Domino - Tough joint to reference, I must be missing something

[Phil Meiss]

I have created faux posts and beams for a large bunkbed room using solid white oak with rabbets and WO plywood panels. I would like to use dominos to attach beams to post; 4 at each joint. Issue is that I need to reference the outside faces using 90deg fence to create mortise in "beam" and then bottom of tool to reference a line to put mortise in "post"

Pic wil make more sense, easy to line up height wise but laterally it's just not straight forward. I suppose if I could mess around with settings until mortise is DEAD, DEAD center of plywood it may be alright but I have 25ish of these joints to complete and thinking there must be a better way?

I could easily do two on 1 side, it's that 2nd face that makes life tough.

Ideas welcome and appreciated... Thx!

Screen Shot 2023-03-29 at 7.43.19 PM.jpgScreen Shot 2023-03-29 at 7.43.42 PM.jpg

[Kevin Jenness]

I have created faux posts and beams for a large bunkbed room using solid white oak with rabbets and WO plywood panels. I would like to use dominos to attach beams to post; 4 at each joint. Issue is that I need to reference the outside faces using 90deg fence to create mortise in "beam" and then bottom of tool to reference a line to put mortise in "post"

Pic wil make more sense, easy to line up height wise but laterally it's just not straight forward. I suppose if I could mess around with settings until mortise is DEAD, DEAD center of plywood it may be alright but I have 25ish of these joints to complete and thinking there must be a better way?

I could easily do two on 1 side, it's that 2nd face that makes life tough.

Ideas welcome and appreciated... Thx!

Screen Shot 2023-03-29 at 7.43.19 PM.jpgScreen Shot 2023-03-29 at 7.43.42 PM.jpg

1. Use the base of the machine to reference both the outside faces of the beam and the corresponding positions on the post. Plunge into the beam ends with the machine base and the beam faces on a flat bench surface. Clamp a 1x on the post on the line where one face of the beam is located and use that to index the machine base. Now locate the beam using dominos in the mortises you just cut and clamp a 1x to the post face tight to the opposite face of the beam, remove the beam and cut the second pair of mortises using the second 1x as a guide for the machine base.

2. Cut the first set of mortises in one side of the beam and post as before. Use a thick block as an offset registering against the bench surface for the beam mortises and the 1x for the post face. Make the block thickness such that the mortises are located in the center of the beam's second face.

3. Use the 90* fence for all cuts. Set the depth so that registering off the post faces the mortises will be centered in the beam face components. Use an offset block against the beam faces to locate those mortises. This method is easiest, but unlike the other two depends on the posts and beams being consistent in thickness.

It's best to choose either the fence or the base of the machine as a reference when trying to line up stacked components like these.

[Brian Runau]

I try to use the minimum slot width on one side, and the middle setting slot width on the mating surface to allow adjustments when I am less than perfect on the layout, especially on a 4 up like this. Brian

[James Jayko]

Make two square jigs to reference the same face of different widths. Clamp the jig down, reference the base against the jig, and align with the centerline, repeat with the other jig? Unless I'm misunderstanding the question...

[Jim Becker]

Are you using a clamped on board to reference the vertical cuts to? It's the "secret sauce" for putting holes in the middle of a surface.

[Michael Rutman]

Here are some videos of how to use the Domino cutter. Cut 4 is a pretty good video of exactly how to do that center cut.

https://www.sedgetool.com/domino

Sedge is a bit, enthusiastic, but his tips are really good. All the way from where to stand to how to easily line stuff up. Yeah, I was standing over the domino instead of behind it, made a huge difference once I learned WHY that is such a bad idea. His proper way to cut a domino in the middle is makes perfect sense AFTER I saw it.

[Phil Meiss]

1. Use the base of the machine to reference both the outside faces of the beam and the corresponding positions on the post. Plunge into the beam ends with the machine base and the beam faces on a flat bench surface. Clamp a 1x on the post on the line where one face of the beam is located and use that to index the machine base. Now locate the beam using dominos in the mortises you just cut and clamp a 1x to the post face tight to the opposite face of the beam, remove the beam and cut the second pair of mortises using the second 1x as a guide for the machine base.

2. Cut the first set of mortises in one side of the beam and post as before. Use a thick block as an offset registering against the bench surface for the beam mortises and the 1x for the post face. Make the block thickness such that the mortises are located in the center of the beam's second face.

3. Use the 90* fence for all cuts. Set the depth so that registering off the post faces the mortises will be centered in the beam face components. Use an offset block against the beam faces to locate those mortises. This method is easiest, but unlike the other two depends on the posts and beams being consistent in thickness.

It's best to choose either the fence or the base of the machine as a reference when trying to line up stacked components like these.

Thanks Kevin - very good suggestions, much appreciated!!; Not sure I did not think of referencing base of machine on flat surface with the beam - agree really need to use same reference to get accurate

[Phil Meiss]

agree however challenge is not so much laterally but getting correct spacing between the mortise sets

[Phil Meiss]

Thanks to all - believe I have enough ideas at this point to be dangerous; will implement this weekend. Appreciate the support!!

[Dave Sabo]

Another suggestion is to forget the domino.

In this instance it’s not making things easier, better , or faster - all things a tool is supposed to help with.

[Kevin Jenness]

Another suggestion is to forget the domino.

In this instance it’s not making things easier, better , or faster - all things a tool is supposed to help with.

Dave, how would you join the parts?

[Warren Lake]

Dont have a Domino but use a Lamello and see no difference in how you use it. On the second photo that was cut by a beaver with dull teeth you are making four holes on each part. Use the bottom of the Domino and a block or blocks to raise it to the height you want to match the parts. You have a line to center the unit or could make a fast chunk of ply that is the rail dimensions dimensions, put the lines on that and use that as a marking device to transfer marks to your parts and they will all be the same.

you could probably also make a loose tennon insert into the rail end then make a mortise to match into the corner posts. Might be stronger with four dominoes or not not sure.

[Bill Dufour]

For my biscuit joiner I set the work on a flat surface like the table saw. I raise and lower the joiner on a stack of 1x4, 2x4, 4x6 etc. I have a deck of plastic cards about 1/16" thick to add also. They were dividers between DVDs in troughs when tower records went bust. Free for the taking at the closeout sale. I got 3-4 inches of them.
Bill D.

Like this
https://www.bagsunlimited.com/produc...out-60-offfont

[Phil Meiss]

Another suggestion is to forget the domino.

In this instance it’s not making things easier, better , or faster - all things a tool is supposed to help with.

Dave - I agree; after more consideration I have a massive mortise in the form of the middle of the faux beam. Figure I will glue / screw a piece of hardwood proper dimension and in correct position on the post as a "tenon" and assemble w/ glue. The entire bunk room structure will be captured between walls so not worried about lateral movement, just load down.

Love the Domino but agree it's supposed to make things easier!

[Dave Sabo]

Dave, how would you join the parts?

same as Phil just worked out...................................

with a block (fit to the beam) attached to the post. With a jig or a combo sq. set to the reveal the whole thing would be up and assembled before you're done scratching your head trying to figure out the positions of the dominos and how to reference 4 of em in the center of a panel consistently.

Love my DF500, but I wouldn't be using it for this assembly.