Miller Dowels - Mini review

[Alf]

Manufacturer: Miller Dowel
Model: 2X Miller Dowel Joinery Kit
Price: £19.95
Recommended user: DIYer with limited tool kit. i.e. A drill.
Pros: Easy to use - clamp the joint together, drill the hole with the stepped bit, apply glue, pound specially shaped dowel into hole, leave 'til glue sets. No metal fastenings.
Cons: Drill bit doesn't have spurs so hole sides can be ragged, dowel head isn't tapered so there tends to be a visible glue line, the price of the dowels.
Rating out of 10: 2/10. Expensive for quite a poor-looking result in my opinion. Disappointing.
Better than/worse than other tools of the same type: Worse than a counterbored screw and tapered plug but easier to use than "blind" dowels.
For an alternative view, read Charley's review.

Cheers, Alf

Want to do a mini review? Here's the thread with the template.

 

[Chris Knight]

Whew! You really liked it then Alf?

I did not find the lack of taper on the heads of the dowels left a visible glue line - rather the reverse. The heads of my dowels were plainly larger than the hole left by the bit - albeit by a small amount only but enough to split the wood when I pounded the dowel into a hole (too) close to the end of a board.

I did (disappointingly) find that I needed to clamp up the joint pretty tightly before hammering the dowel in - otherwise it simply would not pull the joint closed (IIRC, Adam found the same thing)

Unlike a separate plug solution, the dowels allow only end grain to show so there is no hope of disguising the plug in face grain.

 

[Alf]

Whew! You really liked it then Alf?

You could tell... I wanted to like the system, I really did, but the results were just so mediocre.

I did not find the lack of taper on the heads of the dowels left a visible glue line - rather the reverse.

Hmm, interesting. Inconsistancy in manufacture I wonder?

I did (disappointingly) find that I needed to clamp up the joint pretty tightly before hammering the dowel in - otherwise it simply would not pull the joint closed (IIRC, Adam found the same thing)

Yes, it was helpful to know that in advance I must say. The clamping the joint together so firmly is a major main in the neck. I was using them on a step stool with sloping legs, and it was a trifle fraught... I should probably amend Recommended User to DIYer with a drill and lots of clamps.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Philly]

Darn-so we still have to use M+T joints in our joinery then. :roll:
I was hoping these would of been the answer, but I guess its just a tarted up dowel then. :lol:
Mind you, my biscuit jointer is seeing a lot of use lately........ 8)
cheers for the review
Philly