Well done - clear, concise, and without an agenda. I get really tired of the "forget what you know", "weird trick", or "the only way to do this" videos. The key to good woodworking is to understand the different options, choose appropriately, have the proper tools, and use the tools and materials correctly.
Your comment, "Where the enjoyment of the process and the craftmanship are just as important as the final piece itself", really hit home. I'm retired, I can take all the time I want and really appreciate an air-tight joint at every corner. My friends seem confused at my thousands of $$$ of tools in the shop, but they find me calmly hand sawing, chiseling, planing, etc. Thanks for verifying my obsession. I subscribed to see more of your clear, common sense approach to woodworking.
Yes a 10 point finished saw is a joy to use when it's razor sharp like the old Disston or Sandvik and of course Nicholson there all good handsaws which I don't believe you can buy new anymore I sharpened and set my own and have been using them for years of course I still use modern tools but I enjoy using old school more so 75 and retired still working in my shop though well enough of my rambling on you all have a Goodyear
Yep. I wanted a new dovetail saw. My old gents saw was always too small. I looked for a long time. I finally found Florip ToolWorks. He hand-builds saws in Michigan. Great saw. I ordered mine with a beautiful cherry handle. Long waiting time, however. Thx. @@kd9856
"Take the pleasure in the making of, rather than the having." Retired life-long cabinetmaker/furniture maker/yacht joiner here. I'm 6 years into building our last house with my wife.
This is an exceptional video for me. Working part time at Rockler I've needed a better ways to explain joinery and this video is so insightful. Delivery, clarity and comprehensiveness are excellent.
Great video. This is the most comprehensive outline of the types of modern joinery and pros and cons of each that i think could possibly be explained in such a short video. Packed with info, but still paced well & thorough. Great work.
I built a Fish Tank stand with pocket holes 9 years ago. Still standing. Although the construction grade wood has warped a little. I watched one of those "joint strength videos" and then made sure there was enough strength in the joints well passed the weight that was going to be applied.
Fish tanks are actually pretty easy since all the weight is transferred straight down at the corners. You just need enough lateral strength to resist racking. I also made a stand for a 190 gallon aquarium and also used pocket hole screws in places. I also used red oak and glue in other places!
Thank you for your video. I really enjoy your style of delivery and your explanations of things. I’ve enjoyed all of them and really miss the days 20 years ago of building stuff in my shop. From rough stock to finished furniture, I just don’t have time anymore. It’s always fun to enjoy something vicariously, have a blessed 2024.
Good video. You mentioned that dowels have been used for a very long time. Mortise and loose tenon joinery was used back in ancient Egypt. Multiple purposes including aligning/joining the tops and bottoms of wooden coffins. Dominos and other tooling makes it far faster and makes precision easy, but the joint itself is ancient.
This is a great video explaining some the basic joinery and some of the tools to use in modern woodworking. At 10:35 you have gotten to ( IMHO ) the best part, AND NOW YOU GET TO THE PART OF THE VIDEO WHERE YOU DISCUSS REAL WOODWORKING! I retired in June of 2023, after being trained and employed at an architectural woodworking company since November of 1973. The pride of creating a work of beauty using minimal power tools, along with the skill of using minimal hand tools, while creating something that will out live the person creating it, is what I strived for my whole working life. Joinery as you discussed, like mortice and tenons, dados, blind dados, half laps, rabbit, dovetailing, splines, lock miters and tongue and grooves may take a bit of time to execute properly. But when you get it right, you know it and you can own it! That pride far outweighs the speed and sterilization of current modern woodworking. Woodworking that is relying on expensive tools, that may in fact, not be able to duplicate the look and quality from the old days. Modern woodworking might be a good place to start for those with money to burn on tools, and no time spare. But the pride of the craftsmanship is not the same, and maybe totally lacking. But once you master using a sharp hand plane along with a sharp chisel with a wooden mallet, time takes a backseat to your pride that grows with each project you complete! Remember that I am retired and have lots of time to throw at my own projects. I also know what I like, and I know how to get there. Again this is a great teaching video. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
I’ve watched some New Yankees workshop episodes recently and Norm used pocket holes. It’s interesting how they get such a bad rap. Pocket holes is how I got started in joinery. I personally hate using them now. BUT… it’s not because of the typical issues. Of course…I don’t like how your joint can wander as you screw them in. But for me, it’s about how the pocket hole is made. I have broken both my wrists at different times in my life and I just have weak wrists. If I have very many pocket holes the drilling of the holes starts to become painful in my wrists. I tried the dowel thing. But I now believe I got a cheap one that wasn’t worth the money. It was just as hard to use on my wrists and since it was cheap… getting accurate alignment wasn’t easy. But now I have a domino. I can’t imagine trying anything else after using it. I absolutely love it. I have thought that if I were to do pocket holes… it would be the one you use by castle. Or the Kreg foreman. But probably the Castle. THanks for sharing this video. Lots of good info.
