The smaller, 3mm (1/8"?), Domino bit and tennons?

[Andrius]

Hello,

Why there are no smaller, 3mm size Domino bit ant tennons available? They might be usefull in connecting thinnier plywood, such as 8-9mm (3/8"?). Domino tennon might be 3x16x20mm or 3x16x15mm size.
Is it possible to gringe down the smallest available, 4mm bit down 3mm by tool sharpening companies?

Has anyone tried this?

 

[luvmytoolz]

I would guess they don't make them as they wouldn't be practical.

The sideways forces plunging a narrow bit are enormous, that's why the 4mm only plunges 10mm or so. A 3mm bit would snap the first time it was plunged.

I use 3mm (and smaller) cutters on my cnc all the time, but the motion is a smoothly controlled linear path that gradually deepens.

The aggressive plunge and side to side operation of the Domino push the cutters pretty hard.

 

[Andrius]

Well, as of plunge speed, this is in total control of the operator of Domino.

 

[luvmytoolz]

And the cutter swinging sideways WHILE plunging doesn't impact?

This sort of sideways force is the reason 99% of cutters break.

Mind you, if you scale the DOC as compared to the 4, 5, and 6mm cutters, a 3mm cutter would probably be designed to cut to 3-5mm at best, not very useful in general.

 

[MikeGE]

Hello,

Why there are no smaller, 3mm size Domino bit ant tennons available? They might be usefull in connecting thinnier plywood, such as 8-9mm (3/8"?). Domino tennon might be 3x16x20mm or 3x16x15mm size.
Is it possible to gringe down the smallest available, 4mm bit down 3mm by tool sharpening companies?

Has anyone tried this?

If I needed a 3mm tenon for thinner stock, I would use a biscuit cutter instead of a Domino.  As [member=75933]luvmytoolz[/member] wrote, I doubt any 3mm cutter would last long given the aggressive side to side movement.

 

[ChuckM]

With care, one can easily use the 4mm cutter on 8mm or 9mm thick plywood. I have done three projects with 5mm thick plywood using the 4mm cutter, one example of which is this:https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/member-projects/sorting-trays-(5mm-ply)-done-with-df500-4mm-tenons/#msg662850

Alternatively, the Veritas Domino Joinery Table can be used with a spacer sheet or shims on the table and a 4mm cutter to work on very thin plywood (down to 5mm stock). The Joinery Table, once properly set up, removes the user technique factor.

[attachimg=1]

That said, if someone made a durable 3mm cutter, I'd be interested in it.