# Dowel Screws vs Hanger Bolts



## dberm22 (Aug 5, 2011)

Hey guys, I'm new to woodworking, and new to this forum, so I have a question for you.


I am building a table and I wanted to have legs which can be screwed on and off at will. I have narrowed my options down to hanger bolts and dowel screws.

I am weary of driving a screw into the side of a 2x2 because I feel it will crack (but I'm not sure that table legs with pre-inserted hanger bolts would be stronger).

Which of these two would be the best option? If the hanger bolt idea will cost $40 more, is it worth it? How long will each of the ideas last, assuming minimal usage, and not tons of load? Can dowel screws even be screwed on and off?

Thanks in advance!


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## lawrence (Nov 14, 2009)

I prefer hangers epoxied into a pre drilled hole so far....but then again I,ve only used them a handful of times. looking forward to hearing from the others on this, one of those questions I keep forgeting to ask


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## lawrence (Nov 14, 2009)

btw, why would the hanger bolts cost $40 more?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

dberm22 said:


> Hey guys, I'm new to woodworking, and new to this forum, so I have a question for you.
> 
> 
> I am building a table and I wanted to have legs which can be screwed on and off at will. I have narrowed my options down to hanger bolts and dowel screws.
> ...


 





 
Maybe you could be more clear about the fasteners you mentioned. My conception of "dowel screws", and "hangar bolts" is that they are the same except for one has a screw thread on both ends, and the other has a machine thread on one end a a screw thread on the other.

If the legs are to be taken off and reinstalled many times, a hanger bolt with a machine thread that gets threaded into a threaded insert in the end of the leg would likely last longer. That's what's usually used on KD furniture.












 







.


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## dberm22 (Aug 5, 2011)

lawrence said:


> btw, why would the hanger bolts cost $40 more?


Well, my plan was to do the dowel screws so I went to home depot and bought and cut the wood for the legs, which I cant return. The dowel screws were only a buck a piece. If I decide to go with the hanger bolts, i will have to go back and buy the legs with the pre-installed hangers ($8 a piece, and $2 a piece for the brackets) 4*(8+2) = 40. I guess I can return the dowel screws, but that still comes to $36 extra. Should have thought of this before I bought the wood ($10).


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## dberm22 (Aug 5, 2011)

cabinetman said:


> If the legs are to be taken off and reinstalled many times, a hanger bolt with a machine thread that gets threaded into a threaded insert in the end of the leg would likely last longer. That's what's usually used on KD furniture.


Thanks for the welcome. I think I'm am going to return the dowel screws and get hanger bolts and brackets. I'm still going to use my 2"x2" as the legs and install the hanger bolts myself (as opposed to buying legs with pre-installed ones). Do you think that's a good idea?

Are my legs (with hanger bolts I am installing myself) going to be as durable as the store-bought legs with the hanger bolts already installed? I would be drilling into the end grain, but I'm not sure what the store bought ones would look like. Is it ok to drill into end grain of a 2"x2"? Will any of the common tricks for end grain work?


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## lawrence (Nov 14, 2009)

you know its been so long since I built a table without a skirt that I didnt even realize what you meant. now I see where the money goes. if you want you could still use the legs you have and do it skirted http://www.woodsmithshop.com/episodes/season3/304/ <--------that is a good easy way


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