Festool DOMINO DF 500 Instruction Manual page 19

Tips for Successful Joining
Use the locating pins [2.8] for the fi rst mor-
tise slot with the mortise width dial set to
the narrow setting.
For subsequent mortise slots you can keep
the mortise width at the minimum setting,
but you may fi nd it easier to set the mortise
width dial to the next widest setting.
Place the mortise slots 6 to 12 inches apart
for standard joints, but this spacing should
be decreased for joining plywoods or when
a stronger joint is needed.
Instead of marking the mortise placements
with pencil lines [24.2], you can use the
optional outrigger guides to evenly space
the mortises down the length of the boards.
To do this, use the outrigger locating pin in
the previous mortise slot.
Making Butt Box Joints
Butt box joints are typically used in general
box construction or for drawer construction.
The Domino tenons strengthen the joint with-
out the need for additional fasteners. The ex-
ample below highlights drawer construction,
but the same techniques are used on other
types of box construction.
Construction Tips
For drawer construction with a separate
drawer front, the front and rear of the box
should be Captive, as shown below.
The drawer front is installed onto the
drawer box after the box has been as-
sembled.
This increases the strength of the drawer
because the tenons are in shear (perpen-
dicular) to the operation of opening and
closing the drawer.
The ends of the side boards are con-
cealed by the separate drawer front.
For drawer construction without a separate
drawer front, the Sides should be Captive
and the Front/Rear should be the Caps (the
reverse of the image below).
For cabinet carcase construction, the Top/
Bottom of the carcase should be Captive
(also see "Making Carcase Butt Joints").
Machining the Captive-Side Tenons
25.1
– Choose a Domino tenon size to be less than
or equal to 1/3 of the board's thickness.
– Set the height of the fence so the Domino
tenons are in the center of the board's
thickness.
– Set the mortise depth.
Note that if your workpieces are thin, you
may need to offset the tenon from center.
– Clamp the Captive boards [25.1] fl at to
your workbench.
– Align the tenon position using the locating
pins [2.8].
– Grasp the Domino joiner by the auxiliary
handle, hold it fi rmly down to the work-
piece, and slowly plunge the cutter into the
edge of the workpiece.
Machining the Cap-Side Tenons
26.1
– Don't change the fence height from the
previous operation. It is used to register
the mortise placement from the edge of
the board.
– Install the Base Support Bracket.
– If necessary, change the mortise depth
setting.
– Clamp the workpiece [26.1] in a vertical
position.
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