Since the accuracy of joinery is so critical to the success of woodworking projects, it’s really not surprising that there are so many inventions to make the process easier. One of the latest is an invention that focuses not on the dovetails that you might think of when you think of jigs, but on dowels instead.
The Dowelmax Kit, in its standard form, uses 3/8″ dowels – there’s also optional accessories (hardened steel drill guides) – that allow use with ¼” or 5/8″ dowels. How’s it work? You use spacers to create the correct width offsets, and index pins to extend the joint along the workpiece, as you get ready to drill your dowel holes. The Dowelmax drill guides are heat-treated and coated with black oxide to give them a longer life.
You can use the Dowelmax to create a variety of joints: flush, miters, offsets, even double rows. The kit also includes a CNC-machined 6160 aluminum angle bracket for T-type joints. And, according to one of the testimonials posted on Dowelmax’s web site, at least one of their customers thinks it’s “so easy to use and accurate, it’s almost fun.”
The Dowelmax kit sells for $259. You can find more information at http://www.dowelmax.com.
