Time is one of the greatest things in life. Its a scarce commodity for most people to find time to spend with loved ones, time to loaf around the house or time to experiment in the workshop.
We finished the most recent issue of Woodworking Magazine this week. You wont see the issue in all the normal locations. This issue is our first digital download version (youll be able to download a copy at woodworking-magazine.com/backissues) or you can watch the blog for a list of retailers in your area carrying the printed copy. But, before we jump full force into our next issue of , weve got a day or so to play. It’s time to have some fun in the shop. So, what to do?
Months ago, when the Festool Domino came into vogue here in America, Editor Chris Schwarz and I discussed the tool and what you could do with it that was outside the norm. One of the ideas bantered back and forth was to use the Domino to join a drawer. It was time for me to give it another try. Im going to share what I did and see if it awakens your creativity.
In my book Building Fine Furniture ( Books), I built a jewelry box that leaned to the contemporary side trapezoid-shaped drawers. The drawer boxes were assembled using dowel pins that I drilled into the sides and into their rabbeted fronts. So why not use the Domino the same way?
Out in the shop, I grabbed a few scraps to serve as makeshift drawer parts, and set about preparing the Domino for the job. Cyanoacrylate glue was the best choice as I had to assemble the drawer pieces before I could cut the slots. It sets quickly and holds up well in this environment.
With a
A word of caution. My first attempt was to load the glue in the slots. I drove the Dominos home with the glue. As I seated the Domino with the mallet, I also forced the extra glue from the slot. The glue gushed outward and separated the side from its front. I broke the CA joint.
On the second try I added the correct amount of glue and swabbed the glue around the sides of the slot, tapped the Domino into the slot and bingo , joint complete. I think youll agree the end result is a contemporary look created with a tool designed for loose-tenon construction.
I love finding new ways to use tools. The Domino is a completely new tool from which to springboard. How about you? Are there any other uses for the Festool Domino that you haven’t seen before? How about other tools in your shop? If you have, share them with us by clicking below on comments and speaking your piece.
There are many of us who enjoy this type of discovery , if only we had extra free time to make it happen more often.
