Thread: FESTOOL DOMINO Experience - by those who have used one.

Originally Posted by TassieKiwi

Nice chairs Lignum - just for fun, how much shed time would you have saved with the Domi?

Well the Original wasnt (thank God) 85 hours as Zen estimated but all up with the 500 just inside 3 days. With Domis indexing i would have them done easly in a morning. Time saved roughly 20 hours.

And interesting to see Pat is another who is off loading his biscuit joiner. I couldnt think of any reason that id want to use one ever again. Chalk and Cheese. A primitive power tool

Rocker a quick pic

1 - shows the adjustable fence. It has pre set holes that a bearing settles into and gives a quick accurate setting (very accurate as you carnt alter it)

2- Shows the pre-set height. If you have a 20mm board Just click it to 20 and it centers the mortice. Pre-sets are from 14 (off the scale) then 16, 20, 22, 25, 28, 36 and 40mm and maxes out at 60 off the scale.

3 - Shows pre-set depth that matches the tennon length. It has a great sprung lift up latch to use before you can change the depth to avoid mistakes. It ranges from 12, 15, 20, 25, 28mm

4- Shows the Lateral setting. With a 10mm cutter, smallest is exact -23mm, 2nd is 28mm, 3rd and widest is 32mm.

5- Shows two sprung pins either side that automaticly set the mortice 25mm in from the edge. A add on slide can be used to make them variable. Great if you are morticing a panel as you can come in 25mm on the exact setting then up to 200mm with the add on, and then using the 2nd setting for the other mortices and finish it of at the other end with the exact lateral setting. You will have a perfect fit up using no rule, tape or pencil.

6- Shows the little button you click up to seperate the body from the fence for bit changing. It takes 3 seconds and the "pop" of air shows the beautifull machining. To change the bit its just a matter of pushing a lock button and using the little spanner to undo the cutter. All up no more than a minute from start to finish changing cutters over.

The other pic shows the body apart

Lignum and Patr,

I am still a bit dubious that the Domino would be able to accurately cut mortices for floating tenons to reinforce mitre joints between wide panels, instead of using biscuits for the job. See http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=13548 .

My biscuit joiner's ability to angle the top fence at 135° to the vertical face of the machine allows it to capture the 45° mitre firmly in the acute angle between the fence and the face. On the other hand, it appears that with the Domino you would only be able to capture the obtuse 135° angle of the mitre between the fence and the vertical face of the machine. Inevitably this would give a much less accurate alignment of the machine whilst cutting the mortice.

Rocker

Rocker

Domi dose Delicious on miters

I know what you mean as for some reason a biscuit joiner will align an edge inside or outside depending on it being 45° or 135° strange but true. I dosnt seem to matter as much with Domi as the positioning is so spot on to start with, and the join just slips together and aligns perfectly.

Pic 1 Shows Domi snugly fitting in just nice (remember its 3.2kg tool so while some complain about that, i find it great as it aids in a creep free plunge)

Pic - 2 Shows three cuts. The two out side ones are on the exact first setting using the 25mm index pin in from the side, and the middle cut was using the same index pin on the inside of the mortice and using the second setting for a lateraly wider cut. With no tape or pencil its a perfect match.

Pic - 3 Shows the two boards ready for dry fit.

Pic - 4 Shows the complete dry fit. Its excelent, on both ends, top and inside.

Because the tennons have bulk unlike biscuits, when its clamped their is nowhere for any creep to set in and the resultant join comes out square and just in need of a scrape.

Have i told you before i love my little Domi

Originally Posted by TassieKiwi

.

When told "$1200+domino's+bits+outrageous sums for replacement gear" they think, "FFS, I can buy 12 GMc/holiday in NZ/10 old planes/table saw/scms with bells on", and walk away. Well, I did anyway.

Just ordered one. Didn't walk far, now did I? Collect tonight. Yeeeeeharrrr!

Lignum - one of the first jobs will be to put the mortices in the side of the curving legs and centre supports - the legs are square in section, but the Domi's plate will be registering on the curved surface - about 1m radius. Will I have to make a jig with a curve to match underneath, flat on top, 10mm thick in the centre (could be difficult as I drew an ellipse by hand), or use wedges, or....what?

Do you use the trim adapter for narrow stock?

