As fellow attendees were exiting the Festool Editors' Event, I was lucky enough to hang around. I'm glad I did because Steve Bace, Festool's Training Manager who opened the United States's first training center in Henderson, Nev., started  explaining some of the finer points of the Domino.

To begin, there are three areas that Domino owners can and should adjust on the tool. The first is the clear plastic-like plate (the site gauge) that’s attached to the fence. Two small screws loosen the piece and adjustment is side-to-side to align the centerline of the plate with two other marks on the tool – one is the v-shaped ridge on the tool, the other is the point of the center triangle. And here’s a neat tip: When you have the retractable locating pins tight to the edge of your workpiece, the edge of the workpiece is directly in line with the point of the closest triangle (the triangle is called a verification window). This is a great method to double-check that you have the tool positioned correctly.

The second area to which to make adjustments is the correlation of the adjustable fence to the baseplate of the Domino. Bace suggested using a couple pieces of brass bar stock to check the relationship. Loosen the screw just above the gauge pointer, set the fence on the brass stock and push the tool's baseplate flat to the bench. Make sure there's no junk under the baseplate or you'll get a bad reading. Once everything is lined up, tighten the screw.

The last adjustment is to one retractable pin. The key to accuracy is having the distance from the center of the cut to the inside edge of the pins equal. If that distance is off, the slot locations are off, so pieces won’t line up. To change the relationship simply – and carefully, I might add – use a screwdriver to turn the pin housing. That housing is eccentric. Small adjustment is all it takes if your pins are out of alignment. Bace stated that he’s seldom had to be concerned with that fix.

For adjustments other than these, it's suggested you return the tool to Festool to have it repaired or adjusted.

Now here's one misalignment that you may cause without even knowing. Many of us are big burly-men. We tighten the dog out of our tools. I'm guilty. I don't want a router bit to slip or a fence to move ever so slightly. But, if you change the Domino cutters and really tighten it so it won't move, you may be affecting the accuracy of the cut. Over-tightening can cause the turret-like mechanism to slightly shift on the four screws. That changes the cut of the mortising bits and that's not good. You would really have to be going at this with force to affect the mechanism, but if you're that burly-man, it might happen. So, finger-tighten the bit and let the Domino do the rest.

I've got one additional quick tip. If you use the Domino for loose tenons set into a 45º cut, set the adjustable fence angle from 90º to 45º, then set the fence to its lowest setting. Reversing the steps keeps the fence higher (and the resulting cut lower) by almost 6mm. That's enough to plunge through 3/4" stock depending on the depth of cut. In addition, Bace recommends using 5mm x 30mm Dominos for any angled joinery.

I was given another neat tip involving the Domino and particleboard. If that's of interest to you, I'll send that your way, along with a bit deeper look at the routers that Festool showed us, in my next Festool entry. Also, I picked up a neat idea from the Wood Whisperer, Marc Spagnuolo, about routers and inlay. Check back for that.

In the meantime, if you have a neat trick or tip for Domino users, add a comment to this blog. As I get more in tune with the tool, I'd like to have the extra knowledge too.

And for more in-depth information on the Domino adjustments mentioned above, check this link. It's not from Festool so neither Festool nor I guarantee the information. But what I see looks good.

– Glen D. Huey

To read about my first day at the Festool event click here.

During the Festool Editor Event at Festool facility in Lebanon, Ind., the most impressive tool shown was the Kapex (pronounced K-Pex). That’s Festool’s version of the sliding compound miter saw. It’s available in Europe now. Drop by one of Festool’s sister sites in the U.K. or Germany to gain a bit more information.

OK, so how is the Kapex any different from other sliding miter saws? Festool has added a number of features that push the Kapex past other saws. The bevel clamp-locking mechanism is a simple flip latch located at the top of the tool, not way around back or in some inconspicuous location as with some other saws. Lift the bevel clamp and adjustment is all yours. Once adjustments are made, a quick flip down locks everything in position.

With the bevel clamp open, the first thing you’ll notice is the balancing act of the head. Position the saw head for a bevel cut – right or left – and wherever you let go, the saw head stays put, even if you’re halfway between a detent. Festool uses counterbalancing springs to hold the head in place. It’s cool.

