Domino - Center on 3/4" Stock?

[Jason Lester]

I'm seriously considering the purchase of a Festool Domino. I've watched lots of videos showing the use for different joints and such. I know that the centering marks for stock thickness are in metric vs imperial. Almost everything I make is with 3/4" actual thickness stock. I see that Seneca makes an adapter for 1/2" and 3/4" nominal stock, but I assume they mean the newer thinner thicknesses of 1/2" and 3/4" plywood. What are people doing to make it easiest to perfectly center your Domino cuts in 3/4" solid wood?

[Jamie Buxton]

You can set the depth to anything you want. There’s a scale (metric) to help with the setting. Or to make the depth setting easily repeatable, you can make a spacer to slide into the depth stop while you’re setting the depth. If you set the built-in stop to 16 mm (one of the presets), and add a spacer of .060”, you’ll be centered on .75” stock.

[Dave Richards]

Does it matter if the slots aren't perfectly centered on the thickness of the stock? It's most important that the slots are the same distance from the reference edges on both pieces. 8 mm is pretty close to 3/8 in. And will get the slots pretty close to center

[Jim Becker]

What Dave says is true...as long as you are referencing from the correct surfaces, variation from centering doesn't matter. As to the metric scale, if you don't work in metric (I recently converted to metric myself and am loving it), it's handy to have a digital caliper in your shop so you can measure thickness in both inches and MM and convert back and forth in a snap. That will make it very easy to use tools that only have metric scales with stock that's already sized to Imperial thickness. They are not expensive, either.

[Rod Sheridan]

What Dave says is true...as long as you are referencing from the correct surfaces, variation from centering doesn't matter. As to the metric scale, if you don't work in metric (I recently converted to metric myself and am loving it), it's handy to have a digital caliper in your shop so you can measure thickness in both inches and MM and convert back and forth in a snap. That will make it very easy to use tools that only have metric scales with stock that's already sized to Imperial thickness. They are not expensive, either.

Bingo!

Convert to metric, it made everything so much easier when I did that.............Rod.

[Jim Becker]

Bingo!

Convert to metric, it made everything so much easier when I did that.............Rod.

I actually have done that myself, Rod...and after only a a month or so I totally hate measuring things in inches. LOL The only issue I've had is that I have to translate things back to my client in inches, but the major dimensions of the current commission more or less are at common sizing in Imperial.

[Bill Fleming]

I actually have done that myself, Rod...and after only a a month or so I totally hate measuring things in inches. LOL The only issue I've had is that I have to translate things back to my client in inches, but the major dimensions of the current commission more or less are at common sizing in Imperial.

Hey Jim and Rod

Maybe a separate thread (I admit I haven't yet searched) on "going metric" your experience - I seem to be in the "in between" world due to tooling and jigs that are non-metric and my metric tools. It is easier if your key tools are European such as my Festool tools. But my Incra saw/router fence and router lift are non-metric. I thought about converting the fence but don't want to spend the money, etc. I have a special project coming up and am considering a Leigh jig.... metric or not is the key issue... any I would be interested in hearing more about the experience of both of you... Thx

[Jim Becker]

Hey Jim and Rod

Maybe a separate thread (I admit I haven't yet searched) on "going metric" your experience - I seem to be in the "in between" world due to tooling and jigs that are non-metric and my metric tools. It is easier if your key tools are European such as my Festool tools. But my Incra saw/router fence and router lift are non-metric. I thought about converting the fence but don't want to spend the money, etc. I have a special project coming up and am considering a Leigh jig.... metric or not is the key issue... any I would be interested in hearing more about the experience of both of you... Thx

There have been a few threads, but sometimes a flame-resistant suit has been required. Some people are absolutely set in their ways. And that's just fine. The short answer to your question is yes, having tools that embrace the measuring system you choose to use is very helpful in the transition. I was personally covered there with Festool and Minimax...and some of my measuring/layout tools. The biggest frustration for me has been the dearth of metric tooling, but honestly, it doesn't matter much. Committing to it was also scare, but absolutely the way to go. Once you use it consistency for a month or three...the habit may stick.

