How do I use dowels?

[LarryG]

quote:Originally posted by drumpriest

Unless you are using 2 1/2" face frames though, you arn't gonna use biscuits.

There's an "FF" (for Face Frame) size biscuit that works on material as narrow as 1-1/2", which is about as narrow as true face frames (as opposed to edging strips) get.

Porter-Cable makes these little guys; not sure if anyone else does. Both the HD and Lowe's here carry them. They require a 2" diameter blade which is supplied as part of the P-C 557 plate joiner kit.

[drumpriest]

Larry, I have the PC biscuit joiner, and the FF biscuits, they are a bit of a joke. And I wouldn't use them on 1 1/2" material either, pretty much guarenteed a blowout.

They exist, but I wouldn't call them practical.

[Rob3100]

Just to throw my two cents in. I've found that the use of a nice doweling jig can be a huge timesaver. On hidden members I'm actually using both doweling and pocket screws so I can easily do no-glue test fits of almost an entire project.

This may all change once I've built a nice mortise and tenon jig.

[Wood_workur]

Loring beat me to the point about drill bushings. here are some: http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPR...ARTNUM=821-862

[RodKirby]

I wouldn't use dowels if someone had a gun to my head!

Woodhaven.com Router bit and biscuits have worked for me for about 10 years (so far) Great for 1-1/2" x 3/4" stock.

[scorrpio]

Another thing to consider is the positioning of your drill press. I take it you have a benchtop model. A lot of people I know have set up their drill presses exactly the way they see it set up at the store - front of base along bench edge, column furthest from edge. This means that no matter how you swing your press, the chuck is over the bench. Then they use multiple expletives when they need to drill into end grain of a long piece and scold themselves for not getting a floor-standing model.

What I did is simply mount my press backwards. Column is at bench edge, base securely bolted to reinforced surface, table and chuck 'hanging' over the edge. Gives me the drilling capacity of a floor model. when needing to drill plumb holes in a piece end, I clamp a jig to the table that holds my workpiece vertically.

[BobSch]

quote:Originally posted by scorrpio


What I did is simply mount my press backwards. Column is at bench edge, base securely bolted to reinforced surface, table and chuck 'hanging' over the edge. Gives me the drilling capacity of a floor model. when needing to drill plumb holes in a piece end, I clamp a jig to the table that holds my workpiece vertically.

Not to belabor the obvious, but if you're going to do this remember you're going to have to fasten the base down. Otherwise you're going to end up with a lap full of DP!

[scorrpio]

Reread my post carefully. Note the words: base securely bolted to reinforced surface (which you actually quoted among others)

[BobSch]

quote:Originally posted by scorrpio

Reread my post carefully. Note the words: base securely bolted to reinforced surface (which you actually quoted among others)

OOPS! I read it, got distracted by work and came back and posted the obvious. Sort of a case of reply interruptus. [:I][:I]

[messmaker]

I would look at any other option than dowels. A through dowel is the exception. Filling and redrilling a misaligned dowel is practice I don't need.

[Napoleon]

Interesting topic...while this was going on, including the pros and cons of using dowels and home made dowling jigs, the following episode appeard on Wood Works! http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/ww_she...470193,00.html
In it David J uses a home made dowling jig, and uses dowels to join the project. An idea he uses is to anchor the jig to the piece to be "doweled" with screws, that way the jig stays in place. I've used dowels in several prjects and they seem to have worked out well. I've since picked up a bisket joiner so I have another weapon in my joinery arsenol.
Happy New Year
Mark.

[LCHIEN]

Don't overlook dowel centers.

These low cost items allow you to align two objects to be joined by dowels.

Drill the hole(s) in one piece. Then insert the dowel centers in the holes. Then align the piece with the other piece carefully, press together and Voila! you have center dimples pressed in the exact places on the second piece where you need mating holes. While dowel jigs are better for some joints, this cannot be beat in certain applications where the dowel jig will not work.



They come in standard dowel sizes, like 1/4", 5/16", 1/2". Buy serveral in your favorite sizes or a kit containing two of each. Not expensive.

One application was for a box I built which had heavy items inside amd a hinged top.
I wanted to put dowel pins in the open side lip to line up when closed - After I installed the hinge I drilled holes in the cover and used the dowel centers to make indents for the mating holes int he bottom lip. I glued the dowels one side only so the dowels acted as a guide for the cover to close right.


One more clever use for these:
Use a 1/4" one to make a dowel center locator.
Drill a 3/4" thick board with 1/4" through holes in four or more places.
With the drill centered over each hole, drill a precisely concentric hole about 3/8" deep over the 1/4 inch holes. Suggest 3/8" 1/2", 5/8", 3/4", 1" etc. for dowel rods of those sizes.
When you need to locate the center of a dowel rod, place a 1/4 dowel center device in the 1/4" hole at the bottom of the the hole that corresponds to the dowel. Press the dowel into the hole and the dowel center device will mark the center with an indent.
You can get the dowel center device out by poking a thin object into the reverse side.
You can align the holes concentrically by chucking a 1/4" bit in the DP lower the quill so that the bit projects thru the hole. Clamp the piece to the DP table, raise the quill, change the bit and then drill 3/8" deep; this will result in a perfectly centered concentric hole.