Congratulations on becoming the newest member of the DAC (Domino Admierers Club) You just have to prommise to look after and treat her with the respect that a lady deservs, and may you Domi away happily everafter

Trim Adapter:confused: What:eek: do you think im made of money Soon ill get it

And i cant advise on the curve as id have to go and make something up and have a play. But it wouldnt take to much to get a jig happeneing.

If i was you id hold out doing it for a few days and just muck around and try all the different stuff you have seen in this thread and get used to it.

Ill be interested to hear your thoughts in three or so weeks on how its changing your workshop habits/practices and if you to will be passing your biscuit joiner down to someone less privileged

Have fun, keep us posted and send pics, pics and more pics

Originally Posted by Lignum

.

Ill be interested to hear your thoughts in three or so weeks on how its changing your workshop habits/practices and if you to will be passing your biscuit joiner down to someone less privileged

Have fun, keep us posted and send pics, pics and more pics

I never got 'round to a biscuit jointer - I bought a slot cutter for the Makita. Maybe I can pass that on...

I'm going to start a thread, a 'bed thread', on the KS bed. As it's still only bits of wood it's not very exiting, but folks - she's hotting up now. One big sleep......

Dennis the curved mortices are a no brainer Took a few minutes to work it out and NO JIG is needed.

As you can see in pic 1 their is a plastic plate that screws onto the base for extra stability (a brilliant and simple idea) and you can also see the little index pins that are spring loaded.

Well as in pic 2, Domi is placed on your workpeice (you use what settings suit you) and the first (carefull) plunge is made. Then put her to the right with the left index pin in that mortice and lift Domi`s left side up so the pin is hard up and to the right side in the mortice and the plastic plate is keeping it all square. Presto perfectly aligned and spaced mortices.

You will need the add on index spacer so you can space your slats, but it will be a sinch.

Forumites are no doubt thinking im just way over the top with my Domiaddiction and constant raving, but what ever you throw at it, it dose with superb ease. Trouble is its supposed to make me more money, but im spending way to much time playing and having fun and slipping behind with the orders. Naughty Domi she is

Lignum,

OK; I am convinced. Looks as though it did a good job on the mitres.

Tassiekiwi,

Congratulations. Don't get rid of your Rocker morticing jig, though. It is useful for routing hinge mortices, which you presumably can't do with a Domino.

Rocker

TassieKiwi

Welcome to the DAC!

Great choice!

I have the small trim adaptor and the long stop on order but have seen both in action on a demo. The trim adapter will be of enormous help when you do the bed slats and the long stop is ideal for the panels that Lignum has shown in response to Rockers question.

Regards
Pat

Dominatrix. The Biscuit Eater.

Pat - the trim thingy will be here on Tuesday - I have plenty to do before then!

Lig - I'm sure that will make sense once I have a go:confused: Can you still choose the centres of the mortices with this flash method? I've already designed for 73mm. Wierd I know.

Rocker - no fear mate. The bed will be knock down, with big M&T's housing a captive nut inside the legs (embeded in the tenon of the end rail, and another 'dry' M&T coupled with a bolt to locate the side rails in the face of the leg. Unless I can't leave Domi alone this will be the first job early Sat, and the first time out for your jig in my shed . Maybe I should do this tonight!

Thanks to the DAC for the advice and encouragement. One only lives once.

Den

Yep. The add on index spacer is variable so you can make them exactly 73mm. How nice to be able to clamp the bed rail in the vice and with no measurments or pencil markings, clamps or jigs, just go plunge, plunge, plunge.............. and before you know it, a whole row of mortices perfectly spaced at 73mm all done in no more than 2 minutes.

Originally Posted by Lignum

Yep. The add on index spacer is variable so you can make them exactly 73mm. How nice to be able to clamp the bed rail in the vice and with no measurments or pencil markings, clamps or jigs, just go plunge, plunge, plunge.............. and before you know it, a whole row of mortices perfectly spaced at 73mm all done in no more than 2 minutes.

Darn - there goes another $70.......

Originally Posted by Lignum

Pat great advice to Dennis a prospective new member of the DAC .

Also have a look here http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=25676

theirs 512 mortices pre Domi in this lot:eek: Oh how i wish i had her back then

G'day Lignum,

I just had a look at the tables & chairs that you made back in January on the above link - well jogger me jiggers - that's within a spit of being identical to the table shown on page 8 of the Spring 2006 Woodworkers Journal, made by Mike McGlynn, that I'm going to be making!

The chairs are a bit different, but I think I like yours more, so with your permission I might indulge in a little plagiarism

Cheers!