Thread: Domino Cutting Action

Warmtone, I've only read the manual & watched the video's (havn't had the chance to get started yet), but I recall seeing a dial setting that gives you the option of cutting loose fitting or tight fitting mortice holes. Maybe your tool is set on the loose fitting cut.

I'm sure Lignum will have the answer...

Richard

It would not be the cutting action. Although the cutter swings like a pendulum, the arc width is constant throughout the plunge action, and you get a mortise with straight sides. Only the bottom of the hole will show the telltale signs of the arc movement.

I have not notices any loosely fitting dominos whilst using the larger size cutters, but I will test my DOMINO today and report back.

I'd like to confirm that I was using Domino position number 1 - the "tight" setting.

I assumed that to be the case. I did not get to do a test today - many other things to get done. I will see if I have some time tomorrow.

My 10mm tenons need pliers to lightly remove it from the mortice. Not having ago at your prowess with Dominatrixing but just using one for the first time you might be invariably moved it a fraction. If the Tenons were tight you could blame moisture, but i doubt thats the case for the slopiness. Do you have verniers? if so measure and get back to us

Ditto. Just cut 10mm slots at all depths and need to use a bit of force to get the domis out. It is this precision of fit that allows the ability to dry assemble which is such a superb feature of the Domino. You have either got a duffer or as Lignum alludes it is possible you are not holding her tight enough to eliminate any movement. I don't think you can adjust anything to 'tighten' the arc of cut. Is the sloppines in the vertical or horizontal plane? If it is vertical then the cutting bit is off centre; if it is horizontal then the 1st position movement stops may be faulty.

Pat

Remove a domi with Pliers? Never! Not when you have a handy Rotti ready to pull out a domi in exchange for a biccy or two!

Regards

Pat and his trusty puller Simou.

Note: in background is sister Megan thoroughly bored at all things Festool.

Pat, do you take Simou to the work peice, or the work peice to Simou?
great idea and i reckon Anthony would be mad not to include that brilliant tip in the users section on his web site

Oh! you couldnt do that with the old fashion biscuits as the slober would swell them. Another tick for the Dominatrix

Pat, do you take Simou to the work peice, or the work peice to Simou?


Lignum
Both. As he is 49kg of sheer muscle I prefer to ask and let him decide!

As for the slobber, its not a Rotti thing. But he does prefer the solid domi to the pressed reconstituted stuff that the biscuit joiner uses which tended to get caught in his teeth. So once again the Domino shows its many advantages over the humble biscuit joiner.

In a recent Irish/Welsh Consumer Test, 2 out of 2 Rotties preferred Domis to a well known brand of wooden biscuit.

( I know they are both my Rotties but the test was totally impartial using scientific methods ie a digestive biscuit over the Domi and SFA over the wood biscuits)

Regards
Pat, Simou and, as she enjoyed the biscuits, Megan.

I've had another attempt at cutting 10mm mortise joints and the result is the same ie the 10mm domino biscuits are too loose.

By this I mean that if the domino is inserted and the work inverted the domino falls out.

I have tried adjusting the various domino width settings with the machine running as per handbook but no change. :mad:

This is really puzzling bexause the smaller dominoes are a nice snug fit. I've checked the bit dia and it's spot on 10mm. Another observation is the 10mm dominoes do vary a bit in size - but not enough to provide a tight fit.

Looks like I may have to give Festool a call.........

I'll post some photos to illustrate the above......

Photo 1 shows clean Mortice using 10mm cutter
Photo 2 Illustration of "slack" in two joined pieces of timber
Photo 3 Illustration of domino "slack" in the Mortice
The wood was carefully clamped when cutting the mortice(!)

Dare I suggest this is a tad disappointing?

Brian

Brian
If your domis fall out when you invert your workpiece then you have a seriously sick Domino. I can understand there being sideways slack as the three position switch controls the sideways cutting arc and there could be a fault in the arc stops. The cutter only moves sideways as it rotates so the hole should only ever be 10mm or the diameter of whichever cutter you have fitted. If the domi falls out then it is not cutting a 10mm hole on the vertical plane and the cutter cannot be true.

You confirm that you have clamped the workpiece but I must admit that my first cut with the Domino on a demonstration day in Germany was not 100% accurate and the man from Festool uber Alles told me in a quaint German accent with only the slightest dash of professional disdain that you must hold the Domino 'dicht und fest'. Which roughly translated means tight and secure. Or the way a Scotsman would guard his wallet..well clamped.

As a soldier and Irish to boot I could understand me not tightening the cutter properly and putting an 8mm domi in a 10mm hole but I am sure that you..............

I have spoken to four equally sad (as me) Domi fans here in Wales and none of them have had any problems. Like me they are astounded at the precision of cut so you must have a Freitag machine or one that was assembled just as Italy got the second goal against the Fatherland.

Send the bugger back Brian! As you say it is a tad dissappointing.

Regards
Pat

Hi Warmtone,

I'm probably telling you things you already know, but...
If you are going to return your Domino for repair, you could take advantage of Tooltechnic's pick up service (no idea if this costs you or not). If you are going to take it back to where you bought it, ensure and insist that it be sent to Dandenong (their State office). Here they guarantee 24-48hrs turnaround. If it is sent anywhere else, such as the outer eastern Melbourne facility, it appears they have no way of making sure the job is treated as a warranty fix. The difference could be an extra week that you do not have the Joiner.

Regards,

Rob

I too have to forcibly remove all dominos from their new house with pliers. I'm guessing that there is a problem with the 10mm cutter (maybe it has been drilled/tapped off line), as the other sizes are OK the machine itself should be fine - see if they'll send another out to you to try, before parting with your new baby.

Den