more on mortice & tenon

[dadiOH]

I followed Clarke's thread on mortices and tenons with interest but note that Mathias Randel's pantarouter wasn't mentioned. He is a very clever fellow who makes all sort of woodworking machines and the pantarouter is near the top in utility.

It is basically a horizontal router with the router mounted on a pantagraph; he uses a bearing to follow a template to cut the mortice or whatever and it can be home made inexpensively. It could give Leon's domino a run for its money :)

Someone took his idea and pretty much duplicated it in aluminum using, primarily, 80/20 aluminum channels. They added a couple of improvements, one of which is tapering the template slightly thus allowing minor adjustment in fit by moving the bearing in or out; also by mounting the bearing on a pin so that the pin can ride on a slot in the template to cut the mortice. It costs about $1000.

While I'm at it, the aluminum extrusions available from 80/20 can be very useful in jig making.

[Leon]

I don't think it can compete with the Domino as it is not portable. The Domino's strength is that it can be used on any sized piece, it being portable. His panagraph is cool but this, below link, has been around for quite some time, Swingman has one.

[OFWW]

Hey Leon, that tool does one thing yours cannot. It can make a circular tenon, mortise. :)

I saw that tool before, but not all the detail that is on that site, thanks for the link.

[Leon]

LOL, I have a drill and dowel for that.

[Swingman]

It is indeed an extremely versatile joinery tool, much more versatile than the Domino; but the Domino's beats it in spades in one major aspect:

You must bring the job to the Multi-Router, but you bring the Domino to the job.

Depending upon your task, that one aspect can become a major factor in time savings and convenience, and therefore a cost effectiveness that speaks to the bottom line.

As much as I talk about it, I don't think I would ever give up my Multi-Router ... it is furniture maker's dream.

But I really don't use it that much in my cabinetry work, and that is where a Domino would shine, for the above stated aspect.

[J. Clarke]

I thought about a shop-built machine--the one I was considering was Wandel's slot mortiser though. Decided against it because of the time involved to make the thing.

That and the multirouter would certainly be viable for tenons--I might very well end up making a Pantarouter at some point because it looks to be a very useful adjunct to the Domino--if I can make it cut tenons that fit the mortises the Domino cuts I would have a nice combination. The downside on all router based machines though is that they can't cut deeper than the step between cut diameter and shank diameter on the bit. For a half-inch mortise that's not an issue but for smaller diameters it is. I was concerned about that with the Domino as well and the reason I went for the XL is that it cuts nearly 3 inches deep with 8, 10, 12, and

14mm bits--that gives me a range from about 3/16 to about 9/16 in English.

The Multirouter was just more than I wanted to spend when I started looking.

However with the Domino in hand, I'm really happy I went that route.

[Leon]

Actually the 8mm, if that was what you were referring to, on the small end of the range is closer to 5/16". 5mm which, I use a lot, is a touch more than 3/16.

And where I am going with that, I think you mentioned that there was an adapter to enable your Domino to use the smaller Domino cutters bits. Keep in mind that you are limited with the 5mm and smaller bits, the

4mm, that you have a limited amount of plunge depth. The shank is larger in diameter than the cutter. Just something to keep in mind.

[Swingman]

Some of the Multi-Router's versatility lies is its ability to cut both mortises and tenons, but I really don't use the tenon cutting ability that much.

Mainly due to an aspect that the Domino provides by default, loose tenon joinery, and loose tenon joinery's huge benefit:

... the ability to batch cut components, like rails, to a precise project dimension; eliminating the inherent possibility of variations in rail length due to cutting tenons in both ends of a rail ... thereby insuring that groups of components made from them stay square and precisely dimensioned as designed.

That's a benefit that pays dividends in the success of most projects in soooo many ways, from fabrication to installation ... and one of the reason's Leon is able to turn out those eye popping, highly functional pieces he does, and at an affordable price.

You made an excellent decision. The value, and utility of the Domino is a no brainer.

Besides being somewhat of a "one trick pony", it's one helluva valuable trick, and pony. ;)

[dadiOH]

Which is one reason why I still have 1/4" shank bits. Another is because I have had them for a very long time :)

[J. Clarke]

But good luck finding a 1/4" shank bit that will cut 2.5 inches deep.