A bonus use for the Domino

[Sam Murdoch]

One of my least favorite (read- tedious) woodworking jobs has been cutting elongated screw slots into frame stock for attaching solid wood tops to a base.

Finally the light went off and I realized I had the perfect slotting machine - my Festool Domino. Using the 5mm cutter I was able to make perfect slots that will accommodate up to a #10 pan head screw with plenty of movement allowed for the wood top to expand/contract.

In this case my sub frame was only 3/4" thick x 1-1/2" wide. It was easy enough to center my slot and with the depth setting to 20mm - bore through the 3/4" in one pass. Very slick and I now have the cleanest elongated holes in my long woodworking career . I'm not likely to be the 1st guy to have discovered this but I'm happy to share to enlighten another woodworker in this endeavor.

[Mike Delyster]

I've been doing the same, I agree works better than my other attempts at making elongated holes.

[Matt Meiser]

Similarly, I needed to attach a skirt to the end of a butcher-block top but leave it float and I came up with this. Mark the piece with a square and plunge about half way from one side with a 5mm, from the other side with an 8 or 10. Install a screw, then glue a domino in over the screw (not tight to the screw head) and flush cut to create a "hidden" fastener.

[John A langley]

Sam that's a good one

[Tony Joyce]

Good tip! Thanks I just wonder why I didn't think of it?

Tony

[Max Neu]

I recently used a Rev A Shelf pullout organizer that had what looked like domino slots in the front to allow adjustability for the door front.I think they could be useful for kithen drawers also where extra adjustment is needed, like inset drawers.

[Gary Holcombe]

I recall reading in one of the Wood mags that you could do the same with the biscuit joiner. That's the only reason I've retained my PC biscuit joiner since buying the Dominos....

[Sam Murdoch]

I recall reading in one of the Wood mags that you could do the same with the biscuit joiner. That's the only reason I've retained my PC biscuit joiner since buying the Dominos....

The Domino slot is a perfectly sized and evenly dimensioned elongated hole for the purpose discussed whereas the biscuit slot is tooooo long on one face and the break open face would be a variable width. Not as clean and predictable a result as with the Domino. I use the biscuits for attaching face frames and very much prefer it for that application over the very precise Dominos but I would not keep it if only used for slotting table top keepers.