Gone are the days when woodworks were completed using traditional methods. Though screws and nails make the work easy, they weaken with time and, as a result, impact the wood.
Nowadays, woodworkers and enthusiastic hobbyists are using some power tools available on the market to achieve the desired results. The dowel is one such gear that is used to join two pieces of wood together.
Table could not be displayed.However, you should know that working with dowels is not easy, and it takes precise skills to get the tasks done. Skills are required to align drills for the task. This is when a dowel jig comes into action. Dowel jigs help simplify the process by giving an easy-to-use and accurate tool that offers reliable results.
Several brands produce dowel jigs, and sorting through the available options becomes overwhelming. Moreover, different models have different features, and hence, you need to make a definite choice by knowing what your requirements are.
Below we list a few different options available and their reviews for you to make an informed choice. We have also included a buying guide in our article to help you understand the working of this tool. This way, you will be able to know which option will work best for your needs.
Contents
Top Picks Dowel Jigs Compared & Reviewed
1. Task 07300TK Premium
This particular dowel jig provides a firm grip on the piece of wood so that it doesn’t slip while you are working with it. If you are looking for a durable and strong option, this is the one that you have been looking for. The unit is sturdy and is constructed using aluminum, hence has aircraft quality.
This one also comes with an invaluable steel plate for maximum benefits. This helps prevent corrosion of the body of the Dowel jig, and it works the same for several years. The tool is self-centering and hence provides an accurate drill with the center. Moreover, it offers automatic alignment.
Another notable thing and a praiseworthy feature of this dowel jig are that it gives guide centers. They have a hardened nature, and this, when paired with guide holes, offers incredible accuracy. The product also contains large steel screws that are clamping screws to help tighten the dowel jig.
Features:
- Its auto self-centering feature works exceptionally.
- Has top-quality construction.
- Convenient to use.
2. Wolfcraft 3751405
The main objective of Wolfcraft these days is to make the retail market budget-friendly. That said, this one is a cost-effective option for people who are looking for a pocket-friendly dowel jig. It is one of the superior quality options available at an unbelievable rate in the market. It has a host of exceptional features to make buyers buy this particular option.
It has a compact design to make usability easy for all. Also, even if you have some minor woodworks, this dowel jig is the go-to option to get all done. For the durability of the tool, Wolfcraft has ensured a solid construction of this particular choice. That said, for several years, you will not have to worry about buying a second dowel jig.
Moreover, it is suitable for creating T-joints. It is also useful in producing the point from corner to edge. The features offered by this tool make it a must-have in your workspace.
Features:
- Delivers a robust alignment for all tasks.
- This one is an affordable and highly durable choice.
- The accurate hole size fits perfectly well.
3. Woodstock D4116
The dowel jigs manufactured by Woodstock increased in popularity after it released the D4116 model. This particular tool is made from superior quality materials and is lighter in weight as compared to its counterparts. This dowel jig is capable of handling wood stocks that are almost 2 inches wide. Hence, it is an ideal choice for several kinds of projects.
It comes with six equipped bushings that are made of hard steel for added advantages. Also, when it comes to durability and performance, this one outbids the other choices. Furthermore, the bushing options that this jig has offered several drilling options that are beyond expectations. It is all possible because of the availability of different sizes.
This jig allows drilling two identical and parallel holes side by side. The best part about using this tool is that you will not have to shift the jig while you can maintain precision and accuracy. This one is the lightest option on our list that weighs 2.5 pounds, and you will not find an option lighter than this.
Features:
- It has grooved, painted, and centering marks that make alignment easier.
- The bushings of this option are sized correctly.
- The clamps are hard enough and provide a tight grip.
4. Milescraft 1319 Handheld Dowel Jig
This dowel jig by Milescraft is a choice that offers the best value for money. Also, this choice is fast and easy to use. It comes in a unique design and comes with four pegs for maximum convenience of the user. That said, the pegs available in this choice give a self-centered hole, and there is no need for measurements since you will automatically get an accurate and precise hole.
It has chamber cuts that enable you to line up the device and help you use your dowel to obtain the maximum benefits. Also, the boards of this dowel jig go together accurately. It has steel bushings as well that helps users ensure that they don’t need another dowel jig for years to come.
Users faced only one drawback while using the dowel jig, which is that they found that the handle of this option was not always at a convenient position. This made it difficult for them at times to operate the tool.
Features:
- Steel bushings.
- Easy to use machine and fast.
- Suitable for a variety of dowels in different sizes.
- Self-centering jig.
5. Rockler Corner Key Doweling Jig
This dowel jig from Rockler corner is a unique option that is suitable for a variety of tasks. It is the best choice for creating decorative joints in your wood pieces. Unlike the other available options available, this one helps drill the wood pieces from the outside of the joint, thus leaving the dowels exposed to artistic appearances.
It drills at an angle of 45° and helps create holes of several sizes for maximum convenience.
