Making your own Dominos

[Eric The Viking]

I posted a US price for a Bosch router elsewhere that's almost 50% of the UK price after you convert it.

Is that the Bosch Colt, cause I saw one on the shelf in lowes, £75 it was. I was so tempted. But my suitcase already had one sustainer in it!

It was this:

Mind you, there's this: the model Axminster sellfor £339. It got rave reviews when it launched, but it seems to be available in the USA for $264.12, which is £183.25 (at today's mid-market rates).

Assuming it's made in Europe, Bosch seem to be taking us for fools.

I don't blame Axy. Too many European manufacturers see the UK as a soft touch (and we cheerfully cough up the dough too). It's frustrating though: It was out of reach here when I bought my T11, otherwise I would have given it serious consideration.

I very much like the idea of fixed-base. Although I've never owned one, I hardly ever use the plunge base to plunge, and the springs are often a nuisance on the small router (have to be taken off to do the job).

I still like the T11 - it's doing the job for me at the moment, but I also like Bosch quality* :?




*Tools, I mean. This doesn't apply to their white goods, which appear to be from a different, quite bendy, universe.

 

[Templatetom]

I have been using the router for this purpose long before the Domino came on the market. Produced all my joints for a set of dining room chairs in a variety of 'Domino' thicknesses to suit the material I was using. I also constructed a jig to insert the slots on the face of the material with the router and in those days inserted biscuits
Tom

 

[Benchwayze]

I have been using the router for this purpose long before the Domino came on the market. Produced all my joints for a set of dining room chairs in a variety of 'Domino' thicknesses to suit the material I was using. I also constructed a jig to insert the slots on the face of the material with the router and in those days inserted biscuits
Tom

Welcome to the Forum Tom....

I haven't used the router as a 'Domino' substitute, but I do use it to make slip mortice & tenon joints. Is that what you mean?

If you've desgined a 'Domino' jig, I am sure many of us would welcome some details.

As a 'newbie', you might not be able post pics at the moment , but that changes after a few posts. So how about letting us in on your method?


Regards
John

 

[Benchwayze]

Table saws: To cross cut lots of very small pieces off safely, when the accuracy of the table saw is needed, I have always used a very fine long wood wedge with a magnet so it sticks to the table. It can be positioned actually touching the blade face at its waxed tip and importantly needs to be set back to the width being cut plus a mil or two. When making squares for a batch of small chess boards last year I cut 100 at a time and they were just left there, the wedge makes sure they assemble in a bunch well away from the back teeth. My Grandpa showed me that trick in 1961.

I see that Felder market such a device now.

Cheers

Mike

8)

Hi Mike,

I am visualising a wedge that is the same height, as the stock. The wedge placed on its side, to the right of the blade, with the wide part of the wedge towards the rear of the table. Thus providing a temporary, angled ''fence' to deflect the cut pieces to the right and away from the blade. Have I got it right?

Cheers.

John

 

[ferret]

pleased i seen this was wondering what a dominoe was for a bit not being a woodworker by trade is it not just a variation of a biscuit have these fallen out of favour or are these better have made these years ago when i got a router and made little tables just routed two slots and fitted tongues in the slots and bobs your uncle

 

[Chems]

Yes its just like a biscuit, but a bit better, very tight fit and deeper. Also very expensive but well worth the money.

 

[JoinerySolutions]

There are a few guys on the USA festool forums and one on the Aussie one who make their own Domino's.(that I know of :wink: )
Some due to wanting a contrasting timber for shelf pegs or handle parts etc, and one says it is a great use for workshop offcuts and actually works out cheaper if you set up to produce a lot at one time.

A good case for contrasting domino's is in the Domi-drawer which is a drawer that uses seen domino's instead of dovetails or other methods but looks quite attractive.

 

[OPJ]

A good case for contrasting domino's is in the Domi-drawer which is a drawer that uses seen domino's instead of dovetails or other methods but looks quite attractive.

Is this what you are talking about?

http://blogs.popularwoodworking.com/editorsblog/Festool+Domino+Thinking+Outside+The+Box.aspx

 

[Benchwayze]

I am trying to resist the Domino, because I think it's over-priced.
But things like that keep weakening my resolve.

:-({|=

John

 

[Chems]

With the drawer thing you really need to use your own made ones anyway. I've done it a couple of times on the back of drawers dunno if you can see them at the back here:

But the standard dominos don't quite fill the rounded edges as they are ribbed to get the glue out so wouldn't look immediately like that one linked there.


Bench, its worth the money, it really is. If your passing Northampton come and have a go anytime, your not far away. I'm a festool convert after using it, any power tools bought in future will be overpriced green machines.

 

[Benchwayze]

Thanks Chems,

I might take you up on that.

I saw a feature in FW showing dowels being used in this way too. But the effect is not quite as attractive as this, albeit that Dominos are not dovetails...

Whatever I decide I have to wait for a month or two. There's been a sudden leak in the woodwork fund, due to the need to buy timber!

Regards
John

 

[Brian Jackson]

On speaking to rep re making own biscuits,they make the point that glue is held in body of their product.

I put striations in mine via the spindle moulder.

 

[Ross K]

Making copy dominoes is one thing (which I do for the 10mm size as it saves way more per domino) but making unique dominoes is another, and it's the latter that's really advantageous.

As you may know the Domino has three widths of oscillation providing narrow, medium and wide mortices.

Making dominoes to precisely fit the medium and wide mortices opens up a lot of possibilities.

I tend to use oak by the way.

 

[Brian Jackson]

Ross, why oak, wouldn't any hardwood do?

I have used Jarra, which gives a nice contrast when using through method.

 

[Ross K]

Ross, why oak, wouldn't any hardwood do?

Yes, you're right. Oak for me because i'm using them for outdoor as well as indoor works.

 

[Giff]

This seems like an old post but I have been looking at Sipo exterior dominos for exterior use and Festool only sell each size in packs of 750mm lengths, at about £70 per pack! I want to use different dominos for different projects and have a stock of normal interior beech ones so I tried soaking them in water seal and they now look like exterior dominos. Just do a few of the size you want at a time. They float so you have to weigh them down, or a jar with a top...and they don't swell and fit ok when dried.. Geoff

 

[Brian Jackson]

Rather than do that, I prefer to make my own Dominoes

I use treated pine, which is impervious to water.

 

[Giff]

That would work as well Brian.....just that I have a box of normal beech ones already..Geoff

 

[Brian Jackson]

That would work as well Brian.....just that I have a box of normal beech ones already..Geoff

As do I Giff, but I find they go down at an alarming rate.

Brian.

 

[Giff]

I have just got mine Brian so I will find out soon...I have the assorted box and suspect I will end up with lots of the ones I never use...I bit like chocolates at Christmas.!. Geoff