Wolfcraft Doweling Jig

[grumpy6165]

I work as a D&T Technician in an academy school. I have been asked to look at doweling jigs for next academic year for GCSE + A Level students.

A previous teacher seems to have been inspired by Peter Millard's Youtube channel and purchased a Wolfcraft doweling jig system with the jog, drill bits and collars.

It has been used by a couple of people it and they find it to be pretty poor and wouldn't be suitable for students (14-18) to use. It doesn't seem particular accurate, the jig vibrates alot when held my hand causing errors, collars slip on the drill bits easily despite tigtening, the drill bits are of poor quality etc.

It has been used on 18mm MDF and pine.

On a health and safety viewpoint the system concerns me. I guess the teacher got what he paid for.

Anybody else has similar experiences to us?

 

[Spectric]

Run a mile, dowels were only popular amongst manufacturers because they had the tools to drill precisely located holes and for all others the jigs were poor and gave dowels a bad name because of alignment issues. I think the jig that changed a lot of perceptions was the Dowelmax, I have used one for years and always perfect alignment with dowels that need taping in and joints have always closed and it is engineered to very high standards. The issue now is there is not a UK based distributor. I have recently purchased the Jessem doweling jig and that is also really good, well engineered and able to deliver. The one thing I liked about the dowelmax is there are no alignment marks, you use the end faces of the drilling block whereas Jessem does have an alignment mark which I dont use as I still use the edge of the jig as its foolproof and not reliant on eyesight or parallax issues. By using something like this you can also offset joints https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kreg-KMA29...557&keywords=kreg+ruler&qid=1674563830&sr=8-2

https://woodworkersworkshop.co.uk/s...eling+jig&section=product&_bc_fsnf=1&brand=87

 

[Bojam]

I work as a D&T Technician in an academy school. I have been asked to look at doweling jigs for next academic year for GCSE + A Level students.

A previous teacher seems to have been inspired by Peter Millard's Youtube channel and purchased a Wolfcraft doweling jig system with the jog, drill bits and collars.

It has been used by a couple of people it and they find it to be pretty poor and wouldn't be suitable for students (14-18) to use. It doesn't seem particular accurate, the jig vibrates alot when held my hand causing errors, collars slip on the drill bits easily despite tigtening, the drill bits are of poor quality etc.

It has been used on 18mm MDF and pine.

On a health and safety viewpoint the system concerns me. I guess the teacher got what he paid for.

Anybody else has similar experiences to us?

I have the Wolfcraft Dowelmaster (464000) jig. I used it a few times to assemble furniture pieces and have managed to get it to work. But the issues you mention (re. difficulty holding it in place, vibration, lack of accuracy, etc.) are all familiar. It isn’t very good and I won’t use it again.

I have the Bridge City DJ3 drilling jig now and I suspect that this would suffice for most simple doweling operations. I haven’t tested it yet for this purpose. But it is clearly well engineered; in effect a versatile and portable drill press. Used in combination with dowel pins I reckon it should do the trick. One advantage it has is that it can be used to drill holes on mitred ends / beveled faces.

Perhaps if I planned to use dowel joints extensively in future then I would buy the Jessem jig that Spectric mentions.

Or consider getting a Domino instead.

 

[hunter27]

I have one and have used it a few times but find it very poorly designed.

 

[Tony Zaffuto]

The Jessem is built like a tank but has a couple of limitations. You can work around those, by applying some of the Dowelmax instructions, such as referencing off the jig instead of the mark. I looked at the Wolfcraft specifically for doweling vertical PVC trim at 90*, but didn't buy it, opting instead to make a one-off jig to do what I needed.

 

[recipio]

I have the old Record doweling jig with extension bars. It works very well and you may be able to find one second hand. ?
Have a look at the Rockler Beadlock system in the US. It makes M+T joints with nothing more than a drill and is as good as a Domino only a bit slower. Unfortunately it is only available in imperial and you would have to order from the US. I made a set of six dining chairs with it a few years ago and they are all rock solid.

 

[TheUnicorn]

for the issue of the slipping depth guides (which I agree are always next to useless) you could look into getting some that clamp around the bit, rather than being attatched via a grub screw, these seem like the could be better as the grub screw tends to get caught in the grooves of the bit and slide.

https://www.rutlands.com/sp+drillin...ll-bit-split-ring-depth-stops-rutlands®+r4129
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/drill-stops.138718/#post-1603266

 

[Spectric]

you could look into getting some that clamp around the bit, rather than being attatched via a grub screw,

Yes they are better and It is the Rutlands ones I brought. The grub screw ones can be problematic but are ok if used with care, the problem I found was the slots burr.

