Thread: Information about Dominos please

Hi David.

The DF500 will work with 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10m cutters and plunge (all by the 4mm) them up to 28mm deep as a mortice. The DF700 will work with longer cutters 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 14mm and plunge them up to 70mm deep. There is an off brand adapter available that will enable a DF700 to fit DF500 cutters (plunge limited to 28mm). This would give you a full range of capabilities with a single machine.

Having said that, for chairs (if the original design was to use dowels) the DF500 range would probably be just fine. Many a chain was made before the DF500 came along and are still most suitable to using the DF500 range of cutters and dominos. But I'm not a chair maker, so interested in someone else input here.

Should be noted as well that the DF700 is physically quite a bit larger than the DF500. If the majority of work you do is smaller then definitely go for the DF500, as it's easier to wield and if you make something larger you can just use more tenons. If you make very large furniture then the DF700 fits the bill though.

Originally Posted by nt900

Hi David.

The DF500 will work with 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10m cutters and plunge (all by the 4mm) them up to 28mm deep as a mortice. The DF700 will work with longer cutters 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 14mm and plunge them up to 70mm deep. There is an off brand adapter available that will enable a DF700 to fit DF500 cutters (plunge limited to 28mm). This would give you a full range of capabilities with a single machine.

Having said that, for chairs (if the original design was to use dowels) the DF500 range would probably be just fine. Many a chain was made before the DF500 came along and are still most suitable to using the DF500 range of cutters and dominos. But I'm not a chair maker, so interested in someone else input here.

Unless you are planning on making the chairs for use in the structure of a house wall, the 500 is spot on for chairs. i made 8 x Red Gum dining chairs in a state of total ignorance of the work and joining involved 10 years ago and they still stand!

I would thoroughly recommend and endorse the 500 model for chair manufacture. You could probably cut at least 1/3 of the time required for the current construction method.

Regards,

Rob

Remember too that for larger joints you can group the 8mm or 10mm dominos together - 4 or 6 of these is easily sufficient for some of the joints on large tables, etc. I have yet to find anything the DF500 couldn't handle one way or another.

Thank-you to all respondents. You have greatly clarified the situation for me. My current proposed use is chairs and I rarely make large items any more so it sounds as though the DF500 would suit me very well, especially when I now see Mr Brush's response in regard to the larger items.

David