Domino's and wood movement

[supertom44]

Hey,

I'm planning on building a nightstand I saw in Fine Woodworking, however for the joints of the divider I want to use domino's instead of housed tenons.

The divider is roughly 360mm x 330mm.
I'm making this out of Ash and wondering how/if I need to account for wood movement.
My instinct is to use tight dominos in the centre and then loose dominos on the outers, but if I'm gluing the outer ones will that actually make a difference?

 

[Hornbeam]

Based on your design, all the grain is running in the same plane so expansoin/contraction of all the pieces should be the same. You could use tight dominoes for all joints but it can make fitting everything together a bit more awkwood. I dont like the festool sloppy setting as I think they are too loose. You can just move the jointer 1mm and replunge on tight so you have a very slightly sloppy fit
Ian

 

[Sgian Dubh]

... wondering how/if I need to account for wood movement.
My instinct is to use tight dominos in the centre and then loose dominos on the outers, but if I'm gluing the outer ones will that actually make a difference?

Your worries are unfounded regarding the joints between the side panels and the bottom shelf, and the two drawer encasing divider/shelves. The grain direction of all the parts match, i.e., the cross grain orientation of all the internal and external parts run from front to back. Now, if you were using veneered plywood or similar for the bottom shelf, and the drawer divider/shelves mixed with solid wood for the outer carcase you would need to concern yourself with differential movement. Slainte.

 

[Fitzroy]

If you did have a differential movement issue I would have the front edge pinned in place with a tight domino and let the middle and rear edge float, then you would not see the movement on the front of the piece which is the only visible edge.

 

[supertom44]

Thanks all that makes perfect sense about the grain direction, I totally overlooked that.