Hand Dowlling Machine

[sawdust maker]

Hi All

I've not been around for a while, been doing up a house. Now I want to make the kitchen units and need a dowlling machine. Some time ago B&Q sold them, looked a bit like a biscuite jointer, but with two drills insted of a cutting disc. Anyone used one and/or know where I could buy one?

Thanks
Paul

 

[Gromit62]

HI Sawdustmaker do you mean something like the beadLOCK Loose Tenon Joinery System where you have a loose tenon to make the joint or the Festool Domino machine?
Geoff.

 

[wcndave]

http://www.amazon.com/Triton-TC500DWL-D ... roduct_top

You mean like that?

Actually not seen many of them around, tend to be hard to line up perfect.

I read a few books for doing my units recently, and the lamello clips were best but expensive, then biscuits or festool domino, and lastly (but most cheaply) pocket screw jigs.

If you're only doing one, the pocket screws do seems to be the simplest and most cost effective method.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Mafell make them http://www.nmatools.co.uk/productdetail ... 2&ZStock=0

I seem to remember that B&Q sold one made by some obscure manufacturer (which is probably the same one you saw) but that was a long time ago and I don't think B&Q sell them now.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[sawdust maker]

Thanks All

The Mafell appears to be what I want, but at £600+ is much more than I want to pay. And the Triton appears to be out of production. So it looks like its back to the dowling jig.

Thanks again
Paul

 

[Lord Kitchener]

DON'T use dowels, use pocket screws, they will be just as strong, won't need clamping and will be a LOT more accurate as long as you make sure the pieces don't shift as you are inserting the screws.

 

[wcndave]

Yer, I would agree, dowelling jigs are very tricky to use and take time. for carcasses it's a waste of time.

If you were going to spend 600, you could get the domino for only a bit more.
I have a domino though, and don't use for kitchen cabinets, as you cannot take them apart and assemble on site, and it's just more fiddley.

instead of £2-300, spend £12 on this book, and see how really easy it is with pocket screws + get a good book on building Kitchen Cabinets (Basic level)

PS: a brad nailer also seems like a good investment, even just for your own kitchen.

 

[wcndave]

BTW: love the sales patter on that Mafell....

The Duo-Dowel Jointer DD40 is the only portable dowel machine on the market.

This Mafell product is unparalleled worldwide.

So the only one then...

..DD40 is faster, more precise and less expensive than any other on the market.

could also argue it's the least precise / most expensive

 

[Gerard Scanlan]

What is best? Are centre points easier to use than a dowelling jig? I have a horizontal morticer tablesaw on my INCA table saw that I have never used and after reading a couple of James Krenov's books recently I thought 'I must try that dowelling lark'. I had considered drilling a steel block with holes as a more accurate guide and then I stumbled across the centre points and thought they might be easier to use. Of course they seem like the kind of thing you could end up dropping on your feet or worse standing on :shock: . However as I do not work in bare feet I will be alright but I can imagine this could be a problem for some people . Knowing my luck I won't be able to find them until after I have finished the job I need them for :roll:.

 

[nanscombe]

I don't know whether this would be of any use to you - £38? But I used it to make some greenhouse benches last year.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-axminster-no1-dowelling-jig-prod21981/

 

[Oryxdesign]

I know two people who have sold there duo fowler and purchased a domino. Apparently the use bits like they are going out of fashion and require a lot of force to plunge.
I have had a go with one and although they look nicely made they do seem inordinately hard to plunge.