Thread: Recommend Dowel Jig for making wall mounted storage

Here's my doweling jig.
IMG_8910.jpg

Seriously, I've tried many doweling jig's and none of them are as accurate as the ones you can make yourself. Mainly because its cut from the stock you're trying to dowel and its the exact same dimensions.

Originally Posted by JS007

Thanks mate. I am using MDF if as its relatively cheap and strong. Would you recommend anything else? If I go the MDF route I will just paint it with a roller.

The only other cheap sheet material is Melamine sheeting. This is used in the carcases of at least 90% of modern suspended kitchen cupbords, almost all hanging on French cleats and almost all are screwed together. The advantages of melamine are that:

• It is available in standard shelf widths ~ 300, 450 & 600 mm,
• It is pre-finished and edged and never needs painting,
• It is very easy to keep clean.

The disadvantage is that some people do not like its aesthetics.

If you choose to go with melamine, then I suggest that you redesign your pigeon holes a little to use standard sheet widths and minimise cutting.

A friend recently made some chairs with what I thought was an innovative variation. He screwed everything together which speeded up construction. Then, one by one, he removed each screw, drilled out the screw hole and inserted a dowel. The screw hole was the pilot for the dowel hole. It worked!