The Splinter Report: July 18th

Welcome to The Splinter Report, where I gather the assorted interesting and amusing things I’ve seen in the woodworking world. This week we’re looking at an antique mistake, the cordless Domino, and perfect miter joints.

Tool News Quick Bites

Festool Domino Goes Cordless: Festool actually announced 7 new or updated tools this week, but I figured the Domino would grab your attention. I’ve known about it since February, when I got a sneak peek at the 100th anniversary showcase, but now the cat is officially out of the bag. Full specs will be coming later, but I would assume the performance would match or exceed that of the current version. Here’s everything they revealed:

• DFC 500 Domino (this is the cordless version)
• DF 500 R Domino (New/updated version of the current DF 500 Domino)
• HKC 55 K Circular Saw
• HLC82 Planer
• Three Routers (OFKC 500, MFKC 700, MFKC 700 KA)

Ryobi Announces New Hot Glue Gun: Maybe not quite as exciting, but still of note, Ryobi is releasing a hot glue gun as part of their USB lithium lineup. These tools slot firmly below the 18V line, and honestly below most 12V tools, but it’s still a neat battery platform, especially for around-the-house use. I’m a huge fan of batteries that can charge with a standard USB-C cable.

Local Oddity: Mistakes Were Made

If there’s one commonality between all woodworkers, past and present, it’s that they’re going to mess up from time to time. Take this odd little cabinet I saw recently (as an aside, I have no idea what this would have been used for, the only opening is the hinged one at the top). The little block by locking mechanism stuck out to me, looking like an afterthought. Why would the builder not have incorporated it more elegantly?

Pondering this, I twisted it for a closer inspection, only to watch the door swing open on its own, seemingly defying gravity.  Suddenly, I understood why it looked the way it did.

I can imagine, 90 or so years ago, the builder installing the hinges with the cabinet on its back on the workbench. Satisfied, they set it upright… and then were immediately dismayed by the door hanging at an odd angle. Nothing some scrap and a few nails couldn’t solve at least.

Video of the Week: Can You Miter?

Ok, enough seriousness. Let’s cleanse that palette with the latest video from Dinkle’s Workshop. Cutting miters is one of those woodworking skills that is easy to understand, but weirdly hard to execute with perfect accuracy. In this video Dinkle/Brigid walked you through the trials and tribulations that she went through while trying to make a picture frame with mitered corners. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll want to go make a shooting board.

Anything interesting I missed this week, or that you want me to highlight in a future Splinter Report? Let us know on social media or drop me an email at cknoff@aimmedia.com.