The Domino is a loose
mortise and tenon joining Join may refer to:
* Join (law), to include additional counts or additional defendants on an indictment
*In mathematics:
** Join (mathematics), a least upper bound of sets orders in lattice theory
** Join (topology), an operation combining two topo ...
tool manufactured by the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
company
Festool
Festool is a brand of high-end power tools from Germany. Festool Group GmbH & Co. KG is based in Wendlingen and is a subsidiary of the TTS Tooltechnic Systems holding company. It is known for its system-based approach to power tools and its focu ...
.
History and description
The idea for this tool came from German master cabinetmaker Vitus Rommel.
First on the US market in 2007,
the Domino tool cuts a full mortise in a single plunge, just like a
biscuit joiner
A biscuit joiner or biscuit jointer (or sometimes plate joiner) is a woodworking tool used to join two pieces of wood together. A biscuit joiner uses a small circular saw blade to cut a crescent-shaped hole (called the mouth) in the opposite e ...
does but using instead a drill-like rotating cutter with a spinning bit that also moves sideways to cut a full round-ended mortise in a single plunge.
[ Each plunge creates a mortise that is sized to accept a Domino loose tenon (a dowel with an oval-shaped cross section), creating joints in stock from wide. There are five cutter sizes (4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 8 mm and 10 mm) for six different Domino tenon sizes. Self-referencing pins allow the cutting of rows of evenly spaced mortises with no need to measure and mark. Mortise width is adjustable in three increments with the turn of a knob, and cuts can be overlapped for long mortises. Fence tilts vary from 0-90°, with stop positions at 0°, 22.5°, 45°, 67.5°, and 90°. The plunge depth is also adjustable.
]
Domino XL
The Domino XL is, as the name implies, the Domino's larger cousin. It uses the same cutter design as the original Domino, yet uses much larger tenons. The width of a mortise can be up to 14 mm, its length up to 140 mm and its depth up to 70 mm, thus allowing for tenons with a depth of up to 140 mm.
Advantages
*Allows very quick joinery, useful in a commercial carpentry setting.
*Flat tenons resists torquing.
*Stronger than a biscuit joiner.
Disadvantages
*High tool cost comparative to other joinery methods
*Proprietary tenons (dowels) required
*Noise and dust (dust extraction required)
See also
*Biscuit joiner
A biscuit joiner or biscuit jointer (or sometimes plate joiner) is a woodworking tool used to join two pieces of wood together. A biscuit joiner uses a small circular saw blade to cut a crescent-shaped hole (called the mouth) in the opposite e ...
— general page on biscuit joinery methods
*Dowelmax
The Dowelmax is a loose tenon dowelling jig manufactured by the O.M.S. Tool company in Canada. The manufacturer claims that the small manufacturing tolerances of for the aluminium, brass and steel components of the jig ensure accuracy and repea ...
— another loose tenon joinery system
* Dowels - general page on dowels
References
{{Reflist
External links
www.festool.net
— Manufacturer's official international website
— the Domino page at the Festool USA site
Woodworking hand-held power tools
Joinery