Replies

1. 
   Hastings | Dec 27, 2009 10:59am | #1

   Dana:

   The Domino would be a good alternative for making the mortises for your slats. You will still need to make a jig that holds your Domino still while you move the workpiece underneath.

   You have three choices for the mortise width so you will find it easiest to use those rather than try to create a width by moving the domino sideways. I'm thinking the widest slot will be close to what you need.

   The slats will need to be rounded over using metric round over bit to correspond to your domino size. You will then be able to make your own dominoes with the bit!

   If the widest slot is too small for you, I would stick to the router as I think you will have difficulty with repeatably accurate transverse movements of your domino machine.

   Hastings

1. 
   montec24 | Dec 27, 2009 11:26am | #2

   Thanks Hastings, that's
   Thanks Hastings, that's pretty much what I needed. Does that mean that I am limited to the mortise width it is set up for? In other words If I were to use a #6 cutter that gives me a Mortise of about 1/4" wide but is only 3/4 "(I think) long could I set the domino to make the width say 1 1/4" or do I need to make two mortises? If I need to make two mortises it may be hard to be accurate and not be worth me buying.

1. 
   Hastings | Dec 27, 2009 01:33pm | #8

   "Does that mean that I am limited to the mortise width it is set up for?"

   Yes, one of the 3 pre-set widths, though the widest will probably be what you want.

   "do I need to make two mortises? If I need to make two mortises it may be hard to be accurate"

   If you need a mortise wider than the pre-sets, then you will have to move the domino sideways and re-plunge. Not hard to do on an edge, but much harder to do on this type of application. I think you would find it to be frustrating.

   As others have said, the Domino is a wonderful machine and it gets a lot of use. The fact that your application isn't its best use, should not diminish its other uses.

2. 
   popawheelie | Dec 27, 2009 07:09pm | #11

   Jusy my .02. Could you mortice both sides and then hog out the middle? Make sure both outsides of the mortices were accurate and the middle just connects them.

2. 
   hammer1 | Dec 27, 2009 11:35am | #3

   I can't comment on the Domino
   I can't comment on the Domino machine. There are other ways to cut the slots than using an edge guide. Using something like a template guide and jig for the router gives you more control and can be widely adjusted. This combination is applicable to many woodworking tasks and can do accurate and repeatable cuts. It works best with a plunge router, if you have one.

   I would put up a picture or link you to a previous post where there is a picture but I can't find those functions, yet, with this new format. I can describe it if you aren't familiar with template guides. In my shop, a plunge router would be on the list before a Domino machine.

1. 
   montec24 | Dec 27, 2009 11:44am | #4

   Thanks Hammer, yeah I have a plunge router or two and use a template and guide often. The problem is that I need ot make a different template for each cover since the sizes change with each one. Then I would either have to make a template with all the holes in it, which is just as hard as doing the actual cover or a single hole template that I have to move for each mortise. I have not been able to come up with an adjustable, easily repeatable process. IF the Domino can be adjusted to any width I need then it would be perfect, if not then it's not the way for me.

3. 
   bones | Dec 27, 2009 12:00pm | #5

   I have th edomino and love it and I guess technically you could do as you suggest. If you are planning to slide as its going, I would not reccomend it. It is a very unigue design and the rusults would not be as you had hoped. The way I use my domino is one side of the joint is cut to the width of the domino, the mating side is cut one size wider (there are three setings)so I have some lateral movement capability for alignment. It has worked well for me, but I've always been a fan of the floating mortise. Prior to that I made them with a grzilly machine that while called a horizontal boring machine worked very well for this purpose and you could decide on your mortise width. It would be a lot cheaper, but it in now way compares to the versitility of the domino.

   http://www.grizzly.com/products/Single-Spindle-Boring-Machine/G0540

   Have a good one.

1. 
   montec24 | Dec 27, 2009 12:52pm | #6

   Thanks Bones, so let me ask you this. If you wanted to make a series of mortises say 1 1/4" long by about 1/4" thick (whatever the metric equivalent is) in the edge of a piece of 1 by could you do this accurately spaced and sized and repeatable?

   Thanks

1. 
   bones | Dec 27, 2009 02:23pm | #9

   To acomplish this (with a close metric equivilant) you could mark and cut the left side of the mortise and then cut. Measure from your line to the outside edge of the mortise so you know how far it cuts from the mark. Come in from the right side of the required mortise width by that amount and mark a line. this should have the right side of the mortise cut on the right side of the line. The two cuts should overlap and give you what you want. Now how smooth that will be interesting. I've overcut mortises before with the domino (forgot to change the setting to a wider cut for the mating piece). As long as you go slow it was very smooth. If you rush the plunge it would be ugyly and jagged. I know someone else here said they would check on the thickness of the domino's for you. If I get the chance this evening, I'll give what you are attempting to do a try and let you know how it goes. My gut tells me a quick build of a jig with some built in stops and a reference pin would do a quicker job with a router.

4. 
   zolton | Dec 27, 2009 01:19pm | #7

   Dana,

   I have a Domino, and what you are proposing would work, and would be quick and easy to do. I'm not sure about the size of mortise the machine makes on its widest setting (of the three available), and I'm not in my shop right now so I can't measure it for you. But it seems like it's at least an inch wide, if not a bit wider.

   One fast and accurate way to do this would be to mark out the mortises on the top surface of the stock - just like you'd do if you were cutting biscuit joints. You'd line up the hairline indicator of the Domino with each mark, plunge, and move onto the next. Very quick!

   Then you'd size your stock to the mortise width and thickness, glue it in place, take the money you earn, buy a place, settle down and raise a big family.

   To make things even quicker you could make marking jigs for each size of radiator cover you produce so you wouldn't have to reinvent the wheel for each new job.

   The price of a Domino is daunting. But once you have one you'll find about a million other uses for it, and you'll consider it a bargain. I was showing it to a cabinetmaker friend the other day and he said, "It's almost like cheating, isn't it?"

   Zolton

5. 
   Lataxe | Dec 27, 2009 06:15pm | #10

   Dana,

   Domino thicknesses and widths:

   5mm/19mm

   6mm/20mm

   8mm/22mm

   10mm/24mm

   The slots can be set to be made at the above widths; or width+6mm; or width+10mm. I don't believe you can set in between widths on the machine's width-extension dial, which has the 3 positions corresponding to the above (domino width; +6mm; +10mm).

   However, you can make accurate marks to define a wider slot to be cut with two (or more) passes. Just make a centre mark where you want the slat to be centred then a mark each side to add width. Plunge on each of the outer marks. The overlapping slots will be the width set on the machine plus the width between the outer marks.

   If the marks are made with a knife, you can place the Domino on them very accurately (put yer specs on). As long as the sticky spots on the machines fence have enough edge to register against, the machine will not slip when doing this double plunge.

   Lataxe

6. 
   hammer1 | Dec 28, 2009 09:12am | #12

   Since I don't seem to be able
   Since I don't seem to be able to post a picture to a reply, I'll start a new topic, "non-Domino mortices". It's a simple to make jig, it's adjustable and can be clamped to your work or fixed in your vice.

7. 
   montec24 | Dec 29, 2009 12:46pm | #13

   Well i broke down and just bought the domino. What a neat little tool! After spenidng 15 minutes learnign how to use it I laid out some 1 1/2" mortises equaly spaced. Line up the index mark to the left line and plunge, line up with the right line and plunge. Done! I did 14 mortises in about 10 minutes, all neat and accurate. And no dust! I still need to get some metric roundover bits although the 1/8" radius I have worked ok. I can see this tool getting a lot of use! Very happy with it although time will tell. Thanks everyone for your help.

   Dana