▼EXPAND FOR LINKS TO THE TOOLS▼ 🎥 Watch Next - Best Parallel Clamps - th-cam.com/video/jA4nhgY30kU/w-d-xo.html 🛠Tools in this Video: JessEm Dowel Jig (New Version) amzn.to/3vAz56p Jessem Dowel Jig Master Kit (Old Version) - amzn.to/3KM6znJ DowelMax amzn.to/3PcUMkb Wood Dowels - amzn.to/3SAD3U9 Kreg FaceClamp - amzn.to/3IHRPUf Woodpeckers Combination Square - amzn.to/3J2CQWn Milwaukee Drill / Impact I Use - shrsl.com/3y887 Other Tools/Equipment I'm Asked About Often: Table Saw - amzn.to/3IoKqsZ Table Saw Blade I'm Using - shrsl.com/3xv5i Miter Saw - amzn.to/41hbJy4 Tripod for Phone - amzn.to/3E3kWA9 Phone Holder for Tripod - amzn.to/3E1E6GG The shirt I'm Wearing - www.shieldsofstrength.com but appear to be sold out. Boots I'm Wear - amzn.to/3HkUl3y Toolbox in Background - homedepot.sjv.io/x9B2xy Tool Wall over Miter Station - amzn.to/3ZgWq7B Digital TH-cam Sign - amzn.to/3GL2a2e Camera Gear I Use - kit.co/731Woodworks/camera-gear-i-use Computer Equipment I Use for Editing - kit.co/731Woodworks/731-woodworks-computer-equipment Other useful links: Daily Tool Deals on my website: www.731woodworks.com/tool-deals Subscribe the 731 Newsletter: mailchi.mp/7e44c16eefdc/731-woodworks-email-newsletter Check out our easy-to-follow woodworking plans: www.731woodworks.com/store Outlaw's Board Butter - www.731woodworks.com/store/boardbutter
I know both are outstanding dowel jigs, but I love my Jessem. I do wish it had a 45 attachment as you stated. I can't speak for DowelMax but I called Jessem as I needed mine in a big rush. Just happened to be a Canadian holiday so they were closed. Someone just happened to be in the office picking something up they left the day before, heard the phone ringing and picked it up. Got to chatting a bit and not only did he pick up the phone he got my order out that day and included free next day shipping. Certainly not saying everyone will get that, but but we had a very cool chat and he was in the holiday spirit and threw in the shipping. That is what you call awesome customer service.
I have both the earlier JessEm Paralign (model 08300) design, similar to the DowelMax with clamps, as well as the new JessEm (08350) model. At the time I bought the first jig, I had a tough time deciding between it and the DowelMax, can't remember what feature(s) eventually led me to the JessEm. The new JessEm, with the alignment slot was a no-brainer for me as this allows me to easily align, for example holes for shelves in the middle of a piece. A side benefit is that the 3/8" holes align perfectly between the two jigs; I haven't tried aligning the center and outside holes with the 1/4" configurations. As far as clamping, on a bookcase, where I used a lot of dowels with the original only, I got to the point that I didn't bother clamping. I'd carefully align the first hole of a set, hold the jig by hand, drill it, put the indexing pin into that hole and drill any other holes I wanted. I had zero issues with alignment. Here's a trick for either style if you're starting from the end of your boards. Rather than trying to align the jig by feel, put the alignment pin in the outside hole, align that to the edge of your board, and start drilling with the second (or third/fourth in the case of a miter cut) hole. This is far faster and more accurate and also makes holding without clamping even easier.
I have both of these jigs and I like them both. I prefer the Jessem for T-joints and the Dowelmax for miter joints. And both of them together still cost hundreds less than a Festool Domino.
@ex8280 Owning those 2 tools negates the need for a Festool Domino, which is easily the most overrated tool ever produced. The only Festool product I own is the ETS EC 150 sander and shop vac system otherwise everything else they make is overrated and over priced.
@@common-sense-is-dead I agree. I own a 150RO and a dowel jig centering guide both of which I found in old tool boxes for free. The RO needed a little work so it ended up costing me a bit for a pad and some special paper with holes in it but the dowel jig has put holes perfectly for me. I actually owned it for at least 30years before actually using it. I love doweling stuff now. I would not have bought either if I had to pay for them. Over $100 for a dowel guide seems excessive to me.
I have used both jigs for years. Each one has its place which is why I have both systems. I actually have a few of both and have them preset for certain material thicknesses to save time. I always use the Dowel Max for miter joints, so much easier with the built in clamps. One criticism I have of the Dowel Max is that I find on occasion the brass knobs loosen and if you aren't paying attention, you can get some slop or a misaligned joints. I use a non marring plastic slip pliers to tighten them and it works well and solved that issue. All in all, they are amazing tools and make for very strong joints if done correctly. Great video! Cheers!
I've got the Dowelmax and every accessory that they make for it. I absolutely LOVE IT. I don't own a pocket hole jig, biscuit joiner, or Domino. No plans at the moment to get any of these- the Dowelmax is so flexible and effective I don't feel like I need those other tools.
My pocket hole jig works really well in combination with the devil Max for extremely long stretchers. We’ve had table stretchers that were long enough that if you were to throw clamping pressure on it in the beginning, it would bow. It was cool to be able to leave a little bit of room on either side of the dowels for two pocket hole to use as clamps.
Quick QoL piece of advice: drop a pin in one of the first holes and then just use that to align the jig instead of feeling for flush. The jig is identically spaced on both sides, so you can easily align both sides in the same way. For the center pieces, you can use the groove on the front, or the line as you said.
@@NA-hb7kl the jig comes with alignment pins that fit into the holes. If you put that pin in one of the far left or right slots, you can then use that extension to flush up the jig without having to go by feel. It makes it more readily repeatable.
I got very lucky and got my dowel max complete set in box with all accessories for 20 bucks at a garage sale. Second best score I've ever found. Don't use it often but love it when I use it.
Dowelmax has 1/2” & 5/16” options in addition to 3/8 & 1/4 which I have plus 45 degree bracket. They also have metric sizes. The 3/8 set comes with a 9.6mm drill for perfect clearance for quality 3/8 dowels. The 1/4” set also uses a slightly larger metric drill. The Dowelmax is a work of art & extremely accurate. Especially handy for large assemblies.
I have the Jessem and love it! I actually like not having the built-in clamp once I figured out how to best use the jig. I first position the jig with a spring clamp, which takes only a second to do. Then I add the face clamp, which secures it. Once you get used to doing it this way, I think it's actually faster than turning the thumbscrews. But here's where the Jessem really shines. When doing production work, I build a jig that uses toggle clamps that hold both the workpiece and the Jessem in place with one quick motion. I did this when I had to build a bunch of frames for glass shelves on a big cabinet build. It ended up being a slick operation. Oh, one other thing I've used the Jessem for - the jig is machined perfectly square. So, in a pinch, I've used it to square up my table saw blade when it was the closest accurate thing at hand, lol.
I have them both. I bought the JessEm first and it's a nice jig, but after seeing the DowelMax, it just seemed like a much easier to use jig. So I bought the DowelMax and I was right. It is easier and I have used it several times with great results. My vote goes to the DowelMax for being the better of the two.
I haven't bought a jig yet but was leaning towards DowelMax. I've seen jigs on Amazon that look identical at a fraction of the price. What are your thoughts? Have you tried any of these?
@@dougmeredith1640 The only other dowel jigs I've tried were the Milescraft Jointmate and the PowerTec jigs. These were the cheapest of the cheap and you definitely get what you pay for (they sit in a drawer somewhere waiting for me to get rid of them). I don't know of any jigs on Amazon that are identical to the DowelMax and I have not used any others than the JessEm and the two I mentioned here. The DowelMax is still my top recommended dowel jig.
