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Router Lift Precision

A question arose the other day about the differences in precision between the crank type lift and the Dowelmax lift. My answer is twofold. (1) While precision is usually advantageous, it’s not always necessary. (2) With my particular router I’m able to achieve a .002 inch cut.

Regarding (1) the crank type system works well, but it’s laborious, and in my opinion over engineered. From my experience the most accurate requirement involves routed and mitered profiles. These must marry properly or a disaster will result. I mill all the rails to the same width and thickness, then I route all the rails at the same time. At that point I’m assured a perfect match. To illustrate a point I could then repeat the process with the router bit at a position .060″ higher and it wouldn’t matter, because again they’d all be identical. Repeatability is the answer in this case, not precision.

Regarding (2) I’ve been using routers for decades now and while I certainly don’t consider myself an expert I do think that a two thousandths adjustment obtainable from the router body is precision enough, and something I’ve never actually needed in years of furniture design and construction.

Dowel Joint versus Tenon Joint

Dear Sirs:
On your website you show a photo of two joint failures.
http://www.dowelmax.com/free-diy-woodworking-project-instructions/how-to-build-a-diy-workbench/
Since the wood broke on the tenon joint, the limit is the wood, not the tenon. It would be interesting to repeat this test with a tenon designed to leave as much wood cross section as the smaller dowels. It looks like the glue failed on the dowel test. Perhaps more glue surface area would improve the dowel joint result.

Hi Jim. Very observant, not too many people pick up on that aspect of the test. I suppose it’s kind of unusual, but all our tests are carried out in the most honest way possible. That one was a shock, it was carried out in the office and didn’t just fail, it exploded. Luckily my wife was out at the time.

Most people think that the multiple dowel joint has more surface area than the mortise and tenon, but I recall doing a calculation which indicated that comparatively the m&t was slightly more.  Again you are on the right track when you bring up glue application. Virtually every test we’ve done over the past 15 years has shown the dowel to be the stronger. Other tests done by others showed the dowel joint to be slightly weaker. This puzzled me for some time until the light dawned. It was the improper application of glue. It’s easier to apply glue evenly to a m&t joint than a dowel joint. When I do the failure tests I apply glue evenly to all surfaces, and the inner periphery of all bores using an artist’s paintbrush. If there’s 9 sq. ins. of surface area there’s not much point to applying glue to 4 sq. ins.
The topic which drives me crazy is when people make statements like a biscuit, or a pocket hole is stronger than a dowel joint. This is completely false.
The mortise & tenon is a fabulous system, but for me it’s too labour intensive and time consuming. I don’t work full time but it takes me 2 to 4 months to complete a project, some projects include about 70 joints and I’m not about to tackle those using the m&t system.
Regards Jim.

Introduction of Dowelmax mitre accessory

In a few weeks we will be introducing a new accessory; The mitre guide. Dowelmax can accomplish every wood joint conceivable, with one exception; the edge mitre. It can easily accomplish the end mitre, such as would be required for a picture frame, but it can not be configured to complete an edge mitre, such as is required for a drawer ( mitred corners ) For the past nine months Mike and I have been designing, and constructing prototypes for a suitable accessory.

The design is a little more tricky than it would appear; It has to handle all the relevant sizes from 1/2″ to 1 1/2″ and beyond. It also has to be able to accomplish through type joints. The latter is particularly pleasing, because by design the dowel exits at exactly 45 deg. to the normal axis, and when trimmed and sanded forms an ovoid shape. Darker ( mahogany ) dowels can be used and the effect is very pleasing particularly when used in conjunction with drawers ( dove tail effect )

An introductory video of the system has been added to our website ” Dowelmax advantages v.s the ” other” system “

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