On top of that, you are able to fine-tune the bevel with a gear-driven rotary knob located in one of the rails. Now it’s possible to tweak the bevel to any setting up to and including 47º. Half-degree settings are a snap.

The Kapex is listed as a 10" miter saw, but the cutting abilities would suggest a 12" instead. This saw affords generous cutting capacity while being compact and lightweight; it weighs only 47 pounds.

Two additional features really caught my eye, the first being the "fast fix." This is a system found on other Festool tools that locks the blade for easy replacement or change. There is no fooling with multiple wrenches. Twist the knob, grab a wrench and you’re back working in no time. And while the "fast fix" is engaged the trigger is locked out. There’s no need to run to the outlet to unplug the tool.

The second feature I found of interest is how the lasers, the twin lasers, are adjusted. Don’t look at or near the blade or arbor. The adjustment is located near the handle and the number of adjustments allows you to set the lasers spot-on based on your particular way of reading the lines. You can set the lasers to where you split the layout line as you cut, leave the entire line intact or make the adjustment to anywhere in between.

Other tools talked about that I’ll delve into in a later entry are a trim router (complete with interchangeable bases), and a large 3hp router that has a few features I’ve not seen before, including an ingenious way to change the base plates.

Day Two

Snow greeted us on the second day of the event. By the time we arrived at the facility we had lost nearly two hours. There was a bit more presentation – as in training sessions – on the established line of Festool products, then we moved back to the training room for more hands-on time.

The shortened day reached its end for most attendees who needed to race to the airport for outbound trips. But because I drove in from Cincinnati (less than 2 hours away), I stayed around. I’m glad I did because after a quick lunch a few of us were treated to an in-depth look at the Domino.

I thought I knew about this machine, but I quickly discovered my lack of knowledge. Did you know there are three areas of adjustment for the Domino? And one area that, even though you may be knocking it out of adjustment each time you change the bit, you shouldn’t try to adjust.

I’ll take a look at these and a few interesting uses and settings for the Domino in my next entry.

- Glen D. Huey

In 1947, an employee of Bosch Power Tools and Accessories invented the Jigsaw by replacing a needle in his wife’s sewing machine with a makeshift saw blade. The rest, as they say, is history.

Move forward 60 years and the company is coming up on a milestone. Bosch is about to produce its 4 billionth jigsaw blade. If laid end-to-end, that’s enough blades to circle the earth not once, but 10 times. That’s a lot of blades.

More important, along the way Bosch has introduced a number of innovations to jigsaw blades. One such innovation is the Progressor® blade. It has a patented design where the number of teeth per inch increases as you move up the blades toward the saw. The larger teeth near the bottom end of the blade are more aggressive for cutting thick stock, while teeth at the center of the blade are ground for speed of cut and to produce a clean cut. The teeth nearest the saw are finer for cutting thin stock.

I’ve used these blades for years and never recognized the design. One blade, multiple uses. That’s a money-saving use of blades.

In addition, Bosch introduced the first 7"-long jigsaw blade for cutting sandwiched – think laminated veneer lumber – or thick stock. There have been times when I looked for something to cut a piece of 16/4 stock for roughing out bedpost material. I used a circular saw and had to flip the stock and make two cuts. I should have had a T744D blade around the shop.

Another development from Bosch centers on packaging -- not how the blades are put into  individual packs, but the color-coding system for selecting jigsaw blades. Choose blue for metal, white for all-purpose, black for specialty blades and gray for wood.

To celebrate its 4-billionth blade, Bosch Power Tools and Accessories is introducing a limited edition 12-piece woodworkers jigsaw blade set (shown at left). This anniversary set includes the most popular blades and comes in a one-of-a-kind aluminum case with magnetic blade storage (the top photo is the view when opened). If you’re a jigsaw aficionado or a collector of saw blades, you’ll want to get this set. Look for it at Amazon.com. (Click here)

As I wrote earlier, I was amazed as I read about the Progressor blades. I’m sure there are other facts that will amaze us as well. Know any interesting tidbits about jigsaw blades? If so, post a comment and tell us.

– Glen D. Huey

Over the Thanksgiving holiday I, as many of you did, had friends in town. My visitor, John, didn’t come in for the food though; he came for woodworking. F&W Publications graciously gave employees a half-day off on Wednesday, and a full day off on Thursday and Friday. So, I used a half-day of vacation and gained five days in the shop (count the weekend) – four-and-a-half days if you take out the holiday dinnertime.
    