For T-joints, one of the differences is the way you layout the joint. With the Jessem, you lay out the centerline of where the two pieces intersect. Then, you use the centerline on the jig for alignment. The Dowelmax is different. You layout the top or bottom edge of the cross piece. Then, you align the edge of the DowelMax to the line. Generally, I don't layout face frames and such based on the centerline of the crossmembers. I lay them out based on where I want the top or bottom edge of the crossmember to fall -- at the top of a shelf, for example. I do this because my stiles and rails may not be EXACTLY the width called for in the plans and generally, what's important is where the top or bottom edge rail intersects with the stile -- not where the centerline of the rail might be. So, the DowelMax fits better with the way work. YMMV.
I've been using the Dowel Max for a while now, and I have to say I'm completely impressed with the ease and quality of it. I've never had any issues. As a matter of fact, I used to avoid miter joints at all costs until I started using the Dowel Max not anymore.
I picked up the Jessem earlier this week because Woodcraft has it on sale. If you only need the 3/8 then its a heck of a deal. Glad i made the right choice.
Love my DowelMax. It was a hard decision to drop that kind of money, but I do not regret it. Every panel glue up is perfect! The machining quality is top notch.
Love the Dowelmax. You can use the pin on one end hole as a stop against the stock edge instead of feeling the edge. You potentially lose a hole, but it is a bit more reliable for centering. Overall, once you figure out the basics, the Dowelmax is easy and, more importantly, reliable. It also comes with a 45-degree plate and other accessories. But the best feature is the integrated clamp, which avoids many errors.
Yup. I made a 14' 3 sided faux beam to cover an LVL beam from 3/4" maple veneered plywood. It took a long time to lay out the dowel holes. However it fit together perfectly with no gaps along the mitered edges. And once glued it was super strong. No deflection at the joints and once scribed fit perfectly to the ceiling and walls.
Been using dowelmax for a couple of years now. Best tool ever. The only thing it needs is dust collection. I didn't like the clamping method of the jessen type tools. Had that type in the past, the integrated clamp is worth the extra $ and I have never felt the need to use more than or less than 3/8" dowel. Sometimes i just make 2 rows.
I own the Jessem jig, and the one thing I love about it is the ability to clamp the jig to a a surface and quickly swap pieces in and out. I built multiple pieces of furniture with the jig and it's great. I still dream of the Domino for speed and convenience, but the I can't complain about the Jessem. Also, doing through dowels on the Jessem is so easy and fast!!!
Armor makes several self setting clamps that do not need adjusting to set the width of the clamp. All you do is initially dial in how much pressure you want and it does the rest. Makes working with the Jessem so much easier.
Brother I have been watching your channel for a long time and you’re great. Love your videos. I’m not loving how many ads you have now. I had to stop the video because I just can’t watch another ad.
Interesting video. I don't do much wood working anymore but have done my share of joinery work for sure. I have watched many of your reviews and respect your opinion of the two products, but from what I saw the DowelMax looked like the clear winner overall. Sure the JesseM might offer a tad more versatility and a few more options that come with the base model and for less money too, but the DowelMax seemed to be much easier to use and a better made/machined tool overall - which probably accounts a lot for the price. Plus it has the integrated clamping system, which IMO is a huge advantage and well worth the additional cost. You could even see in this video it made the system so much easier to use - and that is with an experienced hand doing the work too. I can only imagine how a beginner could benefit more from the ease of using the DowelMax over the JessM. I have also seen many YT videos of each tool being used and people who use the DowelMax seem to really like it. But hey what do I know - I have never used either one. But based on what I have seen and even in this video, I would buy the DowelMax hands down over the JessM. Mainly due to the clamping system and the build quality. Great video either way sir !!
I have the JessEm 8370, it is the Metric version. There are four dowel sizes available: 6mm, 8mm, 10mm and 12mm. Excellent tool for the money and very well made.
I have both jigs and my go to is the dowelmax. I also feel that the dowelmax bits are a better quality. I have had the Dowelmax since 2004. I bought the Jessm because it had the 1/2” size. I didn’t realize that dowelmax offered that. Build quality seems excellent on both jigs. If someone broke into my shop and stole them, I would be buying another dowelmax for sure.
I owned the Jessem and sold it to buy the Dowelmax. The built-in clamp is a big advantage for accuracy. I also bought the angle plate, the 1/2 inch kit, and the 1/4 inch kit. The half inch kit comes with a guide block but the 1/4 inch does not (it comes with screw in guides so I bought an extra block). Dowelmax is an amazing piece of engineering effort.
Agree completely and I bought the dowelmax and the extras as well. I also bought an extra drill bit of each size so I don't need to keep setting the drill stop depth when changing from edge/end to face drilling. Amazing jig indeed.
Great info! I ordered the JessEm last week and am very excited for it to come in. Glad to hear that I couldn't have gone wrong with either option, especially since they're doing a 30% off the "standard" JessEm setup that I didn't want to miss.
Unbelievably good timing! Been looking for a dowel jig and had narrowed my choices down to Dowelmax & JessEm. Your review was incredibly helpful in my decision-making. Thank you and love your channel!
@@Mr.ukie404 JessEm, mostly because the basic version (3/8”) is all I need right now and it’s significantly cheaper ($150ish in Canada vs $250). Another consideration for me is doing t-joints with the JessEm seems a little easier. On the downside is the lack of built-in clamping. It’s a nice-to-have feature but not a deal breaker for me.
Good morning. Thanks for the in depth video. I’m new to wood working and just picked up the dowlmax jig due to your video and one other. The Jessem has gone up in price as it was more expensive for the big kit than the classic dowlmax. I got the 3/8 and 1/4 kit. They do have a half inch kit, but I don’t see needing it for a while as I will mostly be working with 3/4 and 1/2 stock. Thanks again for taking the time for this vijao.
I can't justify buying a Festool Domino, so I've been looking at both of these jigs recently. This video was a big help! It looks to me like the built-in clamps on the Dowelmax are it's killer feature. While I love the price of the JessEm, it seems like setup is a bit fiddly and I know that would eventually drive me crazy.
Bought the JessEM and it’s not really that fiddly; it’s ability to easily do t-joints and corners was what worked for me. The built in clamp would be handy, but I’ve used it for butt joints (tabletops/blocks; better than biscuits) and t-joints (shelves). Very happy with the jig and results.
The built-in clamps on the dowelmax make it the winner for me. All of the indexing features on both jigs will work accurately, even if they have a different process to achieve it, but the convenience and accuracy of the jig having a built-in dedicated clamping solution makes it a superior product in my opinion.
I like the messages on your T Shirts. May the Lord bless you for sharing your faith. I always get something useful from your content. How would your compare the Milescraft Joint Master Jig to DowelMax and Jessem?
Great video Matt. I'd love to see you test the Grizzly Doweling jointer out. It can be had right now for $100 so if it works, that seems like a heck of deal.
Wish i had the $250 CAD (i live in Canada) for the Jessem dowelling kit, but after the bankruptcy i have to be a little frugal. LOL I use the biscuit joiner or the pocket hole when i can but would prefer to use the dowel because it appears stronger and it's hidden unlike the pocket hole. I like my work to look neat and clean. When i go to sell my work i want my customers to see neat and tidy work. My grandfather told me along time ago "When doing work for somebody, make it like you were making it for yourself".
I have the Jessem and so far it's worked well for me. It was a toss up between the two and Jessem won on value since it included 3 sizes for dowels. It was a bit awkward at first for clamping but after using it a few times it's a piece of cake now.
I love my dowelmax jig. You can also get a 5/16” dowel accessory setup for the dowelmax which is the size I use the most working with 3/4” stock. The only caution I would give for the jig is that the machining is so precise you need to constantly check the tightness of all the knurled nuts.
you should do a video comparing this method to using the micro jig lock miter bit and give your thoughts on which is better, when its nicer to use one vs the other and limitations of the lock miter bit compared to a dowel jig for miter ends.
