Thread: festool domino

We use the Domino at the community shed for dining tables all the time, they make a rock solid joint.
Never made a bed before but i can't see why they wouldn't be fine for the job except that then the bed wouldn't be able to be dismantled for transport/moving.

Originally Posted by Mick72

Are people using their domino for large woodworking joints i.e rail to legs for dining tables and beds and do membes think the domino is appropriate for these types of joints.

I should bloody well hope so !!

I didn't spend the kids inheritance to make picture frames

I used mine to make a frame for the floor of my tin shed and a door frame for a wooden shed. I've also used to join 4x2 end to end. Any things possible with the domino.

Originally Posted by KorDes

I used mine to make a frame for the floor of my tin shed and a door frame for a wooden shed. I've also used to join 4x2 end to end. Any things possible with the domino.

I've also used the Domino in floor framing - same end to end joining 90x45mm joists using 2 x 50mm dominos.

I also have a customer making glass panel timber frame architectural doors.

Originally Posted by Rattrap

Never made a bed before

Well that is a job for the Missus

lol Lignum, careful you are treading on dangerous ground there. - even tho its true, we men can no longer safely say so.

I used my Domi for my son's bed, head and foot are basically frame and panel with the frame being 75mm square blackwood. The frame was butt jointed using 4 of the largest domis at each joint, and has held together impeccably for several years despite occasional use as a trampoline by him and his sister. The long rails between head and foot are connected by those knockdown fasteners, that's the only non-domi joint, only so the bed can be broken down for transport.

I also built a workbench with hardwood legs & stretchers, again butt jointed with largest domis. Many projects and two house moves later it's as strong as the day the glue dried.

Use good glue and I think you'll be fine, I like TitebondIII myself.


Cheers,


Justin.

I agree with Justin - use the biggest domino you can fit, and plenty of them. An array of 4 or 6 dominoes gives enormous strength.

That's given me an idea actually. One of my benches is just bolted together (rush job......still in use years later......you know the score ). I was going to pull it apart to saw a couple of inches off the legs, as its just a touch too high for comfortable planing.

Didn't have a domino machine when I built it, but now I do I'll reassemble the legs with plenty of dominoes to improve the stability.

I'm also a fan of Titebond III, coincidentally.

thanks guys. I am considering buying one at the woodworking show. Any idea of what packages i should be looking out for and how much should i be paying?

Originally Posted by Mick72

thanks guys. I am considering buying one at the woodworking show. Any idea of what packages i should be looking out for and how much should i be paying?

Yeah good move I got mine at the wood show as well. I got a pack that basically had all the accessories with the domi in one systainer, and another systainer with all the sizes of domis in it. It was my first Festool purchase and my introduction to "Festool shock and awe"..........shock at the price of their products and accessories, and awe at their fantastic design and functionality

One thing to be aware of with the Domi is that you must connect it to dust extraction. If you look at buying festool vacuum hose it'll be shock and maybe not so much awe. I just bought a festool fitting that fits to the domi's dust port, then got some poor boy vacuum hose and connected it all up to my poor boy cheapo workshop vacuum. So whatever you buy, make sure you factor in dust extraction as well.

As to pricing, no idea. Festool gear isn't known for it's frequent and deep discounts, so I think the wood show will have the best deals that you're likely to get.

Cheers,


Justin.

I got a package that included the domi, a systainer full of the different sized dominoes, a set of 4 cutters, and a couple of attachments for the domi that help centre it on small stock, as well as extend the fence to make it easier to put dominoes into long stock (joining pieces to form a table top for example). This package was the cheapest way to buy all this at the same time.

There were a few package options available at the wood show last year - I'm sure you'll find one that suits you. I'd recommend getting all the different sized dominoes - I've used them all on different projects.

Not sure what the latest cost is, but it'll seem like a lot of money. You'll soon forget about the price once you get to use it a few times.

ajw

Originally Posted by Ian Smith

I should bloody well hope so !!

I didn't spend the kids inheritance to make picture frames

that is too funny!

In terms of the original question, I looked at the description at the Festool site at their tool and it did not seem that there were any size limitations. That also seems to the general opinion on this forum...

I use domino for dining tables but I do 2 things differently.

1. Instead of using the standard 10X50 biscuits, I make my own to 10X56. That gives me the strongest joint. (Domino max depth of cut is 28mm)
2. I pin the biscuit with a 6mm dowel and cover the hole with an ebony plug.

I’ve made many dining table using this technique. One of them was a 2.5m long Jarrah table.

Wongo, do you use just the one domino or do you try and put a couple into the rails and legs? How does the domino compare to the leigh mortice and tennon jig? Are they competing in the same market? Thanks