Thread: Help with setup please

Brian, I have a few ideas on what could be happening. The first thing that comes to mind is a mistake in setting the fence height correctly. I'll assume you are indexing the the Domino off the base for the cuts in the face of the wood. The centerline is 10 mm from the base to the center of the cutter. Maybe you've incorrectly set the fence height to make the cuts in the end grain piece. Of course this assumes you are using the fence to index the Domino on the center stile mortise.

However, looking at the first picture I see the two pieces clamped down. So I'd guess you are not using the fence but indexing the Domino off the base for both cuts. While this technique can work well, it does have its drawbacks. If the material isn't perfectly flat and clean of any debris you can have errors in alignment.

Next, some Dominos have problems with the stepped plastic height gauge for the fence. I don't know if this is what is happening because the stepped gauge usually isn't off by more than 1 mm and it looks like you error is more than that.

Another possibility is a too fast or too slow of a plunge rate in the end grain. This can cause problems with alignment. I don't think that is it because the mortise is usually skewed.

Maybe someone else will come up with something more helpful. Good luck.

Thanks Brice,

Yes, I am indexing off the base piece and I'm not using the fence at all.

Incidentally, I'm plunging 25mm into one piece and 15mm into the other. I did read somewhere about the shoulder on the bit interfering with the depth of mortice in some instances, but even so, in my case, on measurement, it appears the shallower cut is the one in error.

It is awkward cutting downward, but I think I'm taking special precautions about lining up and speed of cut.

Cheers
Brian

Dovetail, did you sort out this problem?

Hi MP,

No, I never got to the bottom of it. For the life of me, even now on reflection I can't understand what was causing the issue. Also, it is now many months later and the project I was working on is completed but I can't remember what my 'work around' was either!

Sorry to be of no help whatsoever.

Cheers
Brian

You registered your cut into the side pieces differently from how you registered the other piece. This is actually visible in the pictures with how the tenons are laid out.

Look at page 17 of the manual I wrote, and specifically the pictures showing how to perform this type of cut. http://www.waterfront-woods.com/fest...ino_DF_500.pdf

Thanks Powertoolman,

I do recall referring to your excellent manual when attempting those cuts and I'm not entirely sure I understand your post. I'm on the road at present but would love to be in my workshop having another go at correcting the problems I had. Perhaps when I get home I can have another go.
In the meantime, I'm sure Major Panic has read your post and he can refer to the manual and have a go. I await the results with great interest.

Cheers
Brian

It was pretty late for me when I wrote my previous posting (although it's late again tonight), but I'll try better.

Look at this picture. In the upper piece, the tenon is closer to the word "top" than it is to the bottom. In the lower piece, the tenon is closer to the rear (of the picture) than the front. This told me that you registered your Domino off the wrong pencil line when you mortised the lower board (plunging vertically).

What is confusing is that your photo shows the board clamped correctly, but I suspect that this is not how you had it set up at the time you actually plunged the mortises.

To make the vertical mortises, the bottom face of Domino should be registered off the edge of the piece of wood with the word "top" written on it (as shown in the picture). I think you originally flipped this board around so that the word "top" was on the pencil line closer to the camera.



Oh, I have the pictures from the manual uploaded already, so I will post them here. Even though my board is labeled with "bottom", it is still the same as yours with the word "top", so ignore the word itself. Your picture is the same as mine. Clamp the boards exactly the way you show in your picture (for both plunges), and plunge the mortises as shown in my pictures. What is important to note is that you do not move your boards between plunging horizontally into the shelf and vertically into the walls. Leave them clamped together for both cuts. I think you got confused on the orientation because you plunged several vertical mortises for just one horizontal plunge.

Hi Powertoolman,

Excellent!
I believe you are absolutely correct. I'm not able to repeat that exercise just now but what you have said makes perfect sense and I think it more than likely that I did reference the vertical plunge from the incorrect line. The point you make about not removing the clamped stock until both mortices are machined, clinches it for me.
Many thanks.
I hope Major Panic has accessed your explanation.

Cheers
Brian

My problem was with the sight guide
I had to elongate the mounting holes & then it didn't make any difference, it was still out of alignment

I set up to take a series of photos & reset the sight guide & low & behold they lined up I cut 12 mortices in a row & the all lined up! so I'm still stuffed if I know what caused the 3.5mm offset in the beginning