Great comparison! Now I'm even happier that I bought the Dowelmax. Clear winner to me. Just the clamping feature alone makes it superior (again, to me). The Dowelmax can fit over and clamp against a 4x4. That's quite big enough and can be taken apart and clamped on bigger items if needed. You also don't have to use the pin. You can draw a line (like you did for the Jessem) and use your check marks on the line and treat it like an end piece. The check marks make them line up exactly. Like you say though, both are awesome!
These jigs look great for end miters, but I have 16 inch mitered stiles for a blanket box. I would like to put in 3 or 4 dowels along the length of the stiles for alignment and a little more strength. What would you suggest? Thank you, I'm stumped. Just a garage hack!
I didn't know about the JessEm and I appreciate this comparison. I am leaning Dowelmax in large part because of clamp simplicity. I have an arthritic condition that affects several joints including my hands and it is nice to be able to just clamp something and have it in place without having to think about if my grip is going to randomly give. These both seem like fantastic options.
I own the jessem for the reason of simplicity and versatility, the dowel max is very nice jig but it comes at higher price tag , the second reason jessem includes all 3 sizes as you mentioned and they can be replaced , the third reason is I didn't want to fiddle with the spacers as I Carry my jig in the field and it's easy for me to loose the spacers , definitely both are good but I found jessem more easy to use even without clamp FYI Amazon sells Chinese version of jessem plus with more options to drill cam lock holes as well , at the time when I got the jessem they discontinued the paralign system which I think was the best , but overall both are good , thank you for the in depth review always learn something 👍
Great meeting you at VidSummit this year. I told you my wife is gonna kill me if I keep watching this channel. I just bought the Jessem jig. I making some floating shelves and a countertop right now, so it'll come in super handy.
I use a wood owl 3/8 auger but with the dowelmax and it makes it so much faster and easier. Great jig becomes a little better since it drills through like butter.
I love the dowelmax! Because the spacing rod takes out my errors of vision to the drawn lines. I just put together a 2" thick cedar table top. I did 2 rows of 3/8" dowels, by using the thicker spacer, and kept the same distance on the spacer rod. It went together very well!! Unlike my previous experience with lining up the jig with a pencil line. It doesn't take much offset to be a problem getting boards clamped together.
dowel max internal clamps---all the diff in the world---20 yrs using the dowel max and i have zero,zip,nada problems ever jessem makes great tools and i would have had NO problems with their jig----both companies are great innovators!!! rick
I used the Dowelmax to make several 5 ft. long branches for a gym. They were made from 3/4 ply with full back and shelf the full length with a center divider. I used 69 dowel and no screws or nail. Everything lined up perfectly. That was 4 years ago and there are no cracks or loose joints anywhere.. The customer is well pleas as am I.
This is an excellent and relevant video. Your scoring is a bit subjective like Ms. Olson was in my 10th grade history. I give the DowelMax 23 points for having a built in clamp and an additional accessory for box miters.
Thanks for the review! I've been trying to decide between the two for awhile now, and you just confirmed the one I was leaning towards. Just ordered the Jessem for $189 on Amz, which seems like a decent price.
Should i buy the Dowelmax/Jessem Doweling Jig or a pocket hole jig like the Massca M2 first? I only have enough money for one or the other right now unfortunately. Also, i plan on getting a Barrel Grip jigsaw, but not sure if i should go with the Milwaukee M18 or something else like the Flex or DeWALT or corded perhaps? Figured you might know which one i should go with.
I went with the dowelmax and have zero regrets. Like you said, both are excellent jigs, but the dowelmax has the features and ease of use I prefer. The built in clamping is really what sold me on the dowelmax. Buying today, I'd still go for the dowelmax. Once you get used to checkmark system, setting up and drilling joints is virtually second nature. It's an amazingly designed, well built jig. A small correction; dowelmax is a canadian company, but they switched manufacturing to china some years back. It's still made to very high standards and tolerances however. edit to add: There's another dowelmax called the dowelmax junior; it's cheaper ($115) and works similarly to the jessem in that it doesn't include a clamping mechanism, so you'll need to use your own clamps with it. It can be upgraded to the full dowelmax as well. Worth it if someone wants to dip their toes in premium doweling jigs.
Where is your proof the dowelmax is manufactured out of China? There is however a knockoff version made in China. The dowelmax is made in Canada by OMS Tool Co. & unless you have concrete proof otherwise you are slandering a company's product. Not cool..
@@AlexB-cn2lo Direct from Jim, the owner of the company; when I went to buy my dowelmax in 2021 I emailed first to confirm what I saw on some woodworking forums about country of origin. Jim explained that they were made in Vancouver for about 15 years, then they either had to switch manufacturing overseas or go under. He ended the email saying "try it, you won't be disappointed". So I did. And now I have a couple of dowelmaxes for my most frequently used setups. So even though it's made overseas now, it's still amazingly well-crafted and accurate. If you still don't believe me, fine; email the company yourself to be sure.
Here's a question and maybe a demo video opportunity for you... can you use that with the 45 degree accessory to do miters the long way? Such as doing a faux beam, a "waterfall" miter, or dresser carcass? I see it done with dominoes or biscuits, just have to cut/drill shallower?
I appreciate the video but I think you should have used properly jointed and straight and flat material for the demos. Small inaccuracies are much easier to see on milled material and would be much easier to judge how well a jig works and if it's working properly
I'm still using my ancient Stanley #59.. It's still very accurate though slightly limited for certain operations, but you really can't beat the price of around $20 on ebay and you need to understand the old drill bit conventions of 50 or so years ago..
Cool video, very comprehensive! Were there any add-ons for the Jess-em. Seems that while more expensive, the DowelMax offers greater versatility, could that not be worthy of an extra fist bump? Note, I own neither product, so I have no dog (or fleas) in this fight.
You should make a montage of everytime the Jessem jig slipped out of your hand. Lol. The added weight and lack of built in clamps make it very tricky to clamp down. It drives me nuts that the clamping plate has a radius in the inside corner too. A good jig though overall.
I have both and as you pointed out, there are pluses and minuses to both. Still for less than $500 I can dowel anything together without spending a arm and a leg for a power tool. I use dowels alot. Next I am going to get a pantorouter for intergal mortise and tenon joints. But, that is some serious money. that sometimes is required.
I have the Jessem and love it. I didn't buy the master kit. I bought the ⅜ kit on sale for $99 at Woodcraft and buying the expansion kits (¼ inch and ½ inch) are not terribly expensive. Never had a problem with the Jessem dowel jig not seating properly in the grooves. It's super easy to to tell if it's not even. User error is the king of mistakes LOL! It's not hard to use at all.
Informative video, Matt.👍🏽 I went with the Dowelmax primarily for the clamping feature. I’ll spend the money to easily and quickly clamp my workpieces on jigs and workbench.
I have to say that when it comes to dowel jigs the self centering jigs are better. They are easier to use. I have been using a craftsman version of the dowelmax since I was in high school. I have only the 3/8 size anymore but when I need to get a new one I will get a dowelmax, especially sence they now make the jig in 1/4 thru 1/2.
Well done. Excellent review and look at your editing skills go! .... this must have taken a while to put together. (especially since you've grown by 40k subscribers since filming! Awesomeness!!)
Great video. I like the look of both but from this video the Dowelmax looks a bit better even if you have to pay more and with the added cost of some of the accessories.
I have had the Jessem jig for 5ish years and have almost no criticisms for it. The clamp feature would be nice from time to time but i still don't regret my choice. I do prefer the adjustability of the detents on the Jessem instead of spacer blocks, but am sure I could be just as happy with the Dowelmax.
