Domino 500 advise

[Nelsun]

Search out halfinchshy on YouTube if you need any further help deciding you want/need a domino. The 700 is slightly better designed and does oversized/wider mortices a doddle with the pins providing repeatability. The 500 is certainly easier to wave around on smaller stuff though. I don't know if it's been mentioned but you definitely need an extractor on either of them as they clog up without one.

 

[Mrs C]

Toolovation.com stock the Senaco adapters for the XL700 - plus lots of other bits snd pieces that you never knew you needed!

 

[pike]

Seneca make an adapter to allow the 700 to take the 500 cutters, and there is a bloke on eBay in the UK selling knockoffs of these which seem to work just fine.

That's interesting thanks! I have the 500 and the 700 (XL was impulse buy for basically one outbuilding framing job). I considered selling the 500 and getting adaptors but by the time I'd bought the bits I'd need it was barely worth selling the 500, considering its a nice size to use for most smaller jobs.

I will look at it again if there's someone selling in the uk cheaper. Although I use the 500 90% of the time so still think it's nice not having to use something heavier.

Maybe I should just sell the 700 as it's gathering dust! Sure I'll find a use if I do though..

 

[MikeJhn]

Guys

What Domino do you run out of the most regularly, I know it depends on what you are doing, but there must be one you use more than most.

Mike

 

[Cordy]

For my 500 the most used are 8 x 40
Sometimes 6mm too;

Before I bought the machine with selection of various dominos I expected the large 10 mm would be my most used but 8 is good

The compendium of dominoes and cutters is a good option -- got mine from Axy at Warrington

 

[MikeJhn]

Thanks Cordy, the reason for asking is I don't particularly want to buy a compendium and have all those unused ones just sitting there, much rather just get a bag of the ones used most frequently.

Mike

Cordy, did not realise all the cutters came with the compendium, that makes it worthwhile on second thought.

 

[pike]

Mike although that makes sense, the only problem is until you've had a domino available for a while it's hard to say which you'll need, and if you get one type you'll just make it work when another one might have been better. I think the mixed box is a great starter. I've used all at one time or another. Haven't ran out yet either after years of hobby use.

Will have a look at mine next time I'm at the shed and see which are running lowest.

Having wrote that I've just noticed you've maybe convinced yourself it's worth it anyway now

I've since also bought the long rods so you can cut your own length. Although I did that mostly to get the external type.

 

[Simou1]

I probably use the 8's the most out if my mixed box which gives an excellent mix of sizes but importantly has the cutters to match. As mine was an early set it did not have the later introduced 4mm cutter and dominos so I bought those separately to use in dolls furniture for our new granddaughter.

The domino really is a fabulous tool, I have made all my kitchen cabinets with it as well as window frames and will get the 700XL this week.

 

[pike]

Mine was before the 4's came out too.

Looking at mine I think I usually use 5's or 8's. I suppose now that you gets 4s you will get less 5s. 6 is probably the least used. I just used some 10s today but that was fairly uncommon for me 40mm oak. Hmm maybe I should've got the XL out :?

 

[Bodgers]

Just as an aside to anyone that is thinking of getting a Domino. I had in my head that once you get it, it's a 100% fool proof way of doing perfectly aligned joinery, out of the box, end of story. The reality is, it still needs a little bit of skill. I remember my first few goes with it were as bad as my dodgy old dowel jointer.

3 things:

You need a quick and reliable way of stabilising work pieces (MFT, clamping/workbench dogs etc) - the machine will cause the work piece to move if it's not held in place properly.

You need to practice the plunging action, if you don't use it smoothly enough you will end up with rough mortises.

You need to make sure you are consistent with you marking and alignment to marks.

This may go without saying to some, but if you are planning on doing a paid job using this, half a days practice with it first will go a long way.






Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[pike]

Yeah it's very quick and easy most of the time but it's also a very fast way to make a misalignment or even mortise the wrong face..

You have to be particularly accurate with your tight mortise but then the rest can be wider and less critical. However, if something goes wrong with the depth you'll be cursing and having to pull dominoes back out. It's worth having some slightly sanded down dominoes for dry fit testing.