The question is somewhat related to this thread, however, given that the scales on the tool in question are setup for metric...but in the end, it honestly doesn't matter what system you use because the majority of measurements have to be taken directly on the project and it doesn't care. And for a Domino, metric depth is fine no matter what simply because that's what the dominos, themselves are scaled to. And as been noted multiple times, working from reference faces eliminates any care about tight measurements for this kind of tool. Someone already mentioned that it effectively didn't matter for biscuits either, and I agree.

[Ted Derryberry]

I just work in decimal inches and don't care what the manufacturer of the tools or material intended. About the only time it's really an issue is for bolts and nuts on equipment. I finally bought an assortment of metric nuts to keep in the shop.

[Larry Edgerton]

Every Festool I own has an annoying feature, and that stupid step thing is the Dominos. Who says I want to work with the thickness they spec? Maybe I want to offset? Stupid design.

Dewalt biscuit joiners have what should be in the Festool.

[Jamie Buxton]

Every Festool I own has an annoying feature, and that stupid step thing is the Dominos. Who says I want to work with the thickness they spec? Maybe I want to offset? Stupid design.

Dewalt biscuit joiners have what should be in the Festool.

You can the step thing out of the way, and set the table position to anything you want -- just like your biscuit joiner.

[Simon MacGowen]

You can the step thing out of the way, and set the table position to anything you want -- just like your biscuit joiner.

+1.

The steps are just for convenience and not essential for the use of the DJ. Using the steps to set depths will guarantee zero fence drift for those who are not using the proper way to set the depth.

Simon

[Larry Edgerton]

You can the step thing out of the way, and set the table position to anything you want -- just like your biscuit joiner.

Sure you can, but it is a clumsy piece of crud compared to a good system. Who needs steps? Steps? Really?

I make a lot of very large pieces that can not be transported in one piece, and it would be nice to use it for assembly points that I usually do on stepped reveals, but the Domino is too time consuming to set at a number "I" specify, so I end up using the Dewalt or Lamello.

As far as not being set to center because of a stupid system, again, Really? You are making excuses for a machine that will not easily allow you to do what you want. We all know that center is the best place for the domino.

If Senica wanted to do something, making an easily adjustable fence height with a pointer and a scale would be # one on my list, and I will buy the first one. Copy the Dewalt.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Bill, since I design my furniture going metric made a lot of sense.

Instead of 3/4" thick pieces I use 20mm, same for 2" and 50mm, nobody gets out the micrometer to determine if the table leg is 2" or 50mm. Plywood in North America has been metric since the 70"s or early 80"s, as the North American Council adopted metric standards then.

Most of the tooling in the world is metric, so I can buy many 30mm bore shaper cutters for less money than 1 1/4" bore.

it's far easier to add numbers in the metric system than adding 57/64" to 9/16" and then dividing by 2.

The standard for kitchen cabinets is the 32mm system, takes a bit of learning however it makes so much sense, and all the hardware is designed to work with that standard as well

Jim touched upon the difficulty of obtaining metric measuring tools in the USA, however that's only true if you're shopping at the Borg. Lee Valley provide mail order service in the US, and machine shop suppliers will have machinist squares, and steel rules in metric.

As Jim said, once you try it out for a while, you won't go back....................Rod.

P.S. If you're building a shed and the plywood is 4 X 8, stick to that method, however for furniture or custom work, leave the Imperial system behind.

The funny thing is that the US standards for calibration are all metric, and have been for about a century as there no standards for the Imperial system except those derived from the SI system.

[Jim Becker]

Rod, measuring tools haven't been a problem...things like router bits with metric radii, etc. don't seem to exist. I don't even see them at Axminster in the UK for some reason! But that's no big deal and easy to compensate for..