I own the DowelMax and would not trade for anything that I have seen that could replace it. The price of the Jessem goes up if you count the clamp price to hold it in place. I know that we all have clamps, but it is still something needed in order to use the Jessem.. I see the need for a 1/4 inch dowel, but the need for the 1/2 dowel to me is a waste...All the extra size dowels is a waste of money as I see no need for 1/2 inch dowels in my future wood working..I always enjoy your comparisons of tools so please keep doing them...God Bless
Just built two custom bunk beds for a customer in Whistler made of 1 3/4” maple frames with 1/2” dowels using the Jessum dowel jig. Exceptional results! John Jensen from British Columbia
Great review. Thank you. Dowel joints are sadly underrated. I have both Domino jointers and I still use dolls often. I don’t have either of the jigs you reviewed
I originally purchased the JessEm. Used it for one face frame project, and just found it awkward to hold the work piece, set the tool, and set the clamp, and drill. I can get annoying to repeatedly remove a quick-clamp reposition and re-clamp . . . especially when you have your work piece clamped into a bench and you are struggling to find a position for the quick-clamp on the JessEm jig. Getting the alignment to stay in place while you clamp, depending on the size of your piece, can be challenging too. I think the DowelMax shines with the built in clamping system. As far as the weight is concerned, the JessEm is made from powder-coated steel. It is not all aluminum, like the DowelMax. With regard to the alignment slot on the JessEm, it is ok if you are using 3/8" dowels, but clearly has no utility with 1/4 and 1/2"... as the slot is either too big or too small for correct alignment. The CL mark on the back of the JessEm required that you take your marking line all the way from the edge of your board, where the dowel will be inserted, and make the mark 4-5" away, creating the potential for error. If you are even slightly off perpendicular with the mark at that distance, that is translated to hole that will not align.
Man this video made it difficult to choose! Both excellent tools especially the dowel max having the built in clamps. I did however watch the jessem video put out by the company and noted a very slick pro on the jessem. You can keep the jig clamped and slide/lock the drill holes to multiple locations for 2,3,4 rows or more if you like. The dowelmax you need to remove and add spacers. For my application I like the jessem option
I think that the clamp in the dowelmax is a little more useful, but I don't have any of them, so is just an speculation. I wrote dowelmax a few days ago asking if they had a pro/extended/ultra version with more accessories, given that they already have the junior and classic, perhaps another with all (or more) things included would be great (they don't have it). Thanks for the video, very informative!
I just did a quick price-out, and the dowelmax classic, 1/2" drill guide package and 1/4" drill guide package that includes the extra drill block comes to $399, no tax and free shipping. Personally, I'd get an extra drill bit of each size as well so there's less depth adjustments needed when switching from edge/end drilling to face drilling.
Is there an affordable alternative for the hobbyist? I cant justify 200 bucks for doweling jig when i still have no table saw. Lol but my pic frames and miters would be so much better with a dowel jig of some kind
Thanks for the review. I bought the Jessem because bang for your buck like you pointed out. I have only one issue with the Jessem. Mine must have the centerline slightly offset. When using that feature , my side to side is a couple millimeters off, which is frustrating. using all the other ways everything lines up perfectly. Once I figured that out I can adjust for it, but I shouldn’t have to. other than that the Jessem is a quality product. I should’ve exchanged it, but i bought then got side tracked and didn’t use it right away. then it was too late to exchange it.
Is one better than the other for beginners (me)? If you can do something backwards than I will do that at least once. I did get the Massca pocket hole jug at your recommendation and it is awesome.
In comparison for offering the same functionalities, I think the Jessem jig is the better deal. For 250 bucks, you get 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 inch dowel size. It can easily setup for butt joint. Miter joints are more or less same as butt joint if you think really. Only downside is that the Jessem isn't streamlined for doing face joints on a board, it's still doable though with some efforts. And this is exactly the advantage with the Dowelmax jig. You get adjustable offsetting kits for doing face joints. However, if you add the 1/2 and 1/4 inch dowel size bushing kits with the dowelmax to make it "on-per" with the Jessem,, it becomes a 400 dollar kit. So in my opinion, the Jessem is the kit to go with for advanced DIYers since you can do everything for 250 bucks that the dowelmax offers you for 400.
I think the better jig is the one you can actually get in hand. Purchased the jessem jig in February and now it's going to be April in two days and still don't have it. Sent an email and received an auto reply that their email replies are 3 days behind. Sounds like they have enough business and don't need mine. Had they noted back ordered on the jig when I purchased them this wouldn't be an issue as I would have bought a different jig somewhere else. I do not do business with anyone that just assumes it's ok to not ship me my purchase for over a month with no need to mention the delay ahead of time. This has caused my project to be put on hold and it's pisses me off!! I was going to get a Jessem router table lift setup next but no thanks. No communication, too busy and they don't need my business regardless how good their products are. I blame TH-camrs for constantly pushing Jessem in every jig or tool without mentioning we can't actually get the product in a reasonable time. An over seas knockoff is a better tool Everytime if that tool is on my workbench and the original is stuck in manufacturing
I’ve been using a Self-Centering Doweling Jig for years, like sold by Rockler and Woodcraft it works stupid simple and accurate and at $70 ($90 for large capacity), no brainer at less than half the price. Simpler to use, super accurate but some limitations. Some of the Chinese knockoffs might be ok??? Try this one
I have a self-centering but bought a dowel max. As long as _all_ you need is self centering, others are fine. But you can't do a 90' board into a board with a self centering.
▼EXPAND FOR LINKS TO THE TOOLS▼
🎥 Watch Next - Best Parallel Clamps - th-cam.com/video/jA4nhgY30kU/w-d-xo.html
🛠Tools in this Video:
JessEm Dowel Jig (New Version) amzn.to/3vAz56p
Jessem Dowel Jig Master Kit (Old Version) - amzn.to/3KM6znJ
DowelMax amzn.to/3PcUMkb
Wood Dowels - amzn.to/3SAD3U9
Kreg FaceClamp - amzn.to/3IHRPUf
Woodpeckers Combination Square - amzn.to/3J2CQWn
Milwaukee Drill / Impact I Use - shrsl.com/3y887
Other Tools/Equipment I'm Asked About Often:
Table Saw - amzn.to/3IoKqsZ
Table Saw Blade I'm Using - shrsl.com/3xv5i
Miter Saw - amzn.to/41hbJy4
Tripod for Phone - amzn.to/3E3kWA9
Phone Holder for Tripod - amzn.to/3E1E6GG
The shirt I'm Wearing - www.shieldsofstrength.com but appear to be sold out.
Boots I'm Wear - amzn.to/3HkUl3y
Toolbox in Background - homedepot.sjv.io/x9B2xy
Tool Wall over Miter Station - amzn.to/3ZgWq7B
Digital TH-cam Sign - amzn.to/3GL2a2e
Camera Gear I Use - kit.co/731Woodworks/camera-gear-i-use
Computer Equipment I Use for Editing - kit.co/731Woodworks/731-woodworks-computer-equipment
Other useful links:
Daily Tool Deals on my website: www.731woodworks.com/tool-deals
Subscribe the 731 Newsletter: mailchi.mp/7e44c16eefdc/731-woodworks-email-newsletter
Check out our easy-to-follow woodworking plans: www.731woodworks.com/store
Outlaw's Board Butter - www.731woodworks.com/store/boardbutter
Redo it with the new dowel jig from jessem!!
I know both are outstanding dowel jigs, but I love my Jessem. I do wish it had a 45 attachment as you stated. I can't speak for DowelMax but I called Jessem as I needed mine in a big rush. Just happened to be a Canadian holiday so they were closed. Someone just happened to be in the office picking something up they left the day before, heard the phone ringing and picked it up. Got to chatting a bit and not only did he pick up the phone he got my order out that day and included free next day shipping. Certainly not saying everyone will get that, but but we had a very cool chat and he was in the holiday spirit and threw in the shipping. That is what you call awesome customer service.
