Domino through tenon ?

[Mike Holbrook]

I was making a worktable recently. I was attaching plywood 22” wide to 2x4s. I used Dominos so I did not have to worry about screws when I started drilling dog holes in the top. I went all the way through the plywood with a 6mm/40mm Domino. It had occured to me that I might also want to know where the Dominos were when I started drilling.

The other obvious advantage of through Dominos is one only has to drill half as many Domino holes. Wondering if there is some disadvantage to this technique that I have not thought of?

[Prashun Patel]

The disadvantage is if the domino does not fill the corners completely it may not look finished.

[Marshall Harrison]

I'm no expert but I don't recall ever seeing floating through tenons before.

[johnny means]

l've used that technique to make quick and dirty drawer boxes and tool caddies. Always worked out well. The Dominoes always fit plenty tight. I never thought Dominoes really had corners.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I use it periodically:

[Mike Holbrook]

I would think a through domino would be similar to a drawbore or dowel, except the domino should be better than a dowel. Hard to do a drawbore on two pieces without butted surfaces.

I was contemplating only gluing the dominos to the first piece of plywood, so I could replace the top piece if it is damaged or I find one of the better MDFs I have been reading about. I am also planing to use a 3/4” strip around the edges, which will help hold things in place.

My idea was to use dominos as screw replacements. I am about to move to a home that is made of logs, all wood shiplap panneling inside. The new entrance is “timber framed”. I thought the “through tenons” might continue the “timber framed”/drawbored theme that we will continue to use in other areas of the home. I am putting timber framed in “” because where it looks like timbers are held in place by pegs there are actually long heavy screws driven in deep holes. A peg or dowel is placed in the screw hole. Hard to find a real timber framer these days. I suspect it may be hard to get rural area inspectors to approve actual timber frame construction.

My fallback is to split out oak pegs from “green” logs I have. I guess I just do not like the apperance of exposed screw heads. I also have “Miller Dowels”. I am just not sure how sturdy they are? I have been using GKR finishing screws lately but they do leave a small hole. Yes, I am progressing from a construction to woodworking mind set.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Mike, in that spice rack pic I posted, the through dominos work just like an exposed mortise and tenon. These did fit perfectly with no gaps, and were done this way for speed. I don't completely follow what you are planning with the sheet goods, but I think as long as you think of domino as a tenon, it'll be fine. Could also be used as a key or a plug.

[Jim Becker]

I see nothing wrong with the technique. The singular concern would be if you are accepting of the aesthetic that the end of the domino tenon presents since the profile isn't smoothly rounded on the ends and will require some filler.

[Kim Gibbens]

I don't see a picture of the spice rack.

[Marshall Harrison]

The picture is missing. Can anyone else see it or is the problem on my end?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Regarding the missing spice rack pic... try #2. I can also see #1 on my feed, so someone let me know if this one posts please.

spice rack.jpg

[Marshall Harrison]

Regarding the missing spice rack pic... try #2. I can also see #1 on my feed, so someone let me know if this one posts please.

spice rack.jpg

This one worked Steve. Thanks.

[Mike Holbrook]

298EE075-E027-487B-B0FD-428791B89562.jpg

688CA3D4-AB9D-49C9-BC80-5B9E8F9383BA.jpg

I guess pictures are better than written descriptions. The lines on the bottom plywood pannel have 6mmx40mm through dominos. These Dominos & glue hold the plywood to the 2x4s bellow them. The lines that extend over both pieces of plywood are proposed Domino locations. I just fetched 5mmx30mm Dominos from the new home, thinking they might serve better to hold the top plywood piece as they are actually more for alignment. 40mm Dominos go through both pieces of plywood if the whole Domino is used. I am also thinking I may have too many Domino holes marked for alignment? I plan to put 3/4” x 3 1/2” SYP around the edges, to hold everything in place. I may use through Dominos again. I would like to be able to see where the Dominos are when I drill holes in the top. The plan is for the SYP edges to stick up about 1/4” so I can place masonite and other temporary tops over the plywood. I plan to drill 20mm holes 96mm appart in the top. Festools hole pattern.

If it is not clear in the picture. Moving the treaded casters up allows the Noden Adjust A Bench (AAB) base to rest on the ground, stabilizing the frame. There are two 3/8” threaded rods behind each stretcher too.

[Edwin Santos]

I was making a worktable recently. I was attaching plywood 22” wide to 2x4s. I used Dominos so I did not have to worry about screws when I started drilling dog holes in the top. I went all the way through the plywood with a 6mm/40mm Domino. It had occured to me that I might also want to know where the Dominos were when I started drilling.

The other obvious advantage of through Dominos is one only has to drill half as many Domino holes. Wondering if there is some disadvantage to this technique that I have not thought of?

I see nothing wrong with the technique. The singular concern would be if you are accepting of the aesthetic that the end of the domino tenon presents since the profile isn't smoothly rounded on the ends and will require some filler.

Hi,
There is no reason what you're proposing will not work.
To respond to the concerns of others that the domino will not totally fill in the mortise and leave gaps, that might require filler, there is a traditional craftsman's solution that can also be quite decorative.

What you can do is saw partial kerfs in your domino and during glue-up once seated, tap wedges into the kerfs which will spread the domino, fill in the end gaps and create a very tight joint. If there is an issue where the mortise ends are round and the edges of the domino are not, then sand or file the domino to bring it closer to the mortise end radius, and again, the wedges will do the rest for you. Here are some photos of through floating tenons wedged in this way (shop made, not the Domino brand). These photos are from some Krenov style shop stands I made, and obviously the tenon has been left proud, but in your case you will plane, rout or sand it flush.

I wish you were using something more stable than 2x4s to support the top. I'm concerned they will move over time and then your bench top will not remain flat. It could very well become twisted.




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Edwin

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I get it now Mike, that plan will work just fine. You do have way more than enough marked, which will look neat.