Gary Nichols
Member
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2007
- Messages
- 92
Of the handful of Festools that I own, the Domino has to be the most "Metric Intensive" tool perched atop my CT-Mini. Four cutter diameters, three mortise widths for each one, five plunge depths, and an adjustable fence that offers two different measurement methods, all in metric. Probably no other tool in their lineup has been the subject of so many "Imperial vs. Metric" threads on the FOG, even before it's arrival in the "Imperial" Colonies. My wife sometimes tells me I "need to let go", which is her polite way of saying that I'm being anal again. Such was the case with my new Domino, when even before leaving the store, I asked them to order a replacement sliding stop block (part #464822) so I could file down the steps, maybe even drill & tap them for small nylon set screws, to give my Domino an adjustable, and truly Imperial fence. But while waiting for a part that would never arrive, I accidentally stumbled onto an alternate method of making repeatable fence height settings in Imperial. While working on a jig to center plunge cuts closer to a corner than the retracting pins offer, I experimented with a spacer block that would use the retracting pins on both the Domino and the cross stop outriggers to hold it in place.
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I used some 3/4" stock and simply out of habit, centered the 5mm holes 3/8" in from the edge, which when the fence was dropped to 90? and lowered to the wood block, automatically centered the cut in 3/4" stock. How serendipitous; a simple jig that repeatedly sets both the fence height and centers end plunges 1" from the edge for my 2" face frames. But while the cross stop outriggers work well for their original intended purpose, they become cumbersome and in the way quite quickly in full-time use. The wood block would need to attach to something on the Domino itself. Experimented with alligator clips and paper clips to grab the fence edge, even a prototype featuring a pined 5mm Domino as a pivoting latch, notched to grab the fence, ballpoint pen spring, fed in from the back for pressure...
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But the simplest, most convenient, least imposing jig uses magnets. I looked at placing magnets on the backside of the fence, but when the fence is flipped up, there's just no room back there for magnets of any size. I assumed the pins were stainless until there was a thread on FOG, using magnets directly on the pins. In my version, a 3/16"-24 threaded coupling was pressed into a pre-drilled hole in the wood block, then the threads drilled out with a #8 or #9 drill bit, whichever fits your Domino pins best. You really need a drill press to keep it all square. If you value your Forstner bits, be sure to drill for the 1/2" diameter magnets before pressing the coupling in place. The Domino fence keeps the jig square and the jig easily switches between left and right sides. A 1/4"-20 nylon nut set into the block allows for a nylon adjustment screw and jam nut.
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One major drawback with all these designs so far, is that you need to make one for each thickness of material you wish to center your fence on. So now for a prototype that rides up and down with the fence yet maintains registration with the pins, and depends on the Domino's sliding block for height repeatability, be it the original Metric one, or perhaps one modified for Imperial.
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The 5mm pin slot is cut from both sides, with the Domino set at the widest orbit. The block of hardwood needs to be thick enough that the 10-24 nylon depth-adjustment screw will not interfere with the pins on either side as the fence and clothespin ride up and down.
Now, I can live with the Domino sizes, widths and plunge depths being Metric, but I make traditional, non-euro cabinets and most of the material I use comes in Imperial measure, so my fence has... make that had... to be Imperial.. Until Jerry Work's treatise finally came out, showing 20mm panel doors with 5mm Dominos centered in the 10mm panel groove and rail tongues. And suddenly, all became right with the world, sort of. Who said that cabinet doors and face frames had to be 3/4" anyway? Most 4/4 hardwood I get here, unless still un-surfaced, comes less than 1" thick, but at least thick enough to joint your pieces flat then thickness plane to 20mm thick. But as long as our local lumberyard sells 2x lumber and 4'x8' sheets of plywood, I"ll continue measuring ambidextrously, but at least I no longer "need to let go".
(more photos later)
Gary Nichols
[attachimg=#]
I used some 3/4" stock and simply out of habit, centered the 5mm holes 3/8" in from the edge, which when the fence was dropped to 90? and lowered to the wood block, automatically centered the cut in 3/4" stock. How serendipitous; a simple jig that repeatedly sets both the fence height and centers end plunges 1" from the edge for my 2" face frames. But while the cross stop outriggers work well for their original intended purpose, they become cumbersome and in the way quite quickly in full-time use. The wood block would need to attach to something on the Domino itself. Experimented with alligator clips and paper clips to grab the fence edge, even a prototype featuring a pined 5mm Domino as a pivoting latch, notched to grab the fence, ballpoint pen spring, fed in from the back for pressure...
[attachimg=#]
But the simplest, most convenient, least imposing jig uses magnets. I looked at placing magnets on the backside of the fence, but when the fence is flipped up, there's just no room back there for magnets of any size. I assumed the pins were stainless until there was a thread on FOG, using magnets directly on the pins. In my version, a 3/16"-24 threaded coupling was pressed into a pre-drilled hole in the wood block, then the threads drilled out with a #8 or #9 drill bit, whichever fits your Domino pins best. You really need a drill press to keep it all square. If you value your Forstner bits, be sure to drill for the 1/2" diameter magnets before pressing the coupling in place. The Domino fence keeps the jig square and the jig easily switches between left and right sides. A 1/4"-20 nylon nut set into the block allows for a nylon adjustment screw and jam nut.
[attachimg=#]
[attachimg=#]
One major drawback with all these designs so far, is that you need to make one for each thickness of material you wish to center your fence on. So now for a prototype that rides up and down with the fence yet maintains registration with the pins, and depends on the Domino's sliding block for height repeatability, be it the original Metric one, or perhaps one modified for Imperial.
[attachimg=#]
[attachimg=#]
[attachimg=#]
The 5mm pin slot is cut from both sides, with the Domino set at the widest orbit. The block of hardwood needs to be thick enough that the 10-24 nylon depth-adjustment screw will not interfere with the pins on either side as the fence and clothespin ride up and down.
Now, I can live with the Domino sizes, widths and plunge depths being Metric, but I make traditional, non-euro cabinets and most of the material I use comes in Imperial measure, so my fence has... make that had... to be Imperial.. Until Jerry Work's treatise finally came out, showing 20mm panel doors with 5mm Dominos centered in the 10mm panel groove and rail tongues. And suddenly, all became right with the world, sort of. Who said that cabinet doors and face frames had to be 3/4" anyway? Most 4/4 hardwood I get here, unless still un-surfaced, comes less than 1" thick, but at least thick enough to joint your pieces flat then thickness plane to 20mm thick. But as long as our local lumberyard sells 2x lumber and 4'x8' sheets of plywood, I"ll continue measuring ambidextrously, but at least I no longer "need to let go".
(more photos later)
Gary Nichols