The new Stainless JessEm has the 45 degree angle as an extra, beautiful, well made and precise!
I have both
Dowel max is superior
I have both the earlier JessEm Paralign (model 08300) design, similar to the DowelMax with clamps, as well as the new JessEm (08350) model. At the time I bought the first jig, I had a tough time deciding between it and the DowelMax, can't remember what feature(s) eventually led me to the JessEm. The new JessEm, with the alignment slot was a no-brainer for me as this allows me to easily align, for example holes for shelves in the middle of a piece. A side benefit is that the 3/8" holes align perfectly between the two jigs; I haven't tried aligning the center and outside holes with the 1/4" configurations.
As far as clamping, on a bookcase, where I used a lot of dowels with the original only, I got to the point that I didn't bother clamping. I'd carefully align the first hole of a set, hold the jig by hand, drill it, put the indexing pin into that hole and drill any other holes I wanted. I had zero issues with alignment.
Here's a trick for either style if you're starting from the end of your boards. Rather than trying to align the jig by feel, put the alignment pin in the outside hole, align that to the edge of your board, and start drilling with the second (or third/fourth in the case of a miter cut) hole. This is far faster and more accurate and also makes holding without clamping even easier.
great info and tip! thank you!!
As a novice, it appears that Dowel Max is the way to go. I like that it comes with clamps and spacer guides. Great video. Love your shirt!
I have both of these jigs and I like them both. I prefer the Jessem for T-joints and the Dowelmax for miter joints. And both of them together still cost hundreds less than a Festool Domino.
I think it's too late, but that 500+ dollar you spent on them, could of went into a nice festool you will eventually buy.
Nice.
@ex8280 Owning those 2 tools negates the need for a Festool Domino, which is easily the most overrated tool ever produced. The only Festool product I own is the ETS EC 150 sander and shop vac system otherwise everything else they make is overrated and over priced.
@@common-sense-is-dead
I agree. I own a 150RO and a dowel jig centering guide both of which I found in old tool boxes for free.
The RO needed a little work so it ended up costing me a bit for a pad and some special paper with holes in it but the dowel jig has put holes perfectly for me. I actually owned it for at least 30years before actually using it. I love doweling stuff now.
I would not have bought either if I had to pay for them. Over $100 for a dowel guide seems excessive to me.
I have used both jigs for years. Each one has its place which is why I have both systems. I actually have a few of both and have them preset for certain material thicknesses to save time. I always use the Dowel Max for miter joints, so much easier with the built in clamps. One criticism I have of the Dowel Max is that I find on occasion the brass knobs loosen and if you aren't paying attention, you can get some slop or a misaligned joints. I use a non marring plastic slip pliers to tighten them and it works well and solved that issue. All in all, they are amazing tools and make for very strong joints if done correctly. Great video! Cheers!
I've got the Dowelmax and every accessory that they make for it. I absolutely LOVE IT. I don't own a pocket hole jig, biscuit joiner, or Domino. No plans at the moment to get any of these- the Dowelmax is so flexible and effective I don't feel like I need those other tools.
My pocket hole jig works really well in combination with the devil Max for extremely long stretchers. We’ve had table stretchers that were long enough that if you were to throw clamping pressure on it in the beginning, it would bow. It was cool to be able to leave a little bit of room on either side of the dowels for two pocket hole to use as clamps.
Quick QoL piece of advice: drop a pin in one of the first holes and then just use that to align the jig instead of feeling for flush. The jig is identically spaced on both sides, so you can easily align both sides in the same way. For the center pieces, you can use the groove on the front, or the line as you said.
I'm hoping you can explain a bit more, paul renaud. What kind of pin? At what point in the process? Thanks...
@@NA-hb7kl the jig comes with alignment pins that fit into the holes. If you put that pin in one of the far left or right slots, you can then use that extension to flush up the jig without having to go by feel. It makes it more readily repeatable.
I got very lucky and got my dowel max complete set in box with all accessories for 20 bucks at a garage sale. Second best score I've ever found. Don't use it often but love it when I use it.
Dowelmax has 1/2” & 5/16” options in addition to 3/8 & 1/4 which I have plus 45 degree bracket. They also have metric sizes. The 3/8 set comes with a 9.6mm drill for perfect clearance for quality 3/8 dowels. The 1/4” set also uses a slightly larger metric drill. The Dowelmax is a work of art & extremely accurate. Especially handy for large assemblies.
I have the Jessem and love it! I actually like not having the built-in clamp once I figured out how to best use the jig. I first position the jig with a spring clamp, which takes only a second to do. Then I add the face clamp, which secures it. Once you get used to doing it this way, I think it's actually faster than turning the thumbscrews.
But here's where the Jessem really shines. When doing production work, I build a jig that uses toggle clamps that hold both the workpiece and the Jessem in place with one quick motion. I did this when I had to build a bunch of frames for glass shelves on a big cabinet build. It ended up being a slick operation.
Oh, one other thing I've used the Jessem for - the jig is machined perfectly square. So, in a pinch, I've used it to square up my table saw blade when it was the closest accurate thing at hand, lol.
I like the dowel max for the clamping mechanism. It seems more precise. Thanks for your great video!
I have them both. I bought the JessEm first and it's a nice jig, but after seeing the DowelMax, it just seemed like a much easier to use jig. So I bought the DowelMax and I was right. It is easier and I have used it several times with great results. My vote goes to the DowelMax for being the better of the two.
I haven't bought a jig yet but was leaning towards DowelMax. I've seen jigs on Amazon that look identical at a fraction of the price. What are your thoughts? Have you tried any of these?
@@dougmeredith1640 The only other dowel jigs I've tried were the Milescraft Jointmate and the PowerTec jigs. These were the cheapest of the cheap and you definitely get what you pay for (they sit in a drawer somewhere waiting for me to get rid of them). I don't know of any jigs on Amazon that are identical to the DowelMax and I have not used any others than the JessEm and the two I mentioned here. The DowelMax is still my top recommended dowel jig.
The Dowelmax is worth the price. It is very well machined.
For T-joints, one of the differences is the way you layout the joint. With the Jessem, you lay out the centerline of where the two pieces intersect. Then, you use the centerline on the jig for alignment. The Dowelmax is different. You layout the top or bottom edge of the cross piece. Then, you align the edge of the DowelMax to the line. Generally, I don't layout face frames and such based on the centerline of the crossmembers. I lay them out based on where I want the top or bottom edge of the crossmember to fall -- at the top of a shelf, for example. I do this because my stiles and rails may not be EXACTLY the width called for in the plans and generally, what's important is where the top or bottom edge rail intersects with the stile -- not where the centerline of the rail might be.
So, the DowelMax fits better with the way work. YMMV.
I've been using the Dowel Max for a while now, and I have to say I'm completely impressed with the ease and quality of it. I've never had any issues. As a matter of fact, I used to avoid miter joints at all costs until I started using the Dowel Max not anymore.
I picked up the Jessem earlier this week because Woodcraft has it on sale. If you only need the 3/8 then its a heck of a deal. Glad i made the right choice.
Anyone tried the new dowel jig workstation from Jessem ? Looks like a good addition for the dowel jig.
Love my DowelMax. It was a hard decision to drop that kind of money, but I do not regret it. Every panel glue up is perfect! The machining quality is top notch.
Literally was about to go on a hunt for the best dowel jig lmao this is incredible timing. thanks for the quality content as always, Matt!
Oh oh h hi I hbbibbi i
Get the dowelmax. That integrated clamping system is a game changer.