 

[TheUnicorn]

Yes they are better and It is the Rutlands ones I brought. The grub screw ones can be problematic but are ok if used with care, the problem I found was the slots burr.

not quite following your meaning there, are you saying the grub screws chew up the groove / auger in the standard sort, or is there a problem with the new rutland depth stops?

 

[Mickjay]

I have the wolfcraf jig and find it ok, just have to hold it tight whilst drilling.
I also use these shaft collars as depth stops, don't slip or damage the drill bit, can just buy the sizes you need.

https://www.wdscomponents.com/en-gb/split-shaft-collars-wds-650/c-787/p-1625
Just looked at the link and probably didn't buy from there as I have 8mm and 10mm ones too, but they illustrate the idea.

 

[Glen___]

I have the wolfcraf jig and find it ok, just have to hold it tight whilst drilling.
I also use these shaft collars as depth stops, don't slip or damage the drill bit, can just buy the sizes you need.

https://www.wdscomponents.com/en-gb/split-shaft-collars-wds-650/c-787/p-1625
Just looked at the link and probably didn't buy from there as I have 8mm and 10mm ones too, but they illustrate the idea.

This is also my experience, although I’ve since replaced the wolfcraft jig with a wnew jig from Banggood and it’s better in every respect.

 

[Spectric]

not quite following your meaning there, are you saying the grub screws chew up the groove / auger in the standard sort, or is there a problem with the new rutland depth stops?

The Rutland ones are ok as the screw only has to close the clamp, the other sort that I have been using for longer have a slotted head that opens out and burrs which leaves a sharp bit and easy for the driver to slip. Setting the depth is probably the most fiddly part of the process, I have been meaning to find some grubs that use an allen key which might make improve things but also been thinking about other means of controlling depth rather than these collars. Looking at those WDS collars, I think they look better than the rutlands ones but don't do an 8, 10 or 12 mm one . Would not want the stainless version as stainless threads can be problematic if used a lot.

 

[Essex Barn Workshop]

Confused by Spectric and Mickjay saying that WDS don't have 8,10 or 12 mm. Looking at the table on their site, isn't the D measurement the internal width of the clamp, and if so they do seem to have every size mentioned (4,5,6,8,10,12,14,15,16,18 etc).

 

[Spectric]

Confused by Spectric and Mickjay saying that WDS don't have 8,10 or 12 mm.

Wow what an oversight, that table drew me in to look at the M6 etc etc colomb and overlook the important one, D so shows how data presentation can be easily misinterpreted and we are talking about AI in another thread, would AI make the same mistake !

 

[graduate_owner]

Has anybody tried the Rutland's dowelling jig?

K

 

[grumpy6165]

Thanks very much gentleman. Your advice has been superb. I think I can retire it to the recyling bin.

The jig from Banggood looks good for use in my retirement. But would seem to be over complicated for a student.

The route using a pocket hole joinery instead may be an easier option.

 

[johnwalls26]

Another case of the inferiority of modern "mass" tools. The original Wolfcraft were German made tools marketed under the name Barrus The English EP Barrus owned the brand probably until the woodworking side was sold off the early 70s by which time the the Barrus nane had been dropped. Barrus kept Wolf -Garten.. The original dowel mate was a casting, with secure clamping, similar to the Record, Woden etc, but was metric. . Not sure how H&S applies in schools on used, but there is one on ebay : Vintage "Barrus" Dowel Mate Concealed Corner Jointing System in Original Box | eBay:

 

[Spectric]

The route using a pocket hole joinery instead may be an easier option.

Pocket holes have there place but are no match for strength in a joint compared to dowels. There are heavier pocket hole screws and the HD jig but again great in the right application.

So Wolf now make garden tools Welcome to WOLF-Garten looks like another case where a company uses a more prestigous name from the past to sell in todays markets.

 

[johnwalls26]

Sorry Roy, Wolf Garten is now owned by Black & Decker. Wolfcraft is a separate company in a different part of Germany. Ironically both, like Volkswagen having been British owned for a while. The reality is that Made in Germany is no longer a guide to quality. I suspect that Grumpy's school feature design that both of these entities excel using modular principles.

 

[Spectric]

The reality is that Made in Germany is no longer a guide to quality

You only have to look at Mercedes & Vw to realise that, but still companies choose German sounding names to impart quality. Black and decker must be owned by someone bigger or is that just a name and not the original B&D.