| Festool Domino FAQs. |
Q: What is the DF 500 Q Domino joiner?
A: The Domino joiner will revolutionize how you join work pieces. The Domino joiner is a hand mortising machine that cuts mortises for Domino tenons, which are loose tenons. Five different Domino tenons from 3/16" by 1 3/16" to 3/8" by 2" provide the right tenon for any application. Pieces as small as 5/8" by 7/8" can be joined for face frames, chair details and handrails.
Back to Top
Q: How does the Domino joiner work?
A: The bit on the Domino joiner both spins and oscillates side to side to cut perfect mortises. There are four different cutters, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm and 10mm for five different size Domino tenons. Depth adjusts to accommodate Domino tenon length. Domino tenons can be off-set to accommodate different material thicknesses.
Back to Top
Q: How does the Domino joiner compare to a biscuit joiner?
A: The Domino joiner is faster, stronger and more versatile than a biscuit joiner. You can use it on narrower stock for face frames, chair details and railings. The handy stops and fences allow you to perfectly position the Domino joiner without the need to layout and measure. Using the tightest registration on the mortise width dial enables you to use the Domino loose tenons to index your work piece for perfect registration. Solid beech Domino tenons are strong and allow for true mortise and tenon joinery.
A biscuit joiner uses a saw blade to cut kerfs that you insert a biscuit comprised of compressed beech shavings. The biscuit has a loose fit as it expands significantly when glued. A biscuit is helpful when indexing a work piece, but cannot be used for exact registration. The biscuit size generally limits application to wider stock. The joint is not strong enough for certain furniture applications.
The Domino joiner uses a router bit which both spins and sweeps from side to side to carve out a mortise in which you insert a solid beech Domino loose tenon. There are three width settings that allow you to use the Domino joiner for exact registration, or a looser fit for ease of assembly. You can use the Domino joiner to join members that are as small as 7/8" by 5/8", and you can use the largest Domino tenons or combinations of Domino tenons for larger furniture pieces. So face frames, tables and chairs can be joined using the Domino joiner. The joint is extremely strong — the solid beech Domino tenon has great sheer strength and provides ample glue surface for a solid joint.
You have to manually lay out your work piece when using a biscuit joiner. The Domino joiner has indexing features built in with auxiliary guides and fences which allow you to use the machine itself to run and align your work piece.
The Domino joiner can be used in place of traditional mortise and tenon joinery, or rabbets and dados. It is far more versatile than the biscuit joiner, faster and produces a stronger joint.
Back to Top
Q: How does using the Domino joiner differ from using a router for mortising?
A: Using a router for mortising is a cumbersome, time consuming and imprecise science requiring various jigs or templates in addition to the router. Layout and execution is an involved process and perfect alignment is not guaranteed, requiring additional reworking.
The Domino joiner simplifies this process considerably. Perfectly aligned loose tenon joints are quick and easy, accomplished in a fraction of the time saving you time and headaches.
Back to Top
Q: How much wiggle room does the Domino joiner allow to align your mortise and Domino tenon?
A: The mortise width dial on the Domino joiner has three different settings to suit your application. You can set it for precise registration to align your work piece perfectly along two axes. This setting is ideal when used with the stop pins or locating pins on the base plate of the Domino joiner, and the narrow frame fence or trim stop. No lay out marks are required. The Domino joiner will index itself and your joints will align perfectly using these features.
You can adjust the mortise width for 6mm or 10mm (1/4" – 3/8") of play when you don’t need precise alignment. You can also combine the precise alignment feature with the “wiggle room” setting and never pick up a pencil to make a mark. Again, the Domino will align itself.
On large pieces, use the locating pin to cut your first mortise for precise alignment. Change your mortise width setting to allow for wiggle room and use the cross stop or outrigger guides to layout your remaining mortises.
You can, however, layout your work piece as you would when using a biscuit joiner. This can be done for precise alignment or wiggle room. The alignment marks on the horizontal position gauge and the base plate are similar to what you would find on a biscuit joiner and can be used for precise alignment.
Back to Top
Q: How does the trim stop work?
A: The trim stop is an adjustable fence that attaches to the base of the Domino joiner and allows you to center or off-set the Domino joiner on narrow work pieces for perfect positioning.
Back to Top
Q: How loud is the Domino joiner?
A: The Domino joiner is remarkably quiet. You cannot really compare it to a router; it is quieter than most power tools, and makes about as much noise as a small sander. It has a high precision 420-watt or 3.5 amp motor with a sophisticated gearbox to minimize noise. The mortising action of the cutter does not produce significant sound. Most people will remark on just how quiet it really is.
Back to Top
Q: What does the green knob on top of the Domino joiner do?
A: The green knob on top of the Domino joiner is the mortise width dial for setting mortise width. When using the stop-pins to index off an edge of the work piece, use the first setting. This will cut a narrow mortise for a tight fit to align the work piece. The wider mortise settings are for running Domino tenons in series using the Cross Stop when precise alignment is not needed. Using the cross stop to cut mortises in series saves time on layout.
Back to Top
Q: Will the Domino joiner be available in package deals, i.e., with multifunction tables or vacuums?
A: The Domino joiner is offered in packages with the four different mobile dust extractors.
Back to Top
Q: Can the Domino cutters be resharpened?
A: Domino cutters can be resharpened as many as three times. After three sharpenings they become too short to mortise the necessary depth. Domino cutters will bore between 4,000 and 15,000 mortises before they require sharpening. On average, 4,000 mortises into end grain on hardwood, and 15,000 mortises into side grain on soft wood.