@@rw7532 my thoughts exactly. I'm glad to have the reassurance because I just bought it haha don't tell the mrs
@@rw7532 Yep. 🙂
Love the Dowelmax. You can use the pin on one end hole as a stop against the stock edge instead of feeling the edge. You potentially lose a hole, but it is a bit more reliable for centering. Overall, once you figure out the basics, the Dowelmax is easy and, more importantly, reliable. It also comes with a 45-degree plate and other accessories. But the best feature is the integrated clamp, which avoids many errors.
Yup. I made a 14' 3 sided faux beam to cover an LVL beam from 3/4" maple veneered plywood. It took a long time to lay out the dowel holes. However it fit together perfectly with no gaps along the mitered edges. And once glued it was super strong. No deflection at the joints and once scribed fit perfectly to the ceiling and walls.
I love the dowel max, I have two extra plates for tee joints and mitre joints, I also bought the drill depth guide
Been using dowelmax for a couple of years now. Best tool ever. The only thing it needs is dust collection. I didn't like the clamping method of the jessen type tools. Had that type in the past, the integrated clamp is worth the extra $ and I have never felt the need to use more than or less than 3/8" dowel. Sometimes i just make 2 rows.
I don’t have the Dowelmax yet, but the clamping mechanism is attractive. My dowel mistakes are frequently misalignment due to jig slips.
6:04
I own the Jessem jig, and the one thing I love about it is the ability to clamp the jig to a a surface and quickly swap pieces in and out. I built multiple pieces of furniture with the jig and it's great. I still dream of the Domino for speed and convenience, but the I can't complain about the Jessem. Also, doing through dowels on the Jessem is so easy and fast!!!
I normally clamp my Jessem into my vice when using it.
The dowel joint are MUCH stronger than Domino joints. I own both and hardly use the domino anymore.
Armor makes several self setting clamps that do not need adjusting to set the width of the clamp. All you do is initially dial in how much pressure you want and it does the rest. Makes working with the Jessem so much easier.
I took a quick peek at their website and nothing jumped out at me, do you have a link?
Brother I have been watching your channel for a long time and you’re great. Love your videos. I’m not loving how many ads you have now. I had to stop the video because I just can’t watch another ad.
Interesting video. I don't do much wood working anymore but have done my share of joinery work for sure. I have watched many of your reviews and respect your opinion of the two products, but from what I saw the DowelMax looked like the clear winner overall. Sure the JesseM might offer a tad more versatility and a few more options that come with the base model and for less money too, but the DowelMax seemed to be much easier to use and a better made/machined tool overall - which probably accounts a lot for the price. Plus it has the integrated clamping system, which IMO is a huge advantage and well worth the additional cost.
You could even see in this video it made the system so much easier to use - and that is with an experienced hand doing the work too. I can only imagine how a beginner could benefit more from the ease of using the DowelMax over the JessM. I have also seen many YT videos of each tool being used and people who use the DowelMax seem to really like it. But hey what do I know - I have never used either one. But based on what I have seen and even in this video, I would buy the DowelMax hands down over the JessM. Mainly due to the clamping system and the build quality. Great video either way sir !!
I have the JessEm 8370, it is the Metric version. There are four dowel sizes available: 6mm, 8mm, 10mm and 12mm. Excellent tool for the money and very well made.
I have both jigs and my go to is the dowelmax. I also feel that the dowelmax bits are a better quality. I have had the Dowelmax since 2004. I bought the Jessm because it had the 1/2” size. I didn’t realize that dowelmax offered that. Build quality seems excellent on both jigs. If someone broke into my shop and stole them, I would be buying another dowelmax for sure.
I owned the Jessem and sold it to buy the Dowelmax. The built-in clamp is a big advantage for accuracy. I also bought the angle plate, the 1/2 inch kit, and the 1/4 inch kit. The half inch kit comes with a guide block but the 1/4 inch does not (it comes with screw in guides so I bought an extra block). Dowelmax is an amazing piece of engineering effort.
Agree completely and I bought the dowelmax and the extras as well. I also bought an extra drill bit of each size so I don't need to keep setting the drill stop depth when changing from edge/end to face drilling. Amazing jig indeed.
Great info! I ordered the JessEm last week and am very excited for it to come in. Glad to hear that I couldn't have gone wrong with either option, especially since they're doing a 30% off the "standard" JessEm setup that I didn't want to miss.
I’ve had the Jessem for years and I love it. Extremely accurate and versatile.
I’ve had the Dowelmax for over 3 years and every project I used it on came out great. Nice to have options, great video
Unbelievably good timing! Been looking for a dowel jig and had narrowed my choices down to Dowelmax & JessEm. Your review was incredibly helpful in my decision-making. Thank you and love your channel!
So what did you decide on? :)
@@Mr.ukie404 JessEm, mostly because the basic version (3/8”) is all I need right now and it’s significantly cheaper ($150ish in Canada vs $250). Another consideration for me is doing t-joints with the JessEm seems a little easier. On the downside is the lack of built-in clamping. It’s a nice-to-have feature but not a deal breaker for me.
Good morning. Thanks for the in depth video. I’m new to wood working and just picked up the dowlmax jig due to your video and one other. The Jessem has gone up in price as it was more expensive for the big kit than the classic dowlmax. I got the 3/8 and 1/4 kit. They do have a half inch kit, but I don’t see needing it for a while as I will mostly be working with 3/4 and 1/2 stock. Thanks again for taking the time for this vijao.
With my little experience in dowel jigs, the internal clamp"s" of the DowelMax is what set's it apart. Thanks for your time!
I can't justify buying a Festool Domino, so I've been looking at both of these jigs recently. This video was a big help! It looks to me like the built-in clamps on the Dowelmax are it's killer feature. While I love the price of the JessEm, it seems like setup is a bit fiddly and I know that would eventually drive me crazy.
That’s exactly my situation. I went with the JessEM and I’m extremely satisfied with the purchase.
Bought the JessEM and it’s not really that fiddly; it’s ability to easily do t-joints and corners was what worked for me. The built in clamp would be handy, but I’ve used it for butt joints (tabletops/blocks; better than biscuits) and t-joints (shelves). Very happy with the jig and results.
The built-in clamps on the dowelmax make it the winner for me. All of the indexing features on both jigs will work accurately, even if they have a different process to achieve it, but the convenience and accuracy of the jig having a built-in dedicated clamping solution makes it a superior product in my opinion.
I like the messages on your T Shirts. May the Lord bless you for sharing your faith. I always get something useful from your content. How would your compare the Milescraft Joint Master Jig to DowelMax and Jessem?
Great video Matt. I'd love to see you test the Grizzly Doweling jointer out. It can be had right now for $100 so if it works, that seems like a heck of deal.
Wish i had the $250 CAD (i live in Canada) for the Jessem dowelling kit, but after the bankruptcy i have to be a little frugal. LOL I use the biscuit joiner or the pocket hole when i can but would prefer to use the dowel because it appears stronger and it's hidden unlike the pocket hole. I like my work to look neat and clean. When i go to sell my work i want my customers to see neat and tidy work. My grandfather told me along time ago "When doing work for somebody, make it like you were making it for yourself".
I’ve had the dowel max for a couple of years and it’s a pleasure to work with.
I have the Jessem and so far it's worked well for me. It was a toss up between the two and Jessem won on value since it included 3 sizes for dowels. It was a bit awkward at first for clamping but after using it a few times it's a piece of cake now.
I love my dowelmax jig. You can also get a 5/16” dowel accessory setup for the dowelmax which is the size I use the most working with 3/4” stock. The only caution I would give for the jig is that the machining is so precise you need to constantly check the tightness of all the knurled nuts.
you should do a video comparing this method to using the micro jig lock miter bit and give your thoughts on which is better, when its nicer to use one vs the other and limitations of the lock miter bit compared to a dowel jig for miter ends.
