't worth its weight in gold.

Two excellent pieces of advice, many thanks!

BTW funnily enough that post is from a thread I started last year when I was deliberating whether to get the DF or DFC and was looking for wise advice then also One of my challenges I have set myself is to try 3D printing and I am waiting on a Bambu Lab A1 so I will definitely be giving that support bracket a look in!

Did you print yours yourself?

 

[Stevenski]

While it looks like it worked out just fine I think your mortise angles might not be what you expected them to be. This is because the Domino fence did not completely contact the work surface. The base of the machine is proud of the fence when the fence is angled. This makes the angle you get less than the angle the fence is set to. So if you set the fence to 10 degrees the mortise would be about 7 degrees. Your stock is flexible so this discrepancy didn’t prevent the piece from being assembled. To avoid the discrepancy just add a flat shim (about 10mm) to the face of the fence then you can go by the degree increments on the tool.

Fantastic feedback! Thank you so much - I will take a second look at that to fully understand the nitty-gritty of the point you are making. But for sure you are right and I "got away with it" this time, it seems...

again, many thanks for the great advice!

 

[ChuckS]

Two excellent pieces of advice, many thanks!

BTW funnily enough that post is from a thread I started last year when I was deliberating whether to get the DF or DFC and was looking for wise advice then also One of my challenges I have set myself is to try 3D printing and I am waiting on a Bambu Lab A1 so I will definitely be giving that support bracket a look in!

Did you print yours yourself?

Oh, you own that thread! A woodworking buddy's bro printed it along with the DF500 handle for me ($20 Cdn each). He also printed these lateral spacers for me: https://festoolownersgroup.com/threads/festool-domino-lateral-offset-spacers.76821/post-742585

 

[Stevenski]

That is a clever use of the Domino. Many people have made stuff from “long Dominos” that they custom made but this is the first use I’ve seen of the fan array.

While it looks like it worked out just fine I think your mortise angles might not be what you expected them to be. This is because the Domino fence did not completely contact the work surface. The base of the machine is proud of the fence when the fence is angled. This makes the angle you get less than the angle the fence is set to. So if you set the fence to 10 degrees the mortise would be about 7 degrees. Your stock is flexible so this discrepancy didn’t prevent the piece from being assembled. To avoid the discrepancy just add a flat shim (about 10mm) to the face of the fence then you can go by the degree increments on the tool.

@Michael Kellough - I wanted to thank you again for pointing this out!

This was bugging me bigly so I went down to my workshop to investigate. You are of course 100% right. I can now see the issue you pointed out - the full surface of the plate is indeed not completely flat on the work piece. Importantly I now understand WHY you are right. Serious kudos for having the kind of brain that can "see" that

In my particular usage case the angles involved are relatively small and there was so much "guesstimation" involved and places for inaccuracies to slip in that it covered my sins. I checked and all of my slats are to within 0,5 of a degree of my intended angle that I set on the DF500 - so not too bad. However, when I set the Domino to 22,5 or 45 degrees, the angles were off by way more! As you suggest, shimming would resolve the issue (although theoretically every angle would require it's specific shim )

It would be easy for me to say the fact I only have 2 months experience with the machine was the cause of my error but that wouldn't be the whole truth It is more about not fully understanding how the machine works and an ability to visualise the geometries involved. But thanks to you, I am now a Stevenski 2.0 upgraded version and for that, I thank you. Seriously. The main reason I am exploring this hobby (and others) is to stop my brain stagnating and my strategy is paying dividends today!

If I ever use my "DIY(not) DominOhMyGod" technique again, I will for sure remember your advice!

 

[Michael Kellough]

“shimming would resolve the issue (although theoretically every angle would require it's specific shim )” you are ahead of me on this. I hadn’t considered that and while I don’t have a machine nearby to check I don’t think different angles need different shims…but… Just discovered there are more emojis than I ever imagined.

 

[Stevenski]

Just discovered there are more emojis than I ever imagined.

hahahaha!

Take a look, I think you'll find that it might. Or at least it looked that way to me
The greater angle you set on the Domino, the larger shim you seem to need to raise up the far end of the plate to get it parallel to the work surface. But maybe I am missing something again?

 

[Michael Kellough]

hahahaha!

Take a look, I think you'll find that it might. Or at least it looked that way to me
The greater angle you set on the Domino, the larger shim you seem to need to raise up the far end of the plate to get it parallel to the work surface. But maybe I am missing something again?

I get it now, it's the clearance issue. Just use a 20mm shim (guessing) and you're good for all angles.