TESTED: Veritas domino joinery table
Review and photos: Damion Fauser
Registering the Festool domino DF500 joinery tool on narrow and thin workpieces can present a challenge to some users. With this accessory, the engineers at Veritas Tools have developed a unique workstation to help minimise these difficulties. By fixing the machine in place and effectively bringing the workpiece to the tool, the effect, in very loose analogous terms, is that of a simplified horizontal slot mortiser.
Some easy and minor assembly is required, and as is common with items from the Veritas catalogue, requires a No.2 square screwdriver and a 5/32" (4mm will work) Allen key.
Above: The birch ply table is supplied with a kit of fences, bushes and brass knobs.
A quality birch ply tabletop, and fixed aluminium fences either side of the reference face of the tool, generate a substantial increase in surface area for both table and fence for workpiece registration, than when using the tool handheld. The tool is fixed firmly to the table with a pair of threaded rods that fix directly into the M5 machined holes in the base of the machine and some large and ergonomic brass locking knobs that lock everything in place under the table.
Care must be taken to correctly align the front face of the domino tool with the fixed aluminium fences to ensure accuracy when cutting, and there is sufficient play to achieve this. In the time I’ve had this system in the shop for review, the machine has appeared to have stayed firmly locked in its position but I would recommend regular checking when in use.
The working surface available is 800 x 590mm, but it would be easy to add outstation supports to support longer and/or wider workpieces. The table surface is pre-cut with a series of keyhole slots that allow easy positioning and fixing of the included hold-down clamps and the movable 90/45° fence for aligning and securing the workpiece.
Test cuts on workpieces of varying thickness found the included hold- down clamps struggled to firmly purchase on sections thicker than 30mm, so I’d suggest retrofitting some shop-made hold-downs with perhaps toggle clamps for better security when using thicker workpieces.
Above: Showing the registration of the domino tool to the joinery table.
Domino users will know about the offset between the base of the tool and the centreline of the machined slot. Included in the box is a 6mm pair of machined aluminium shims that can be placed in the pre-cut slots in the table surface prior to fixing the machine in place. These shims will increase the offset to 10mm. An accessory set of shims (2/4/8mm) is available for $49, but it wouldn’t be hard to mill your own from some hardwood scraps if you wanted a custom setting for your offset.
Mirroring accurate mortises between left and right components is made easier with the included offset gauge, which allows for easy and accurate setting of the movable fence to the other side of the cutter at the exact same distance.
Review tool supplied by and available from Carbatec, www.carbatec.com.au, current price shown here.
Damion Fauser is a Brisbane based furniture designer maker who also teaches woodwork classes. See damionfauser.com