Great comparison! Now I'm even happier that I bought the Dowelmax. Clear winner to me. Just the clamping feature alone makes it superior (again, to me). The Dowelmax can fit over and clamp against a 4x4. That's quite big enough and can be taken apart and clamped on bigger items if needed. You also don't have to use the pin. You can draw a line (like you did for the Jessem) and use your check marks on the line and treat it like an end piece. The check marks make them line up exactly. Like you say though, both are awesome!
These jigs look great for end miters, but I have 16 inch mitered stiles for a blanket box. I would like to put in 3 or 4 dowels along the length of the stiles for alignment and a little more strength. What would you suggest? Thank you, I'm stumped. Just a garage hack!
I didn't know about the JessEm and I appreciate this comparison. I am leaning Dowelmax in large part because of clamp simplicity. I have an arthritic condition that affects several joints including my hands and it is nice to be able to just clamp something and have it in place without having to think about if my grip is going to randomly give.
These both seem like fantastic options.
I love my Dowelmax. The simplicity and accuracy are fantastic.
I own the jessem for the reason of simplicity and versatility, the dowel max is very nice jig but it comes at higher price tag , the second reason jessem includes all 3 sizes as you mentioned and they can be replaced , the third reason is I didn't want to fiddle with the spacers as I Carry my jig in the field and it's easy for me to loose the spacers , definitely both are good but I found jessem more easy to use even without clamp FYI Amazon sells Chinese version of jessem plus with more options to drill cam lock holes as well , at the time when I got the jessem they discontinued the paralign system which I think was the best , but overall both are good , thank you for the in depth review always learn something 👍
Great meeting you at VidSummit this year. I told you my wife is gonna kill me if I keep watching this channel. I just bought the Jessem jig. I making some floating shelves and a countertop right now, so it'll come in super handy.
I have the JessEM and it’s amazing. It’s built like a tank and I love that I can clamp it to larger pieces.
I use a wood owl 3/8 auger but with the dowelmax and it makes it so much faster and easier. Great jig becomes a little better since it drills through like butter.
I love the dowelmax! Because the spacing rod takes out my errors of vision to the drawn lines.
I just put together a 2" thick cedar table top. I did 2 rows of 3/8" dowels, by using the thicker spacer, and kept the same distance on the spacer rod. It went together very well!! Unlike my previous experience with lining up the jig with a pencil line. It doesn't take much offset to be a problem getting boards clamped together.
dowel max internal clamps---all the diff in the world---20 yrs using the dowel max and i have zero,zip,nada problems ever jessem makes great tools and i would have had NO problems with their jig----both companies are great innovators!!! rick
Thanks Matt, good and helpful review.
Can the Jessem kit also do 45-degree miter doweling like the Dowelmax?
I used the Dowelmax to make several 5 ft. long branches for a gym. They were made from 3/4 ply with full back and shelf the full length with a center divider. I used 69 dowel and no screws or nail. Everything lined up perfectly. That was 4 years ago and there are no cracks or loose joints anywhere.. The customer is well pleas as am I.
I have to 7 feet x 12 inch x 18 mm long pieces of plywood. I can use cam joints to do a edge joint of two pieces to make it 14 feet long?
This is an excellent and relevant video. Your scoring is a bit subjective like Ms. Olson was in my 10th grade history. I give the DowelMax 23 points for having a built in clamp and an additional accessory for box miters.
Thanks for the review! I've been trying to decide between the two for awhile now, and you just confirmed the one I was leaning towards. Just ordered the Jessem for $189 on Amz, which seems like a decent price.
Does the dowelmax also work for miter joints if the two angles are different rather than both being 45 degrees?
I really appreciate all the demonstration comparisons in this vid. Thanks Matt!
Glad it was helpful!
Should i buy the Dowelmax/Jessem Doweling Jig or a pocket hole jig like the Massca M2 first? I only have enough money for one or the other right now unfortunately. Also, i plan on getting a Barrel Grip jigsaw, but not sure if i should go with the Milwaukee M18 or something else like the Flex or DeWALT or corded perhaps? Figured you might know which one i should go with.
i had no idea the jessem set even existed but wow, it looks perfect!
I went with the dowelmax and have zero regrets. Like you said, both are excellent jigs, but the dowelmax has the features and ease of use I prefer. The built in clamping is really what sold me on the dowelmax. Buying today, I'd still go for the dowelmax. Once you get used to checkmark system, setting up and drilling joints is virtually second nature. It's an amazingly designed, well built jig.
A small correction; dowelmax is a canadian company, but they switched manufacturing to china some years back. It's still made to very high standards and tolerances however.
edit to add: There's another dowelmax called the dowelmax junior; it's cheaper ($115) and works similarly to the jessem in that it doesn't include a clamping mechanism, so you'll need to use your own clamps with it. It can be upgraded to the full dowelmax as well. Worth it if someone wants to dip their toes in premium doweling jigs.
Where is your proof the dowelmax is manufactured out of China? There is however a knockoff version made in China. The dowelmax is made in Canada by OMS Tool Co. & unless you have concrete proof otherwise you are slandering a company's product. Not cool..
@@AlexB-cn2lo Direct from Jim, the owner of the company; when I went to buy my dowelmax in 2021 I emailed first to confirm what I saw on some woodworking forums about country of origin. Jim explained that they were made in Vancouver for about 15 years, then they either had to switch manufacturing overseas or go under. He ended the email saying "try it, you won't be disappointed". So I did. And now I have a couple of dowelmaxes for my most frequently used setups. So even though it's made overseas now, it's still amazingly well-crafted and accurate.
If you still don't believe me, fine; email the company yourself to be sure.
Here's a question and maybe a demo video opportunity for you...
can you use that with the 45 degree accessory to do miters the long way? Such as doing a faux beam, a "waterfall" miter, or dresser carcass? I see it done with dominoes or biscuits, just have to cut/drill shallower?
I appreciate the video but I think you should have used properly jointed and straight and flat material for the demos. Small inaccuracies are much easier to see on milled material and would be much easier to judge how well a jig works and if it's working properly
I'm still using my ancient Stanley #59.. It's still very accurate though slightly limited for certain operations, but you really can't beat the price of around $20 on ebay and you need to understand the old drill bit conventions of 50 or so years ago..
Cool video, very comprehensive! Were there any add-ons for the Jess-em. Seems that while more expensive, the DowelMax offers greater versatility, could that not be worthy of an extra fist bump? Note, I own neither product, so I have no dog (or fleas) in this fight.
That is the same conclusion I ended up with. Bought Dowelmax and ended doing waterfall miter which can't be done with Jessem.
@@meperson That is main reason I went with the DowelMax.
You should make a montage of everytime the Jessem jig slipped out of your hand. Lol. The added weight and lack of built in clamps make it very tricky to clamp down. It drives me nuts that the clamping plate has a radius in the inside corner too. A good jig though overall.
I have both and as you pointed out, there are pluses and minuses to both. Still for less than $500 I can dowel anything together without spending a arm and a leg for a power tool. I use dowels alot. Next I am going to get a pantorouter for intergal mortise and tenon joints. But, that is some serious money. that sometimes is required.
Could you tell me would either of these be suitable for making 45 degrees mitres on 48mm timber
I have the Jessem and love it. I didn't buy the master kit. I bought the ⅜ kit on sale for $99 at Woodcraft and buying the expansion kits (¼ inch and ½ inch) are not terribly expensive.
Never had a problem with the Jessem dowel jig not seating properly in the grooves. It's super easy to to tell if it's not even.
User error is the king of mistakes LOL! It's not hard to use at all.
Informative video, Matt.👍🏽
I went with the Dowelmax primarily for the clamping feature. I’ll spend the money to easily and quickly clamp my workpieces on jigs and workbench.