We started our reproduction tall case clock based on a New Jersey design nearly two years back, and this has been our first opportunity to get back to work on it since then. John doesn’t get a chance to get into Cincinnati too often because his schedule has been more-than-hectic for some time. The last session began with rough mahogany and we built the waist, base and got started on the hood before our time ran out.

As I moved the clock case from my garage to the shop in preparation for the upcoming session, I didn't think much about patina -- until, that is, we milled the stock for the waist door. The new mahogany looked extremely pink, especially next to the two-year old, unfinished structure standing in front of us. John couldn’t get over the difference and it surprised me as well. Wood sure does change over time. We forged ahead.

I’ve always say the best way to gain woodworking experience is to challenge yourself with projects that force you to learn or try new techniques. This clock, and its inlay, fit the bill for John and me. I’ve done inlay many times but I’ve done so with a power tool mentality -- fabricate a jig to trim store-bought medallions to size then cut appropriately sized recesses to install the inlay (my Baltimore Card Table article in Popular Woodworking magazine comes to mind).

This time I planned a different attack. We trimmed the inlay at the band saw, straightened the edges with files and created the recess by positioning the inlay, pinning it to the door then tracing the outside edges. The recess was routed close to the layout lines with a straight bit (you know I couldn’t give up the power tools completely) and finished using carving gouges with appropriately sized sweeps to trim to the lines. A little handwork and the inlay slipped right in place. Nothing is more fun than sanding the tape off the back of the inlay and watching the pattern coming to life. (The widebelt sander -- another power tool -- made it quick work.)

Later came the small pinwheels on the rosettes of the gooseneck mouldings. This is a new process for me, too. I was inspired by watching Rob Millard (watch for an upcoming article in the February 2008 issue) make simple inlay from shop scraps instead of purchasing a ready-to-use product. The pinwheels are eight sections of alternating mahogany and maple, all positioned into a 1-1/4" circle.

We used a plane blade to cut the pieces to size based off a full-scale drawing of the pinwheels, affixed them to painter’s tape and glued the assembly in place after trimming to the circle shape. Once the glue dried we filed the pieces to match the profile of the rosette. An easy process and one I’ll surely use again.

We felt we accomplished a major amount of woodworking for the time we had available. The clock, except for finishing and few other odds and ends, is complete. Not bad for just over nine days spread over two years. All we can do now is wait for the new additions to gain a bit of patina. I plan to move the clock to New Jersey where John can apply the finish before he places it in his home.

-- Glen D. Huey

A few months back, Senior Editor Glen D. Huey taught me his "no fail" method for cutting through dovetails, and, following Editor Chris Schwarz's advice, I cut one set a day for 30 days (OK -- I cut them only during the work week, and ended up with about 24 sets). I posted the method and accompanying pictures on this blog in two parts. For Part 1, the Pin Board, click here; for Part 2, the Tail Board, click here.

For half-blind dovetails, the method really isn't much different -- you still mark, saw and chop. You simply don't saw all the way through the half-blind tail board. I learned to cut half-blinds while making inset drawers for a Chimney Cupboard that will be in the February 2008 issue. First, I milled 1/2" stock and cut the through-dovetails for joining the drawer sides to the drawer back. Up to this point, the method is the same as detailed in Parts 1 and 2 above.

Then, I set my marking gauge to 1/2" (aka the thickness of my sides), and scribed a line at that setting on the inside face of each of my drawer fronts. My drawer fronts are 7/8" thick, and the idea is to leave at least 1/4" of material in back of the pins, so I had to change the setup on my marking gauge to mark the depth of cut on the end. Use this same setup to scribe the baseline on your tail boards (the side pieces).

Saw down to the line 1/4" from the front edge; at the same time, you'll be sawing past the scribe line on the back face of the drawer front by about 1". (I had trouble believing this...so I went home and pulled out drawers from various pieces of antique furniture I own. Lo and behold — there were saw kerfs on the inside face of every drawer front.)

It's on to chopping out the waste, just as you would with a through dovetail. The only difference is, you stop when you get down to your 1/4" scribe line, and square the bottom. As always, undercut each just a hair. To keep from breaking out the pin edges, chop the top edges of the waste at an angle to the pins and knock it out.