Back to Top
Q: How do the stop-pins and cross-stop work?
A: The stop-pins on either side of the fence allow you to align the Domino joiner off the edge of a work piece for precise positioning. The pins are retractable and spring-loaded so they move out of the way when not being used. Miters and butt joints will align perfectly when the stop pins and fence are used for alignment.
The cross stop allows you to place Domino tenons in a series without measuring. Simply set your spacing, hook the cross stop into your first mortise and use the cross stop to index your mortises.
Back to Top
Q: When using the indexing feature on the Domino joiner — the stop pins or locating pins on the base plate — does the first mortise have to be cut to the exact size? Can I make the other mortises wider?
A: Cutting your mortise to the exact size by using the first setting on the mortise width dial will allow you to use the Domino joiner for registration to perfectly align your work piece. When using the Domino joiner for case work, or for running Domino tenons in series, we suggest that you use the Domino tenons at both ends for registration. The mortises in the field can be laid out and cut using the cross-stop and one of the wider mortise settings to provide side-to-side play for quick and easy assembly.
Back to Top
Q: What are Domino tenons made of?
A: Domino tenons are made out of solid Beech, a very dense, strong hardwood. They have tiny glue pockets embossed on the face to accommodate glue and ridges along the edges for a perfect fit.
Back to Top
Q: Why are there different size bits?
A: The four different size Domino cutters (D5, D6, D8 & D10 millimeters) correspond to the thicknesses of the different size Domino tenons. There are five Domino tenon sizes — 5 X 30, 6 X 40, 8 X 40, 8 X 50 or 10 X 50 millimeters.
Back to Top
Q: Which size Domino tenon should I use for which thickness of material?
A: Generally, the Domino thickness should be one-third the thickness of the work piece. When joining 3/4" hardwoods however, you can use the 8mm Domino tenon. On soft woods, and plywood, abide by the one-third rule.
The strength of a mortise and tenon joint lies in the length and width of the tenon. The glue bond on the face of the tenon contributes most to joint strength. Therefore, you want to use either the largest Domino tenon your stock will accommodate, or a combination of smaller Domino tenons to maximize joint strength.
There are limitations, however. The extra wood removed from a member necessary to accommodate a larger tenon may cause the wood to split when the joint is stressed, especially when soft woods are used.
On joints with stacked Domino tenons, the minimum amount of material necessary above, between and below the Domino tenons should be equal to the thickness of the Domino tenon.
On Domino tenons placed next to each other, the minimum spacing between Domino tenons should be twice the thickness of the Domino tenon.
Back to Top
Q: There are five different size Domino tenons, but only three width settings on the machine, how come?
A: The width setting on the Domino joiner is not what determines which size Domino tenon you use; the Domino cutter and the depth setting determine which Domino tenon you use.
The four different size Domino cutters (D5, D6, D8 & D10 millimeters) correspond to the thicknesses of the different size Domino tenons. There are five Domino tenon sizes — 5 X 30, 6 X 40, 8 X 40, 8 X 50 or 10 X 50 millimeters.
The green knob on top of the Domino joiner is to set mortise width. When using the stop-pins to index off an edge of a work piece, use the first setting. This will cut a narrow slot for a tight fit to align the piece.
The wider mortise settings are for running Domino tenons in series using the cross stop where precise alignment is not necessary. Using the cross stop to cut mortises saves time on layout and assembly.
Back to Top
Q: How do you glue the Domino tenons?
A: For best results, squeeze yellow glue, polyurethane or epoxy into the mortise and use a brush or q-tip to swab the sides. Lightly brush each face and along the edge of the Domino tenon and insert it. Brush glue along the face of your joint, clamp and allow to set.
Back to Top
Q: What’s the fastest way to apply glue to the mortise and Domino tenon?
A: As you are already saving considerable time using the Domino joining over traditional methods, we suggest that you take care when gluing up to ensure a good, solid joint.
Simply squirt glue in the mortise and coat the sides with either a q-tip or brush. Some prefer using a disposable flux or acid brush for this. Brush glue across the face of the Domino tenon and along the edge as well. The patented glue pockets on the face of the Domino tenon ensure good adhesion. Be generous with the glue, you don’t want a starved joint.
On large pieces, for longer assembly time, you may want to try polyurethane instead of yellow glue. For hard to glue woods like maple, or for exterior applications, we recommend epoxy.
Back to Top
Q: Is it possible to get a strong joint without applying so much glue that it squeezes out?
A: As your mortise and Domino tenon are set back from the edge of the work piece, squeeze-out is generally not a problem.
Be sure to apply plenty of glue to the mortise, brush it around and brush it on the face and along the edge of the Domino tenon as well. You will also want to glue both joint surfaces, as that will greatly increase your glue surface area and joint strength. That is where you will want to watch for squeeze out, as with any other type of glue joint.
Back to Top
Q: Will the Domino tenons swell in humid conditions? How do I best protect Domino tenons against swelling?
A: Domino tenons are made from solid beech wood, not compressed beech shavings like a biscuit joint, so they are far less susceptible to swelling from humidity. Moreover, Domino tenons are treated to prevent swelling.
Nevertheless, if swelling does occur, the Domino tenons’ patented break-away edge will shear off when inserted into the mortise. We do recommend though that you store your Domino tenons in a dry place for best results.
Back to Top