I have to say that when it comes to dowel jigs the self centering jigs are better. They are easier to use. I have been using a craftsman version of the dowelmax since I was in high school. I have only the 3/8 size anymore but when I need to get a new one I will get a dowelmax, especially sence they now make the jig in 1/4 thru 1/2.
What clamp do you recommend to use with the Jessem jig?
I was just asking myself yesterday which one I should buy lol thanks for the video!
Well done. Excellent review and look at your editing skills go! .... this must have taken a while to put together. (especially since you've grown by 40k subscribers since filming! Awesomeness!!)
Great video Matt been looking at these two Dowling jigs and trying to pick one
Great video. I like the look of both but from this video the Dowelmax looks a bit better even if you have to pay more and with the added cost of some of the accessories.
which one is better to build cabinet boxes
I have had the Jessem jig for 5ish years and have almost no criticisms for it. The clamp feature would be nice from time to time but i still don't regret my choice. I do prefer the adjustability of the detents on the Jessem instead of spacer blocks, but am sure I could be just as happy with the Dowelmax.
I own the DowelMax and would not trade for anything that I have seen that could replace it. The price of the Jessem goes up if you count the clamp price to hold it in place. I know that we all have clamps, but it is still something needed in order to use the Jessem.. I see the need for a 1/4 inch dowel, but the need for the 1/2 dowel to me is a waste...All the extra size dowels is a waste of money as I see no need for 1/2 inch dowels in my future wood working..I always enjoy your comparisons of tools so please keep doing them...God Bless
Just built two custom bunk beds for a customer in Whistler made of 1 3/4” maple frames with 1/2” dowels using the Jessum dowel jig. Exceptional results! John Jensen from British Columbia
Great review. Thank you. Dowel joints are sadly underrated. I have both Domino jointers and I still use dolls often. I don’t have either of the jigs you reviewed
I originally purchased the JessEm. Used it for one face frame project, and just found it awkward to hold the work piece, set the tool, and set the clamp, and drill. I can get annoying to repeatedly remove a quick-clamp reposition and re-clamp . . . especially when you have your work piece clamped into a bench and you are struggling to find a position for the quick-clamp on the JessEm jig. Getting the alignment to stay in place while you clamp, depending on the size of your piece, can be challenging too. I think the DowelMax shines with the built in clamping system. As far as the weight is concerned, the JessEm is made from powder-coated steel. It is not all aluminum, like the DowelMax. With regard to the alignment slot on the JessEm, it is ok if you are using 3/8" dowels, but clearly has no utility with 1/4 and 1/2"... as the slot is either too big or too small for correct alignment. The CL mark on the back of the JessEm required that you take your marking line all the way from the edge of your board, where the dowel will be inserted, and make the mark 4-5" away, creating the potential for error. If you are even slightly off perpendicular with the mark at that distance, that is translated to hole that will not align.
Man this video made it difficult to choose! Both excellent tools especially the dowel max having the built in clamps. I did however watch the jessem video put out by the company and noted a very slick pro on the jessem. You can keep the jig clamped and slide/lock the drill holes to multiple locations for 2,3,4 rows or more if you like. The dowelmax you need to remove and add spacers. For my application I like the jessem option
That is a 'very' good point. I'm trying to replace Mortice/Tendons for speed.
How does the Grizzly's Dual-Spindle Doweling Joiner compare?
I think that the clamp in the dowelmax is a little more useful, but I don't have any of them, so is just an speculation. I wrote dowelmax a few days ago asking if they had a pro/extended/ultra version with more accessories, given that they already have the junior and classic, perhaps another with all (or more) things included would be great (they don't have it).
Thanks for the video, very informative!
I just did a quick price-out, and the dowelmax classic, 1/2" drill guide package and 1/4" drill guide package that includes the extra drill block comes to $399, no tax and free shipping. Personally, I'd get an extra drill bit of each size as well so there's less depth adjustments needed when switching from edge/end drilling to face drilling.
Is there an affordable alternative for the hobbyist? I cant justify 200 bucks for doweling jig when i still have no table saw. Lol but my pic frames and miters would be so much better with a dowel jig of some kind
Thanks for the review. I bought the Jessem because bang for your buck like you pointed out. I have only one issue with the Jessem. Mine must have the centerline slightly offset. When using that feature , my side to side is a couple millimeters off, which is frustrating. using all the other ways everything lines up perfectly. Once I figured that out I can adjust for it, but I shouldn’t have to. other than that the Jessem is a quality product. I should’ve exchanged it, but i bought then got side tracked and didn’t use it right away. then it was too late to exchange it.
Still might be worth talking to the company. If you can show the issue in photos they might replace it since it's obviously a manufacturing issue.
You can get a 1/2 drill guides for the the dowel max.
So what do you think of Grizzly Industrial Dual Spindle Corded Doweling Joiner?
I haven't used that one yet.
Anybody know what the 4 holes in the corners of the jessem body are for? I looked through the manual but it makes no mention of what theyre for?
저 또한 매우 궁금하네요.
저 구멍의 용도를 아직도 알수가 없습니다.
단순히 거치용일까요?
@@All-uh8gq I thought maybe they were there to insert some pins so that you can reference off the edge of a board
Could the indexing rod from the DowelMax work on the Jessem? Thanks.
Hi uncle Matt I can't find the DowelMax at Amazon. Where I can buy it?
Can you review the new Jessem doweling jig?
Is one better than the other for beginners (me)? If you can do something backwards than I will do that at least once. I did get the Massca pocket hole jug at your recommendation and it is awesome.
In comparison for offering the same functionalities, I think the Jessem jig is the better deal.
For 250 bucks, you get 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 inch dowel size. It can easily setup for butt joint. Miter joints are more or less same as butt joint if you think really.
Only downside is that the Jessem isn't streamlined for doing face joints on a board, it's still doable though with some efforts.
And this is exactly the advantage with the Dowelmax jig. You get adjustable offsetting kits for doing face joints.
However, if you add the 1/2 and 1/4 inch dowel size bushing kits with the dowelmax to make it "on-per" with the Jessem,, it becomes a 400 dollar kit.
So in my opinion, the Jessem is the kit to go with for advanced DIYers since you can do everything for 250 bucks that the dowelmax offers you for 400.
I think the better jig is the one you can actually get in hand. Purchased the jessem jig in February and now it's going to be April in two days and still don't have it. Sent an email and received an auto reply that their email replies are 3 days behind. Sounds like they have enough business and don't need mine. Had they noted back ordered on the jig when I purchased them this wouldn't be an issue as I would have bought a different jig somewhere else. I do not do business with anyone that just assumes it's ok to not ship me my purchase for over a month with no need to mention the delay ahead of time. This has caused my project to be put on hold and it's pisses me off!! I was going to get a Jessem router table lift setup next but no thanks. No communication, too busy and they don't need my business regardless how good their products are.
I blame TH-camrs for constantly pushing Jessem in every jig or tool without mentioning we can't actually get the product in a reasonable time. An over seas knockoff is a better tool Everytime if that tool is on my workbench and the original is stuck in manufacturing
I was about to buy the Jessem until I saw your comment this morning. I just ordered the Dowelmax.
I’ve been using a Self-Centering Doweling Jig for years, like sold by Rockler and Woodcraft it works stupid simple and accurate and at $70 ($90 for large capacity), no brainer at less than half the price. Simpler to use, super accurate but some limitations. Some of the Chinese knockoffs might be ok???
Try this one
I have a self-centering but bought a dowel max. As long as _all_ you need is self centering, others are fine. But you can't do a 90' board into a board with a self centering.
I would love to see more videos of you using the obviously superior (because it’s the one I have) Dawelmax.
Big fan of the Jessem. Haven’t used the dowelmax to be fair so can’t compare them but I know the Jessem is awesome.
Have you ever tried the Woodpecker dowel jig? Would be nice to get your perspective on that one.
I haven't tried that one yet