Another PackRat question...Dowels

Re: Another PackRat question...Dowels

On the rare occasion that I want to get rid of something, I take it to Restore/Habitat for Humanity

Alternative

Barry, my preferred way to use dowels for construction is to make my own drill guide from a piece of hardwood for each specific situation. Decide on the dowel pattern you want to use, then drill corresponding holes in your wood block using a drill press to keep the holes perfectly perpendicular. Screw tabs or fences on as needed to keep registration accurate, and clamp the block to each workpiece for drilling. Krenov used this technique all the time.

Ellis

Re: Another PackRat question...Dowels

I have a Stanley 59 or 60 doweling jig. Never had an issue with it. I'd look online for a complete one (with all guides). Easy to use and precise and inexpensive.

Re: Another PackRat question...Dowels

This is a good one, just look for the bushing variations - there's several versions of this jig with slightly different sets of bushings. 

Also, most people don't realize that this jig can be positioned off the center. There's a setscrew that makes a shaft to engage with both cheeks, when loosened the cheeks can be taken apart from the main body. If you put it back engaging one cheek, usually the one on the handle side, make a few turns (this will be your center offset) and engage the second cheek - it will position the body with the drill holes closer to other cheek. So, for example, it's totally possible to do a flush joint on parts of different widths, like an apron to a leg, or to add any amount of offset you want to create a shadow line. 

The best dowel drilling guide was manufactured by Marples. It's pretty much the same idea as in Krenov's makeshift guides, except made from steel and adjustable, works for up to 12" wide pieces. They still pop up on eBay

Re: Another PackRat question...Dowels

Check if they are still round. Many dowels go oval because of drying, if yours did then just burn them, there will be either only two small glue areas or you risk splitting a part if you try drilling for a smallest diameter. Compressed dowels are less susceptible to becoming oval, but even they could stop being round. 

Also, 100 of each isn't that many, some projects could easily take 30-50 dowels (depends how you build, of course)

Re: Alternative

And if one does not have a drill press the small ones sell for 20-40 bucks regularly.

I also have two the of silver and black ones.  I don't use them much, but they are my choice for a jig (the second one came in a 5 gal bucket of stuff a guy dropped off).

Two biscuits and a dowel wiill put a domino to shame, if not be anywhere near as easy to install.  Good for a low volume home shop.  Biscuits are super strong but they can blow out.  Dowels are bad at glueing, but have a good grain alignment for strength.  Generally 2 biscuits are enough.

Re: Another PackRat question...Dowels

Best advice, as given is to trash toxic dowels.  However, you can align the wide part with the grain, J.  Alexander style.

Another option to move the jig, is just use a spacer.

If you want a Krenov guide that isn't makeshift, you can drill holes in Aluminum, a drill press cuts that stuff like butter, and insert dowel bushings for the drill bit.

Re: Another PackRat question...Dowels

Hey Tom, 

any recommendation for a good source of drill bushings? I was thinking about making my own doweling jig, the ones I have are a bit too loose to my liking.