Molded lines for references and a clear alignment window make alignment for your project easy and also enables the user to drill with confidence. However, you can use this tool only for smaller projects that need decorative drills and is not an ideal option for the joints of general-purpose. Also, you will not get clamps with this one, and hence, you will have to buy them separately.
Features:
- A window for clear alignment for best results.
- Has molded reference lines.
- Helps in the creation of decorative miter joints.
- Suitable for different sized dowels.
- Best suited for small-sized boards.
Buying Guide
A dowel jig is a type of tool which you use to join together two boards, using a dowel.
The main job of a dowel is to ensure the right depth and position of the hole which you drill to hold the dowel. The housing ensures that the drill remains straight while the stopper tries to keep the hole from getting too deep. Guides are also useful in ensuring that the hole matches so that it facilities the joining of the two boards.
Even if you manage to drill holes without a dowel jig, then you would probably end up drilling holes that are angled down, unaligned or are a compromised joint.
Bushings
Metal brushing generally refers to that part of the drill which is the most important part which comes in contact with the wood. The bushing is engineered in such a way that it can withstand constant wear and tear due to the drill.
The bushings are available in various sizes, which enables you to create different sizes of holes for the suitable sized dowels. There are dowel jigs available that help you to accommodate a huge variety of dowels, which are needed in your different projects.
The Size of the Material
One of the important factors which you should keep in mind is the maximum size of a material that your jig can accommodate. The majority of the jigs are created to accept materials with a general thickness of around ½ and 1½ inches thick, which is considered to be more than enough in the case of a home workshop.
There are also available such jigs that can accept even smaller or larger sections of wood if it is a requirement of your project.
Self-centering
The majority of the jigs present in the market are available with the feature of self-centering. Thus, self-centering jigs use posts or legs that help in lining up the device. The majority of the self-centering features of different jigs are fairly accurate.
Although if you are looking for perfection, you may notice a slight divergence of the hole from the center. Thus, most of the jigs have the feature which helps you to calibrate the hole to the center precisely.
Accuracy
While there is a need for the hole to be centered precisely, there is an equivalent need for the hole on the second board to line up accurately with the one on the first board, which will help in joining the two boards.
Some jigs help in making it easier for the two boards to join together, while some are not that efficient. Thus, we advise you to read the reviews of jigs you are interested in to see whether they are easy to use or not.
Drill Stop
There are generally two different types of drill stops. The former one resembles a bolt, is fastened with a screw, and slides over the drill bit. The latter screws into the head of a jig, enabling you to adjust the depth to which you want to screw it.
FAQs
How does a dowel jig work?
A dowel is a tool that is made on purpose and helps in joining wood boards together with the help of dowel joints. They act as drill guides and have sleeves or metal bushings into which the drill bits are inserted.
Are dowels stronger than the screws?
Yes, indeed, the dowels are stronger than the screws and are one of the modern ways of joining woods together. Also, dowels have superior holding power and have modern composite materials such as plywood or particle wood.
How deep should a dowel hole be?
The holes in your wood pieces should be deep enough to accommodate the dowels. That said, the holes should be drilled about ⅙ inch deeper than half of the length of the dowel section that is being used. Generally, dowels of 1 ½ inch long, and therefore the wholesale to accommodate such dowels should be around 13/16 inches in length.
Are dowel joints easy?
The joints made by dowels are among the strongest, and you can make quite simple and the right kind of drills, jigs, and fluted dowels. Most of the dowel joints are the butt joints in the beginning, and then the joints span into each other for proper alignment.
Conclusion
When picking a dowel jig, you need to have some basic information about what a particular dowel jig can do and whether it will cater to your needs or not. That said, you will have to do your homework.
We have listed several different types of options available in the market, and hence, you cannot go wrong with our choices. By listing some of the best choices available, we have tried to make it easy for our readers.
Though, jigs prove to be a bit complicated for people who are not so well-versed in using them. However, if you are expert enough to work with a drill, you need a jig to get your tasks done. We hope that the above-mentioned points will help you make an informed choice.
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FAQ:
Q: How to use dowel jig- The Ultimate Guide?
A: How to use a dowel jig? Take your dowel jig and loosen the side bolts. The jigs are always being expandable. Take two pieces of log you want to join and mark their sides where you want to make holes. Now, line up the wood part precisely to the doweling jig. … Tightened the bolts so that the logs cannot move and you can drill without disturbing the wood piece. More items…
Q: How to store jigs?
A: Favorite Lake or River all bodies of water large and small lakes, rivers & streams. the smaller body of water the better. Even drainage ponds I use 6 Plano 3700 boxes to store all my jigs at home. In the bottom of my tackle box my jigs are setup with trailers in different colors in zip loc bags.
Q: What is a dowel joint used for?
A: A dowel joint is most often used as a reinforcement for other woodworking joints.