Festool DOMINO - re: doubling mortises in 2x4s

[charlieb]

Power was on and off yesterday eve/night while I was trying to respond to a question about "doubling" mortises on a 2x4. I think it was "Rick"" that wondered how you could do this

+------------+ | +-+ +-+ | | | | | | | | +-+ +-+ | | | +------------+ on a 2x4 since the "presets" on the DOMINO only allow for up to 20mm from reference face to mortise centerline.

Well a buddy, with no prior experience with the DOMINO just did this - on all the mitered corners of a 2x4 gate - 5'6" wide by 7' tall.

+------------+"inside" obtuse angle of miter | +-+ +-+ | | | | | | | | +-+ +-+ | | | "inside" mortise 100mm from "knife edge" | +-+ +-+ | "outside mortise referenced of 100mm mortise | | | | | | | +-+ +-+ | | | +------------+ "outside" knife edge end of miter

He used the 10mm "bit", "22" setting on the center on stock width preset (center of resulting mortise is 11mm off either rerence face) "outrigger pins set at 100 mm from mortise long axis center line.

Total time - with no prior experience - from first cut to last cut *8th mortise) on one part - with mitered ends- was 2 minutes 22 seconds, including clamping and unclamping the part to flip it over to use the other reference face for the second pair of mortises. 8 sets if 4 mortises cut and only two needed tweeking. The tweeking was required because two of the part - green pressure treated 2x4s were slightly bowed so the "knife edge" of their mortises weren't square to the face of the boards. Because the DOMINO was referencing off that "knife edge" the resulting mortises were off by maybe 1/32nd of an inch - enough to make the joint not line up. A pass or two with a file on the knife edge and 30 seconds to recut the erroneous mortises and things fit.

Did I mention that the parts were 7' and 5'6" long? Imagine doing the same mortises with even the Leigh FMT or MultiRouter - mortises in end grain, on a mitered face - of a 7 foot long part.

I guess I gave the impression that the DOMINO could ONLY USE the "presets". Actually, the fence range is 5mm to 30mm from fence to mortise centerline using the provided scale on the DOMINO So, as long as your part is thicker than 2.362" (2x30mm/25.4mm/inch) you can center the mortise on stock anywhere from .394" to 2.362"

Regarding doing a pair of mortises, one centered on a 2" leg and the other centered on a 1" apron - no big deal. Use the fence to mortise centerline scale and set it between 25 and 26mm for the mortise centered on the 2" leg and between 12 and 13mm for the 1" apron.

The DOMINO is an elegantly simple tool once you understand the parameters you can use, what they do and how to do it. The metric conversion to the more familiar imperial system muddles the the water a bit and my shortcomings in communicating what makes the DOMINO such a significant addition to the wodworking tools and machines arsenal shouldn't muddle the waters further.

charlie b

[Swingman]

No way the M-R could have been done the double mortises that quickly. If I viewed it correctly, it would take two separate, but easy, setups to cut the

32 mortises in four joints with the M-R.

Then again, with the M-R, you might not have needed to do double mortises, as single deeper mortise would give you more glue area. (Yeah, I know ... that wasn't in the job description. :) )

As to the work piece length issue ... I have easily angled mortises in end grain on 6' stock and it would not be a big deal to do longer/heavier with a bit of extra support, by hand or by outfeed stand. The M-R is heavy, +90lb, further bolted to a stout stand, and a 2 x 4 clamped to the table with those mondo clamps the M-R uses "ain't going nowhere".

Strictly in the druthers department, and looking at your shots on abpw, there does not appear to be as much mortise depth as I would prefer for the stated application, but perhaps that's just me.

With the M-R, a 2" long mortise, 2" deep, would appear to give a stronger joint on this project, and the setup and cutting of a single mortise would only take as long as it does to route the mortise with an endmill, less than a minute or so.

That said, the Domino is indeed impressive for its speed, price and versatility and about the only thing I could conceivably fault it on, not having used one yet, is it is perhaps a bit shallow on mortise depth for some applications.

Thanks for the continuing information.

[charlieb]

NO doubt the MultiRouter is a slick tool and on the Wish List for anyone who has ever seen one and what it can do. It's range of capabilites far exceeds those of the DOMINO - at three or more times the price and 10s of times more weight. The beauty of the DOMINO is the furniture sized M&T joinery it provides - in your hand, all 7 pounds of it.

The mortise depth is limited to about 28mm - about 1 1/8" - in each mortise. And the loose tenon thickness is maxed at 10mm or about

0.40"

For that sized stuff I use the horizontal boring/mortising function of my Rbland X31. Can go as deep as 4" with 3/4" its mortising bit. Great for entry doors and bigger stuff.

I guess you missed the "no layout lines, no centering, no stops to set" advantage of the DOMINO

Only God is Perfect.

No problem.

charlie b

[Swingman]

Nope ... been reading every word of your reviews, and yes, the M-R must be set up with "stops" on three axis' before you can buffle off to shuffaloe.

I wish all this comparison/analysis would have been this readily available a year or so ago when I was casting around mightly for solutions to compound angled joinery for chair making. Being familiar with the use of the M-R, I hope you don't mind me bringing some of that experience into the discussion, strictly for comparative purposes.

Shhhh! ...

[charlieb]

With woodworking magazine "reviews" of stuff becoming more and more like a Product Announcement rather than a review of the strengths and weakness of the tool or machine or jig, prefereably with a comparison with competing products, user reviews can provide info that they used to provide. So, as a MultiRouter user, your comparisons of capabilities and what it takes to use them is great.

BTW - there's a slick chairmaker's trick for mortising back legs of chairs in the Festool Owners Group (FOG). I've asked the guy who posted his method and pics showing it if I can e-mail the stuff to you. Hopefully he'll get back to me in a day or so.

Slick, simple and fast.

charlie b

[Swingman]

Three words I love ... if can, that would be much appreciated.

Thanks ...

[Pat Barber]

Never go out with women that have those qualities.

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