DF500 how would you do this

[Brian Runau]

I need to make a series of mortises on a bed post leg, 3-1/2" square, on the 1.75 inch center line. Would make a base to set the tool on , clamp a straight edge to the post, so you could rest your tool on that or other? Thanks

[Jim Becker]

I'd bring the tool to the material since you need to reference off the tool's fence from the top of the material. Stops behind the material keep it from sliding so you can use both hands to insure that the Domino machine is absolutely flat on top of the workpiece before doing the deed.

[Jeff Roltgen]

Well, I know we're way off the regular scale here, but I just ran the fence up to roughly 1.75" CL and it still clamps snugly. Reading 2 5/16" off bench top to flat of fence and it's crazy close to parallel by just briskly testing it out. Have you tried that?
I'd probably grab a reference block to set up/assure it's square, do a couple test cuts in scrap to instill confidence and get after it. Your way works too, but may be tougher to keep all things aligned, whereas, once set and verified, the original fence should be trustworthy going forward and save a bit of extra fuss.

jeff

[Brian Runau]

Well, I know we're way off the regular scale here, but I just ran the fence up to roughly 1.75" CL and it still clamps snugly. Reading 2 5/16" off bench top to flat of fence and it's crazy close to parallel by just briskly testing it out. Have you tried that?
I'd probably grab a reference block to set up/assure it's square, do a couple test cuts in scrap to instill confidence and get after it. Your way works too, but may be tougher to keep all things aligned, whereas, once set and verified, the original fence should be trustworthy going forward and save a bit of extra fuss.

jeff

Jeff i didn’t think the fence would let me do that? I will double check. Thanks brian

[Jim Becker]

Something just dawned on me...DF500 may not natively provide enough "fence depth" for the size of the work you want to do and your question makes more sense to me in that context. So yes, perhaps building a fixture that holds the machine up off the bench the required amount to center the cutter on your line (along with lateral support to keep it plunging straight) could do the job. Using the tool vertically with a guide fence is also workable. The workpiece would need to be stopped and clamped down and you'll want to be very careful about keeping the orientation of the workpieces consistent. DF500's fence kinda zeros in on the settings that work with thinner material. Even DF700 certainly has its upper limits where you can no longer use the fence with the tool horizontal and have to move to a vertical orientation like you would use in the middle of a flat panel.

[Brian Runau]

Something just dawned on me...DF500 may not natively provide enough "fence depth" for the size of the work you want to do and your question makes more sense to me in that context. So yes, perhaps building a fixture that holds the machine up off the bench the required amount to center the cutter on your line (along with lateral support to keep it plunging straight) could do the job. Using the tool vertically with a guide fence is also workable. The workpiece would need to be stopped and clamped down and you'll want to be very careful about keeping the orientation of the workpieces consistent. DF500's fence kinda zeros in on the settings that work with thinner material. Even DF700 certainly has its upper limits where you can no longer use the fence with the tool horizontal and have to move to a vertical orientation like you would use in the middle of a flat panel.

Plan to mill a base 1.375, will add side supports, per your suggestion, to keep it square. Thanks brian

[Dave Sabo]

I'd be using a router , not a rube goldberg'd domino.

[Jim Becker]

This is not an unusual or "Rube Goldberg" use of the Domino. My own initial confusion was because I mentally missed the fact that the thickness of the material exceeded the fence capacity of the DF500. The method the OP is going to use is essentially the same as when putting a Domino in the middle of a large panel...it's just rotated and benefits from the support of the bench.

[Keegan Shields]

Assuming your bench is flat, mill a spacer for the base of your domino the raises it to the height needed for the mortise. Use double sided tape to stick the spacer to your Domino's base plate. Reference off the spacer, no fence needed.

Secure your table leg laying down on the bench. Plunge away!

[Bill Dufour]

Whats a df500? I would set two posts side by side and use the extra one as a wider base assuming this is some sort of router setup.
The way I use my Biscuit jointer is to set the work on the table saw and reference everything up from the bottom. Use shims to raise the work or raise the tool. A stack of bigger file cards make great shim stacks.
Biull D

[Jim Becker]

Whats a df500? I

Festool Domino DF500.

[Brian Runau]

Well, I know we're way off the regular scale here, but I just ran the fence up to roughly 1.75" CL and it still clamps snugly. Reading 2 5/16" off bench top to flat of fence and it's crazy close to parallel by just briskly testing it out. Have you tried that?
I'd probably grab a reference block to set up/assure it's square, do a couple test cuts in scrap to instill confidence and get after it. Your way works too, but may be tougher to keep all things aligned, whereas, once set and verified, the original fence should be trustworthy going forward and save a bit of extra fuss.

jeff

Jeff, I just got home and checked mine, it will only go 1-3/16 to 1-1/4" from the bottom of the fence to the center line of the bit. This is the 500 are you thinking about the 700? Brian

[Jeff Roltgen]

Jeff, I just got home and checked mine, it will only go 1-3/16 to 1-1/4" from the bottom of the fence to the center line of the bit. This is the 500 are you thinking about the 700?

Nope. Good old DF500, though it's getting close to 15 years of age, so maybe a newer version won't allow this(?) Doubt it though, as this is the direction you go to slide it up and off the tool to remove it.
If you run the indicator line all the way to the top of the post (like 15mm above the "30" at the top of actual scale), I am getting the readings mentioned. Again, I'm waaayy off the scale. If I run to the top of gradation marks on the scale at 30mm, I get the same results as you: ~1 3/16 to CL of bit.

While clearly not sanctioned by Festool, I've often found as long as I'm not introducing a dangerous situation, I'll stretch the boundaries of a tool's prescribed operation to suit the task at hand. This is why I mentioned double checking square/parallel with a test block, but again, my old DF500 is locking it down and staying well aligned / parallel despite being run off that scale.

No shame in deciding you don't want to use your machine outside the prescribed parameters, and don't mean to encourage you to do something risky to you or your project. Just seems sound enough to me with my machine and experience that I know I'd try it. I've never had any fence creep on mine, but others have apparently had issues, and if your machine has a tendency to slip in that manner, indeed, probably better to fix a proper sized block to the underside, as others have mentioned already.
Either way, faster than chopping mortises by hand!

good luck!

jeff

[Jeff Roltgen]

Should have done this all along and saved the verbage:

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[Bill Dufour]

Very similar to my 557. Fold the fence down out of the way and do like I said, reference everything from the bottom.
Bill D

[Brian Runau]

Jeff:

My unit has a two black rubber stops at the top of the track for the fence travel. When installed I can only adjust it to the maximum of @1-1/4". I can remove these and it will go higher, but it throws off square on the fence because one of the feet that supports the fence has no base to ride on in this position. See pic. I also feel it may be unsafe to use in this way. I try not to use my equipment in ways it is not designed for, so for me I will mill a base to sit the Domino on to get to my height. Thanks. Brian

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