Hello all,
Well, time for another silly question: dowels in plywood. Specifically, using a DowelMax jig.
I've started on some projects - building various shop carts, cabinets, etc. Figured I'd try some different techniques on some of them just for educational purposes - better to screw up... ah, that is, 'learn'
on shop projects than big projects for someone else right? 
Got a Kreg pocket hole jig; using it for a planer cart w/ drawers that I'm working on. Pretty slick, learned a few things so far. Next project will probably be done using the PC557 biscuit joiner thats been sitting neglected on the shelf. After that... dadoes, nail gun, etc. I want to form some of my own opinions, and work through the execution of the various processes for myself. With help, of course!
Which brings me back to the original topic: dowels. I've got one of the cheesy little $20-30 dowel jigs from the local hardware store (General brand, I believe) that someone got me for a stocking stuffer a Christmas or two back. Honestly not too impressed with it the little bit I puttered around with it, and I'd always heard this-n-that about how dowel joints were fussy to line up, etc. Didn't sound like my cup of tea.
Now that the DowelMax jig has been on the scene for a while, it seems like nearly anyone who uses it praises it as the second coming - expensive, but nearly idiot proof (I like that!) and very easy to get good consistent results. Okay, sounds good so far. I've seen examples of many different kinds of woodworking using dowels, but I don't think I've seen any that weren't using solid stock.
Are dowel joints totally unsuitable in plywood cabinet or carcass construction? Why or why not?
TIA,
Monte
Well, time for another silly question: dowels in plywood. Specifically, using a DowelMax jig.
I've started on some projects - building various shop carts, cabinets, etc. Figured I'd try some different techniques on some of them just for educational purposes - better to screw up... ah, that is, 'learn'
on shop projects than big projects for someone else right? Got a Kreg pocket hole jig; using it for a planer cart w/ drawers that I'm working on. Pretty slick, learned a few things so far. Next project will probably be done using the PC557 biscuit joiner thats been sitting neglected on the shelf. After that... dadoes, nail gun, etc. I want to form some of my own opinions, and work through the execution of the various processes for myself. With help, of course!
Which brings me back to the original topic: dowels. I've got one of the cheesy little $20-30 dowel jigs from the local hardware store (General brand, I believe) that someone got me for a stocking stuffer a Christmas or two back. Honestly not too impressed with it the little bit I puttered around with it, and I'd always heard this-n-that about how dowel joints were fussy to line up, etc. Didn't sound like my cup of tea.
Now that the DowelMax jig has been on the scene for a while, it seems like nearly anyone who uses it praises it as the second coming - expensive, but nearly idiot proof (I like that!) and very easy to get good consistent results. Okay, sounds good so far. I've seen examples of many different kinds of woodworking using dowels, but I don't think I've seen any that weren't using solid stock.
Are dowel joints totally unsuitable in plywood cabinet or carcass construction? Why or why not?
TIA,
Monte
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