Morticing the easy way

[Derek Cohen]

As much as I enjoy hand tools, chopping mortices into Jarrah is not one of the fun times. I now prefer a router, but more recently I have come to recognise the value of a Domino ... although not the way that Festool intended the machine to be used


Anyway, recently I built two beds, which I have just got back to. Having completed them, I discovered that they were 40mm too long and too wide! Duh ... after many measurement checks!





Obviously this meant pulling them apart and shortening the lengths and widths. I started yesterday.


The head-and foot board leg joinery is loose mortice-and-tenon. 110mm long x 10mm wide. This was made fairly easy with a Domino machine. The loose tenons were sized on a jointer/thickness-planer, and then rounded over on a router table. All wood is Jarrah. The aim was for an exact fit.


I am really appreciating the extra bench top space afforded by the new MFT table (yes, the Veritas hold down, although it is sized for a 19mm dog hole works very well on a 20mm dog hole) ...





I made a small positioner to mark the centre of the domino, and plunged for the outer ends ...





Then complete the mortice by nibbling away the centre section ..





Tight fit in the rail ..





Tight fit in the post ..





This was taken during the build, and how the legs are once again ...




In this example, the Domino is used with the fence for depth. Mine has always been been secure - no drift. However, I have made it a little more secure by replacing the adjustment levers with others that permit more tightening. This mod is great!



Regards from Perth


Derek

[Jacques Gagnon]

Very interesting way to deal with mortises. Well done Derek!

Regards,

Jacques

[Bob Riefer]

On most of my recent projects, I use the Domino to make wider mortises and then cut my own tenons to match. I had assumed that this was an intended use actually, but never really looked into it more. It's been very effective in my opinion.

During layout, I find my centers for all mortises and mark them first. Then I go back with a small steel ruler and step out from center in 1/2" increments based on how wide I want the mortises to be. This spacing was just a guess at first, but I've found it allows each Domino plunge to overlap very nicely for a consistent mortise interior surface. This approach is also very repeatable which I appreciate.

The bed is looking great Derek! I always enjoy your posts!

[Mike Congiusti]

Derek,

Thanks for the tip. I have them ordered. The bed frame looks great. My parents did a trip down under 30 years ago. If I ever make it do you do tours??

[Jim Dwight]

Derek,

That bed looks great! I only make platform beds so nice to see others making them too. I really do not understand what purpose the boxed spring has. I also use my Domino XL the same way you did. I make the width of the mortises fit my project, not the size of pre-made Festool tenon stock. I've had zero issues doing that. I often make my tenons out of scrap from the project although if nothing of the appropriate size is readily available I use other hardwood scraps I have on hand. I think undersized joints made to fit pre-made narrow tenons give some the impression that domino made joints are weaker than traditional. Smaller joints are weaker, how you cut them should not affect strength and my domino makes joints more accurately than any other method I have used.

Jim