What is best method to stabilize domino in middle of board

scr00ge

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Joined
Mar 28, 2012
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8
Hello, I have just got my domino and put it right into production.  I notice it wants to kick when in the middle of a board without an edge to grab, I had the base support bracket on.  The material is prefinish maple,which tends to be a slippery surface. I was using domino to join the deck to a partition of an upper cabinet.  I'm sure this question has been asked, and someone could direct me to the post.  Thanks :)

IMG_20130121_164724_683.jpg"


 
First I would suggest that you slow down your plunge rate.  The Domino IMO has a learning curve.  I am assuming that you are placing the Domino against something.  If you continue to have issues and the Domino is constantly kicking one way you could of course make some sort og stop block.

Peter
 
scr00ge said:
Hello, I have just got my domino and put it right into production.  I notice it wants to kick when in the middle of a board without an edge to grab, I had the base support bracket on.  The material is prefinish maple,which tends to be a slippery surface. I was using domino to join the deck to a partition of an upper cabinet.  I'm sure this question has been asked, and someone could direct me to the post.  Thanks :)


Are you trying to do a field domino with no stationary support for the base?
 
Brandon said:
scr00ge said:
Hello, I have just got my domino and put it right into production.  I notice it wants to kick when in the middle of a board without an edge to grab, I had the base support bracket on.  The material is prefinish maple,which tends to be a slippery surface. I was using domino to join the deck to a partition of an upper cabinet.  I'm sure this question has been asked, and someone could direct me to the post.  Thanks :)


Are you trying to do a field domino with no stationary support for the base?

I guess I could have finished my thought either way. I'm sure there are numerous ways that people do what I call field dominos. When I use my domino to build cabinet boxes and the dominos aren't on the end of a board I generally use my mft table and the flip down guide rail in conjunction with the flag stop for support for the base of the domino. I index off the bottom of the domino, which takes some getting use to for the proper alignment, I generally using 3/4" material so I'm use to it.
I've also used just the guide rail with different clamps in the same manor, the parallel edge guides with guide rails work well also.
The mft flip down guide rail and flag stop is probably the easiest for consistent repeated field dominos though
 
As was said use the rail. If you pinch with one hand and plunge with the other it works well.

Don't forget to set the depth of plunge to 12 or 15mm. Remember it is 10mm from the base to the center of the bit. Use the 20 height setting when mortising your shelf, set set of plunge as needed.

Tom
 
Take the support bracket off, that works best to help stabilize at the end of a board.  As has been shown with the guide rail, pretty much any good straight edge firmly clamped in place will do. If you slide the fence all the way to the top, you will be able to get a better hold on the handle to press down and against the fence very solidly.

I like to clamp a solid square across the piece and use the measurements to consistently locate the Dominos from piece to piece. I thought I has a pic or a post of it but can't find it now.

The distance from the base of the Domino (the part against the straight edge ) to the center of the mortise is 10mm. Which is oretty close to 3/8" which will pretty nearly center it for 3/4" material. All in all a very handy method.

Seth
 
I needed to do something like that with some 3/4 ply when making a double-wide sysport.  I drew a line down the middle of the base (actually 10mm to the side).  I then laid the middle upright on its side and clamped it to the base along that line.  Then I marked the domino positions and was able to do both the base and middle upright in one go, dominoing down into the base, and sideways into the upright.  One direction was done tight, the other direction loose.

At least I like to think I did it that way.  In reality, I think I assumed laying the domino flat on the base was going to magically bore into the center of the upright, and there was some confusion about how far from the actually center to clamp the upright.  I'm just glad I hadn't cut the shelves first.

      Scott
 
Peter Halle said:
First I would suggest that you slow down your plunge rate.  The Domino IMO has a learning curve.  I am assuming that you are placing the Domino against something.  If you continue to have issues and the Domino is constantly kicking one way you could of course make some sort og stop block.

Peter

+1!  Listen to the motor as you plunge.  If there's a dramatically noticeable change in motor speed as you plunge, you're plunging too fast, and THAT can cause the Domino tool to slip right or left.  The advice from others to use the guide rail is right on target. 

 
Thanks again everyone, I like the idea of using the bottom of the domino to reference from, will be more consistent.  At least with 3/4 sheet goods.
 
festoolviking said:
Here is a little jig I came up with. It's a piece of plywood with the edge routed to fit the edge of the guide-rail. Two holes with M5 screws, nuts and washers used as a grip when tightening it to the domino.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cvjl9xyudeqikp6/Photo%202013-01-23%2018%2023%2018.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4f515nyug8lra1l/Photo%202013-01-23%2018%2023%2002.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ff1629q3zh13ybl/Photo%202013-01-23%2018%2022%2018.jpg

Festoolviking

FV,

You’re definitely thinking out of the box with this solution.  You came up with a great strategy to use the rail.  You’d definitely would have to use a router/router table to make the rabbit for the track.  Most table saw Dado blades don’t cut rabbits as smooth as a router bit will.
 
Trying to figure out what you are doing - are you trying to fix (say) a horizontal board to a vertical board or something similar?  Like fitting a shelf between 2 vertical cabinet sides?

It took me while to get to grips with this method of joining boards at 90 degrees in the middle of another piece, but I just built a small shelf unit this way and I'm pleased to say all the slots ended up in the right place and it all went together square!
=1m46s
 
tjbnwi said:
As was said use the rail. If you pinch with one hand and plunge with the other it works well.

Don't forget to set the depth of plunge to 12 or 15mm. Remember it is 10mm from the base to the center of the bit. Use the 20 height setting when mortising your shelf, set set of plunge as needed.

Tom

[member=4105]tjbnwi[/member] I was wondering if you still have these images. I know its a long shot but I thought I would ask.
 
thedevme said:
tjbnwi said:
As was said use the rail. If you pinch with one hand and plunge with the other it works well.

Don't forget to set the depth of plunge to 12 or 15mm. Remember it is 10mm from the base to the center of the bit. Use the 20 height setting when mortising your shelf, set set of plunge as needed.

Tom

[member=4105]tjbnwi[/member] I was wondering if you still have these images. I know its a long shot but I thought I would ask.

Just looked, not on computers I'm currently using.

Tom
 
A jig or clamped straight edge, or guide rail will all eliminate any chance of drift. In those sort of applications, thinking of the Domino as a router will aid any solutions needed.
 
tjbnwi said:
thedevme said:
tjbnwi said:
As was said use the rail. If you pinch with one hand and plunge with the other it works well.

Don't forget to set the depth of plunge to 12 or 15mm. Remember it is 10mm from the base to the center of the bit. Use the 20 height setting when mortising your shelf, set set of plunge as needed.

Tom

[member=4105]tjbnwi[/member] I was wondering if you still have these images. I know its a long shot but I thought I would ask.

Just looked, not on computers I'm currently using.

Tom

Alright thanks Tom
 
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