Nest of Tables - Introduction to the Festool Domino

[pulleyt]

A little over three years ago I retired from my salaried career and was able to get back into my shed which had been neglected since the early 90's - apart from the occasional really basic DIY jobs. The first few months were given over to rearranging the layout, building storage solutions, rearranging a bit more, extending storage etc etc. It does seem that this is not uncommon.

I discovered two game changers in my time away - Sketchup and the Festool Domino (the latter was a retirement present to myself). I wanted to make a nest of tables for our eldest and this seemed like a good project to develop the use of both Sketchup and the Domino. I had a load of sawn maple left over from the kitchen remodelling I'd completed back in the day. If I was going to make one set, I thought I may as well make a second which would always come in handy.
I took a few pictures along the way...

It didn't take too long to get to grips with Sketchup and I really like the 3-d modelling that I'd not experienced before.

All the components prepared on the planer thicknesser, cut to size and domino joints completed.

A dry fit to ensure my translation from Sketchup was accurate.

Gluing up one of the table frame using my makeshift assembly table top on an old workmate.

And the completed tables, finished with three coats of Osmo PolyX (another new product to me that I really like).

I was really impressed with the ease of creating loose tenon joints with the Domino and quite happy with the results.

 

[custard]

I was really impressed with the ease of creating loose tenon joints with the Domino and quite happy with the results.

Well done! Good to see someone getting stuck in and making stuff, instead of fretting about what tools to buy. They look useful, well-made pieces of furniture that will give you and your family pleasure for many years to come.

=D>

Congratulations on getting your retirement off to a cracking start, and best of luck for your next project. Maybe you feel ready to follow Andy T's great example?

small-walnut-side-table-with-drawer-t109429.html

 

[pulleyt]

Thanks. A pair of bedside tables are on the (long) list of projects so i'll be looking at Andy's side table with interest. They will probably be maple as well - I did over order big time

 

[mbartlett99]

Good stuff, they look good. Domino makes that stuff so much easier when you're batching it out.

 

[Marineboy]

Nice work pulleyt. Out of interest, how did you attach the tops to the frames?

 

[pulleyt]

Out of interest, how did you attach the tops to the frames?

I used screws through the rails to screw up into the table tops. There are two screws towards each end of the back rail that are where the hole through the rail is marginally oversized for the screw. I assumed these would be OK as the grain of the rail and tops run in the same direction. On each of the side rails there is one screw towards the front in a slotted hole to allow for movement across the grain in the top.

After two years this has been OK. I had looked at using table top fixing blocks, but that would have compromised either the height or table top size of the nested tables.

Trevor