 

[pcb1962]

Yeah it's very quick and easy most of the time but it's also a very fast way to make a misalignment or even mortise the wrong face..

Done that more than once. I now make a pencil mark where the mortice will go immediately after marking the guide line on the reference faces.

 

[MikeJhn]

Bodgers wrote:

"3 things:

You need a quick and reliable way of stabilising work pieces (MFT, clamping/workbench dogs etc) - the machine will cause the work piece to move if it's not held in place properly.

You need to practice the plunging action, if you don't use it smoothly enough you will end up with rough mortises.

You need to make sure you are consistent with you marking and alignment to marks."

They are exactly the same things you need to do with a biscuit jointer as well, except if you don't clamp it down and hold on the workpiece can shoot off the end of the workbench. :x =D>

Mike

 

[Nelsun]

^You're undying love of all things Festool is shining bright today Mike! The points are worth mentioning in a domino thread IMO as, if you have one, you don't really need a biscuit jointer as it does all that and much more besides.

And I think what Bodgers was getting at with "stabilising work pieces" already covered clamping things down. With the domino bit rotating and oscillating at the same time you will want a change of trousers if a bit isn't secured right

 

[pike]

All I do is make sure the wood is up against something on my home made mft (e.g. dogs although I use the flat bits from festool clamping essentials) on the opposite side. I don't think I've ever clamped something to domino it. If you can be bothered I'm sure it's good practice

 

[custard]

Just as an aside to anyone that is thinking of getting a Domino. I had in my head that once you get it, it's a 100% fool proof way of doing perfectly aligned joinery, out of the box, end of story. The reality is, it still needs a little bit of skill. I remember my first few goes with it were as bad as my dodgy old dowel jointer.

3 things:

You need a quick and reliable way of stabilising work pieces (MFT, clamping/workbench dogs etc) - the machine will cause the work piece to move if it's not held in place properly.

You need to practice the plunging action, if you don't use it smoothly enough you will end up with rough mortises.

You need to make sure you are consistent with you marking and alignment to marks.

This may go without saying to some, but if you are planning on doing a paid job using this, half a days practice with it first will go a long way.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Wise words, I'd add two things to that.

First the fact that all your components must be absolutely square and true, because you reference directly from the components themselves. If a component has warped slightly, or the square section of a leg has shrunk to a slight rhomboid, then you'll have unsightly gaps around the joints. In other words there's no point in buying a Domino unless you have a very accurate planer/thicknesser, cross cut saw, etc.

Second the fact that you must calibrate your Domino before use, Festool don't guarantee the accuracy of the alignment pins/paddles, nor the alignment perspex sighting window. They seem to do a fairly decent job of initial calibration at the factory, but in some ways that's a bad thing as it encourages some people to think it's good to go straight from the box, where as in most cases you can improve on it by doing the proper job yourself.

 

[custard]

The points are worth mentioning in a domino thread IMO as, if you have one, you don't really need a biscuit jointer as it does all that and much more besides.

I disagree. I use both a Domino and a biscuit jointer, they're different tools and both have advantages and disadvantages.

 

[memzey]

Personally I have a biscuit jointer, a hollow chisel morticer and a couple of ways at my disposal for cutting accurate tenons and feel no need or urge to buy a domino. Looking at what they cost I think that can only be a good thing!

 

[RobinBHM]

Personally I have a biscuit jointer, a hollow chisel morticer and a couple of ways at my disposal for cutting accurate tenons and feel no need or urge to buy a domino. Looking at what they cost I think that can only be a good thing!

Ive tended to think that, but Im thinking a domino could be invaluable for some applications.

A hollow chisel morticer is a great machine but there is a lot of set up work for cabinetmaking applications once the tenoning aspect is included.

I also have a Hoffman dovetail key machine, which works well for face frames but doesnt create very strong joints

 

[Nelsun]

The points are worth mentioning in a domino thread IMO as, if you have one, you don't really need a biscuit jointer as it does all that and much more besides.

I disagree. I use both a Domino and a biscuit jointer, they're different tools and both have advantages and disadvantages.

How so? I could only see using biscuits for alignment which dominos do as well and fit in tighter spaces (4mm ones for example). I don't doubt you have very good reasons... I'm just curious.