Woodpeckers OneTIME Domino Offset Base (US)

Shane Holland

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Woodpeckers newest OneTIME Tool, the DF500 Offset Base makes the revolutionary Festool Domino now even better. It provides an amazingly rigid platform that insures proper mortise geometry even when making large runs of cabinets and furniture parts. And the system comes in a Systainer style case that stacks and locks perfectly with Festool Systainers.

Available in imperial and metric scales. If you are using this with the Domino XL, you will need the optional spacers.

Woodpeckers OneTIME Domino Offset Base

Order deadline is Monday, May 22, 2017.
 
This is interesting...there has always been something about this that I'm puzzled about.  Woodpeckers, in my opinion, should have shown this in the promotional video.

How would you Domino two work pieces that need to mate at 90 degrees?  Does this system allow for the same registration when turned on its face?  Do the depth setting bushings correctly align on the face of the work piece to allow for flush joinery?

Anyone have experience from using this the last time it was produced?
 
This is a reissue and I have the original.

The outrigger set up is excellent but I wish  the cross stop connection was set up to take the place of the flimsy cross stop wings provided by Festool. The chief frustration with the offset base is it does not allow for upright plunge cuts. If the outrigger had been built to fit into the V track on the side as the Festool cross stop does, it would have allowed upright plunge cuts as well

The second frustration is the set height lengths seriously limit the utility of the jig. The jig should have provided a set of washers to give more flexibility to height adjustments. I suppose you could just fiddle with some washers to make it work. The original offered more height options with an expanded set of height options. I have not checked the website to see if they are offering these again.

Lastly, we really need a self-centering attachment for centering mortises in stock ends as well as a more robust cross stop that functions as well as the one in the Woodpeckers offset base but will allow upright plunge cuts.

Otherwise, with some limited utility due to not being able to make upright plunge mortises, and the limitations on height options, this will meet most needs. Change over in height does not take that long but I always worry about keeping track of loose parts. A dial height adjustment might have been an engineering possibility.

I think in terms of disclosure, Woodpecker might handle reissues with something like  " OneTIME Domino Offset Base (US) II"
 
Doesn't the online info clearly identify it as a re-issue of a One-Time Tool? I thought it was there upfront.

I guess, when I buy anything, especially one of the Woodpecker One-Time Tools, I generally buy it for one main reason. Every One-Time Tool I've bought has done one thing very well and not much else. In the case of the Offset Base, I found it works well for establishing a more solid base when doing normal Domino work, but not really much else. It probably does a great job spacing dominos across a long piece because of the stops included. I don't use it for that very much, so haven't gotten real comfortable with it. I personally had it made for me so that I ended up with extensions which were marked the same for each side of zero because I would not likely ever need to go out to 54" so I now have two sets of extensions marked the same and start in the center of a board and go out on either side from there without moving the extensions to the other side. Even at that I don't use them much and really feel it's strong point for me is that it gives me a solid, sure base for plunging keeping the Domino in place without exerting a lot of pressure. I like the spacers. Mostly I don't care about centering the domino in wood thickness, but sometimes I do and this gives me a quick, accurate way to do it with the stability of the offset base. I may even buy the spacers for thicker wood because I did have a need for that awhile back. I also saw they have an adapter for use with the 700XL. Is that new? Never saw it before.

The MFT Square serves one purpose for me also. Although it might do a lot of other things, it's main function for me is to square up the fence on the MFT and it does that better than any other tool I have. Again, this is me. I don't know how others use these tools and I don't use them for production; merely my enjoyment of woodworking, so I'm not concerned about efficiency; just quality and functionality for the purpose for which I bought them.
 
bnaboatbuilder said:
From the first time this was available to now, my opinion hasn't changed, the outrigger is a silly accessory. Just put pencil marks on your work, match center and plunge. Outriggers, flip stops and extensions add nothing to productivity or accuracy, just more hassle.

The pencil mark and center thing works for me...  I'm just wondering if there's something more that I'm missing.
 
bnaboatbuilder said:
From the first time this was available to now, my opinion hasn't changed, the outrigger is a silly accessory. Just put pencil marks on your work, match center and plunge. Outriggers, flip stops and extensions add nothing to productivity or accuracy, just more hassle.

Agreed!
 
[member=61231]HarveyWildes[/member] I don't think you're missing much. I find the base helps me ensure stability and no movement of the Domino. You are right that the outriggers have had very little use by me. It was one of those things that I thought I would use them and don't. I still love the base and the spacers. Sometimes I just want the Dominos in the center of the wood thickness, but mostly it's not necessary. It's a really cool tool, but probably overpriced as a set. I still think the base was worth it for me.
 
I don't understand why they use a socket head screw to secure the spacers and not a thumbscrew or knurled knob. I watch the video and the guy is threading this socket head screw in by hand. Not doubt he tightened it up with an Allen wrench but I don't understand. Make the whole jig tool less and do away with the need for the Allen wrench.
 
I have multiple WP's tools/accessories (and Pinnacle before them).
Pricey... But like Festool... Worth the cost to me.
I've been a hobbyist/wood worker for 15+ years, but "production" (using the outriggers) isn't the reason I buy/use/collect Festool/Leigh Nielsen/Leigh Jig/Woodpeckers/etc.
Tools that make me a better craftsman are worth the "premium" cost to me.
And they do.

With Seneca's Muli-position Guide Stop and Self Centering Guide Stop no longer available - And their Symtrax replacement still waiting (months now) availability -
WP's Offset Base accessory is looking pretty good.

If the WP Offset Base is really that good (And I'd rather use my DF 500 and XL 700 "right side up", anyway) - I'll probably sell my Seneca Domiplate and Domino-Shim.

Do I NEED this accessory package? Maybe. Maybe not.
Do I WANT it? Yes. Will I BUY it? Probably.

Also... Just wondering:
Even though I've gotten used to working with metrics... I'm still more comfortable with imperial inches.
But..
With 25.4 millimeter markings - Versus sixteen 1/16" - To the inch -
It would seem that more detailed accuracy -
Could be exacted with the metric version (more increment markings).
Any thoughts about whether I should buy the metric or imperial version?
What are you guys buying?
 
Joe Felchlin said:
I've been a hobbyist/wood worker for 15+ years, but "production" isn't the reason I buy/use/collect Festool/Leigh Nielsen/Leigh Jig/Woodpeckers/etc.

I can assure you that professional "production" crowd is not even Woodpeckers target audience.
 
I fielded a question in a PM about drawer making and adapting the Domino Offset Base to upright cuts.

The Offset Base only does stabilized horizontal cuts. If held against the end of a drawer, the rounded overhangs to the height plugs do not provide a stable surface and the base rocks. This base is perfect for high production horizontal cuts, using it to apply edges and with a little effort cutting leg and apron mortises. It cannot be used upright to make plunge cuts or 90° cuts.

The Domino 500 is superbly suited for drawer making if you follow the simple technique in this video.



 
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