# Dowel Joint Tips



## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

I'm trying to figure out if I'm doing something wrong. I am doing a dining table and attaching aprons to the legs with dowel joints. I'm using 3/8 dowels. I am using 5 dowels. I am working on fitment of the dowels so they aren't so tight that the glue comes out but I'm really having to whale on them with mallet to het the assembly together. maybe I should only use 3? also they go in 1-1/2 inches in each side give or take. I shouldn't have to beat it together I wouldn't think.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

Your dowels may not be 90 degrees to the opposing piece. Using a jig or freehand?


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## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

$67 jig. Very nice jog


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Are you using fluted dowels to let the excess glue escape, otherwise you can be fighting a hydraulic situation.


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## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

nope regular old dowel rods from lowes


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

MidGAOutdoor said:


> nope regular old dowel rods from lowes


Thats probably part of the problem. Those dowel rods are almost never round, or the right size for that matter. I second frankc's suggested of gettin some fluted dowels, or making your own dowels

A dowel joint shouldnt need to be whaled on with a hammer to close. It should take some force, but not that much


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

with a tight dowel fit, and aligning 5 dowels at a time - it is likely there is some misalignment. you may try to find the offending dowel, then wallow out that hole a small amount with the drill.

you can sand the dowels with some 80 grit paper, this roughs them up for good glue adhesion, and gives another 10 thousandths clearance or so.


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## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

ive done the sanding bit. ill see what I can do. don't know where to get 3 inch long fluted dowels......


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## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

well I only used 3 this time around and chucked them in drill and sanded. now they fit good. not too loose but not too tight either. Now its just a matter of keeping my crap square.


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## Stevedore (Dec 28, 2011)

MidGAOutdoor said:


> ....Now its just a matter of keeping my crap square.


 A woodworker's words to live by! :laughing:


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