Thread: are dowels still used

Yes dowels are used lots more than biscuits,although that ultimately depends on the project.We use predominately more dowels than bickies and still use mortice and tennon joints more,especially on chairs.

if ya dont want them you can send them my way.

Originally Posted by weisyboy

if ya dont want them you can send them my way.

sorry weisyboy, I paid more then I wanted to for the items I was after and need to offset this by selling off the bits I have no use for. I thought about getting myself a dowelling machine (I had previously seen one like a biscuit machine but they seem scarce now). But then I'm spending more money to save money if you know what I mean?? They may end up on Ebay. I'd imagine they'd be uneconomical to post too far??

I have a GMC dowelling machine used only once last year to make my fence gates- don't see myself doing more joinery work soon. If you want it cheap, just tell me and we both save the bother of Ebay or similar.

Originally Posted by Frank&Earnest

I have a GMC dowelling machine used only once last year to make my fence gates- don't see myself doing more joinery work soon. If you want it cheap, just tell me and we both save the bother of Ebay or similar.

Ah horse trading, that's what makes the world go around . If you'd like to find out the cost to post to Western Sydney (2752) and pm me with the all up cost, we may be able to strike a deal.

Bob K

Originally Posted by notenoughtoys

a zillion dowels, not sure what to do with them??

They make great kindling.

Doweling machine?? Man, a drill guide and drill bit is all you need. Call me old fashioned ( and I will say thank you) but I use dowels a lot more than biscuits. I find I get better alignment with my dowels than biscuits. I bought an old Stanly #59 doweling jig, I use my brace and bit and bore the holes. Quick and painless and it works.

I use dowels all the time for framing, shelving, edge joining, boxes. . .

I use one of these to get perfect alignment very easily.

Originally Posted by zenwood

I use dowels all the time for framing, shelving, edge joining, boxes. . .

I use one of these to get perfect alignment very easily.

I had looked at those but at $216 I thought it a very expensive jig. Am I missing something??

Worth every cent in my opinion. No-nonsense, easy to use design, dead-on accuracy, versatile, and very strong joints (I've tested them). And it will last a lifetime, with no maintenance. I use it all the time, and still shows no sign of wear.

Originally Posted by zenwood

Worth every cent in my opinion. No-nonsense, easy to use design, dead-on accuracy, versatile, and very strong joints (I've tested them). And it will last a lifetime, with no maintenance. I use it all the time, and still shows no sign of wear.

I bought one of those about 6 years ago and for dowel joints can't be beaten. If you are going to do a lot of dowel jointing this is the way to go. I think I gave around $120 for mine at the time but I guess thats the way things have gone up.

Originally Posted by notenoughtoys

I had looked at those but at $216 I thought it a very expensive jig. Am I missing something??

You could always go the biscuit joiner. You can get them quite cheap now.

Originally Posted by munruben

You could always go the biscuit joiner. You can get them quite cheap now.

Therein lies my dilemma John, I have purchased one and I have no biscuits yet (still starting up) but I do have two small sugar bags full of dowels, but no doweling guide. I was told biscuits are more fool proof as they have a bit of room to move when first assembling? but even to me there's merit in a joint that's tight when dry assembled so I may go down the path of the dowels. I can already hear SWMBO, "what about this tool though that you just had to have what do you intend to do with it." And I will be able to think of a dozen things I could do with it at the time, non of which shall be said out loud lest I'm heard

If you've already got a biscuit joining machine, wouldn't a few biscuits be cheaper than buying a new dowelling jig?

I'll take those sugar bags of dowels off your hands