Replies

1. 
   DonStephan | Jan 09, 2011 06:51pm | #1

   Are you thinkikng the dowels are needed for joint strength, to overcome strain created by joining warped boards, or some other reason?  I wouldn't feel a need to use dowels, biscuits, or other on a well prepared and well glued edge joint.  The one exception might be splines or biscuits simply to help align otherwise well prepared heavy boards while wrestling with clamps and cauls.

2. 
   user-1119321044 | Jan 11, 2011 12:05am | #2

   Dowels to join boards

   I agree with  DonStephan - don't bother with dowels - you don't need them - and it will only end in tears

3. 
   roc | Jan 11, 2011 02:23am | #3

   No dowels even with "hard to glue oily exotic " wood

   I studied the heck out of my project in detail so I was ready !

   I glued it up.  See photo "old glue . . "

   Well I took too long and the Gorilla glue I had got too old and turned thick.  It is weaker when thick.

   Man handling the table top by myself was awkward and stressed the joints  still I had nothing come apart. Esthetically the joints looked bad because they were too visible so I cut it apart with a circular saw to rejoint the joints.  No dowels biscuits or voodoo.

   Second photo "New glue redo" says it all. Joints invisible the glue is so thin.  Can see where the wood comes together because of the grain contrast but can not see any glue line. No dowels biscuits or voodoo.

   As the third photo says "Constantly turning " table top to be able to get to all of it and not be against the grain.  Point is lots of handling and no failure at the joints.

   Drug it up a flight of stairs on a hand truck and . .  .

   Viola !   No dowels biscuits or voodoo.The table top weighs close to two hundred pounds so if it was going to break I think it would have gone ahead and done it.

   The secret is close fit up of joint, fresh wood (sand or plane just before putting glue on) decent glue and correct temperature for the glue you use.  Then . . . the clamps don't even have to be all that tight.

   Note in the glue up photos the way to stretch the clamp bars that were too short to span the width.

   For a counter point see the Sam Maloof vidieo on how he builds a chair.  He installs dowels.  Uses a horizontal drill/mortiser.  Says contrary to popular thought dowels add strength.  He is making " scooped out " chair seats from thick walnut for what that is worth.

    

   
1. 
   01johnny01 | Jan 12, 2011 12:05pm | #4

   joining with dowels

   Thanks ROC for your help and pictures.   Your table top looks great!

4. 
   Johnnypopper | Jan 19, 2011 10:42pm | #5

   using dowels to join boards

   I would like to get in on this. I'm joining two pieces of QSRO from the same board with a prominent flame pattern. I plan to joint the flame together to make a chevron pattern in the top of a coffee table. My board started at 15/16, now I'm down to 13/16 to get past saw marks but I still have about a 1/16 inch variation from end to end (about 4') and was thinking of using dowels to tweek these boards into place. I can easily hold the two halves in place without tools and I think I need to leave the final 16th for sanding etc... Any thoughts?