Boardman

Anyone ever tried these, or similar systems?

http://www.craftsmanstudio.com/html_p/X!1000.htm

Buffalo Bilious

No personal experience, but there's an episode of Ask This Old House where Tom used them to repair a cracked stair tread.

Looked like they worked very well, and seemed pretty straight forward in application.

Doubt I'd use them as the sole joinery method for a build project though. With all that "free-hand" drilling, I'd be guaranteed to screw up and drill off-center at least once or six times. I've already got enough firewood!

Boardman

I'll probably give a whirl out of curiosity. Might add a nice look to some projects, but like you, I'll probably use a secondary joining method for insurance.

White Lake?....out by Ann Arbor? I used to live in both Detroit and Lansing. My brother's in Brighton and says you guys have been buried in snow this year,

Buffalo Bilious

Actually, White Lake is closer to Brighton than Ann Arbor. It's up in Northwest Oakland County.

Yeah, this winter has been a butt-kicker. Something like 80" of snow so far this year... another 3"-5" today. Super cold as well. Seems like if it isn't snowing, it's about minus 10 degrees with the wind chill.

It's getting better though... Supposed to be 45 degrees and sunny this Sunday! It'll be nice to finally be able to drive around with the windows down!

David Craft

Problay eight years ago was working with some kitchen cabnets made in Texas and they had used a plastic or nylon dowell. Do any of you pepole ever see them or know where to buy them?
Dave

rrich

Why not just use a 3/8" drill bit and 3/8" dowels? I've used the 3/8" dowels on face frames and panel doors. They work great without the expense of a special drill and a special dowel.

BTW - Dowels are made very low in moisture content. When they are glued in place, they expand from the moisture in the glue. This gives two types of holding power, mechanical (Dowel expansion) and the glue itself. The trick is to use the appropriate size drill for the dowel.

__________________
Use the right tool for the job.

Rich (Tilting right)
Huntington Beach, California
Remember that when we have the "BIG ONE" everything east of the Rockies falls into the ocean.

gregL

I have the miller dowel system and in my opinion it works quite good. Someitmes you experiment with new tools that do not end up being as good as you thought they might be and they end up gathering dust...but this dowel system is relatively cheap, easy to use and doe snot require any other fasteners. I am glad I bought it.

__________________
Every step of any project should be considered your masterpiece if you want the finished product to reflect the quality of your work. Greg Little

GeorgeC

This is exactly my thought as I read the reference. Why would a stepped dowel be better?

George