Troubleshooting
Symptom | Possible Causes |
Motor does not start | 1. Check that the cord is properly plugged into an outlet. |
| 2. Make sure the outlet has power. Check the circuit breaker or try another outlet. |
| 3. If used with a Festool dust extractor, make sure the selector switch is pointing |
| to "Auto". The auxiliary outlet on the dust extractor has power only when the |
| selector is at Auto. |
| 4. Inspect the power cord (including extension cords) for damage or missing |
| prongs. |
| 5. The motor brushes may have worn and need replacement. |
|
|
Plunging action is not smooth | ► Clean the linear rails and bronze bearings of the plunge slide, and make sure they |
| are properly lubricated (refer to the Routine Maintenance instructions on page |
| 20). |
| ► Inspect the bronze linear bearings for damage. Improper insertion of the fence |
| body onto the motor housing can damage the linear bearings. |
Domino tenons are too loose | ► Make sure you hold the Domino joiner firmly in position while plunging the |
| mortise slot. |
| ► Make sure the mortise width setting is correct. |
| ► Make sure you are using the correct mortising bit for the size of the Domino |
| tenon. |
| ► The Domino tenons may have shrunk in an overly dry or warm environment. |
| This is normal wood movement. |
| ► Check the mortising bit to ensure it is not bent. A bent bit will make a thicker and |
| wider mortise slot than desired. |
Domino tenons are too tight | ► The most common cause for this is that the tenons are stored in a humid |
| environment, and they have swelled from moisture absorption. Store the tenons |
| in a cool dry environment. |
| ► The mortising bit may have been improperly sharpened or sharpened too many |
| times. Replace the bit. |
Workpiece joints are misaligned | ► Check the calibration of the locating pins. |
horizontally | ► Check the calibration of the Horizontal Position Gauge (sight gauge). |
| ► Don’t plunge the mortising bit into the work too fast. This may cause the joiner to |
| move during the plunge. |
| ► Make sure the friction pads on the front of the joiner are not worn, damaged, or |
| missing. |
Workpiece joints are misaligned | ► If the mortise slots were registered from the bottom of the baseplate, make sure |
vertically | there is no dust or debris under the joiner. |
| ► Make sure the fence is properly locked at the desired height setting. |
| ► Inspect the height adjustment lock to ensure it is not broken (slipping). |
Tilted or misaligned mortise slots | ► Make sure the fence is set to the correct angle (e.g. 90 degrees). |
| ► Make sure to hold the Domino joiner firmly to the work surface. |
Workpiece joint won’t close (gaps | ► Make sure the proper plunge depth is set. |
between pieces) | ► Make sure the joiner is tight to the face of the workpiece. |
| ► The mortising bit may have been sharpened too many times and is too short. |
| ► Excessive dust may be present inside the linear slide. |
Tearout or rough mortise slots | ► Plunging speed too fast. Slow down the rate of your plunge. |
| ► |
| Decreasing your plunging speed will improve the results but may not eliminate |
| the problem completely. |
| ► Dull mortising bit. |
Tapered mortise slot. The Domino | ► The plunge speed is too fast and the bit is not cutting the sides properly. Slow |
tenon fits only part way into the | down the plunge speed. |
slot |
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24 | Domino DF 500 Tenon Joiner |