What a refreshingly simple video!! Wish I had seen something like this 20 years ago :D My 2c for beginners: Given enough leverage, even solid welded metal joints will break. Trees, buildings, bridges do fall down. Its just physics. Invest sufficient time on your design. The shape of your furniture, the material used and overall fit&finish will dictate its overall strength & durability. The "type" of joint used is insignificant, Provided everything is put together properly with basic precautions. (Glue Joints between uneven surfaces/With air gaps will almost certainly fail. Long tables without a supported middle will tend to sag.) Each load-bearing piece of wood must be attached at 2 points bare minimum, 3 for optimal strength. Use triangular shapes or brace the corners using 45 degree wood offcuts/store bought metal brackets. For example, Cantilevered legs affixed only to the table top are weaker compared to legs with a simple stretcher across. This is true regardless of the type of fastener/glue/joint used in either case. For maximum speed, Use wood glue + brads with the above method. If you dont own an air compressor or avoid using brads (Kids!!), Use Glue + Screws along with a portable drill. If you work alone, use epoxy adhesive to avoid glue-ing anxiety. (No clamps required in either method) A ridiculous number of channels use Glue and Brads and Clamps and Screws. This is redundant, wasteful and utterly pointless. Where disassembly may be required, Use only fasteners without glue. (Drywall screws, Chipboard screws, D-Nuts, Furniture bolts, etc. Again, no clamping required) If you are making good looking traditional furniture, By all means invest in a hundred clamps, Cut some nice tenons, use lots of glue, Put a drawbore through, etc etc. Remember, This is where the journey matters as much as the destination. Above all, Screw the rules & have fun building stuff!!
I've had woodworkers to tell me that some joinery methods are just wrong and should not be used, such as biscuits. I find that the skill level of a woodworker and the project together may well dictate the methods used and this presentation opens up a nice list of options for us to try. Some of these I'd not heard of before seeing this video, and I think I know places where I'd be able to use them. Thanks for this well done explanation of joinery methods!
Nice, balanced discussion. I recently saw a presentation showing that for a number of typical wood species, tapping a given machine thread (e.g. 10-32) provides more pull-out resistance than threaded inserts for the same size screw. There was also a wear test: even after 10's of dis+reassemble cycles the tapped holes did extremely well. I admit this took me by surprise, but, in retrospect, does make some sense. Nice because - as you mentioned - the inserts aren't free. A single tap is less expensive than inserts for even one project in many cases. One other factor you didn't get into except for the super-expensive pocket joiner: the difficulty of precisely aligning joints during assembly varies wildly among the different methods.
I use all the joints that mentioned, i love making my own tenons for the domino and exposing them usually with a darker or lighter wood to accentuate the joint. I'm a tool junky and have been since was i was 12 years old, i recently splurged for a Lamello Zeta P2 (crazy expensive) which is a tool that most woodworkers don't need, but again, im addicted! It works like a plate jointer, but uses special connectors that i have used with and without glue depending on the application. Great video, thanks for sharing!
Great video, I have a 'clamp on' pocket hole jig, but can also use this jig for dowels when using the correct bit. I can see this setup holding up to furniture type assembly in most cases. Thanks for the video!
Use the galvanized pipes. Its better. However, its the metal and water in the glue that makes a stain. Just like a putty knife and water based putty. Best way is to keep pipe away from glue by using spacers or use tape where the glue is.
And don’t over-tighten. You dont want to starve the joint by squeezing out all of the glue, or bowing the board with too much clamp pressure. Additionally, it’s always a good practice to alternate the clamps (top and underside) if at all possible.
Not enough adjectives: great, brilliant, concise…Thank you for the best joinery video I’ve seen. You covered all the types of joints and their uses, and their costs. THANK YOU! You have demystified joinery. Now I have to decide to pony up for a domino machine or learn to make mortises and tenons. I’m working on lap- and half-lap joints now.
If you're making traditional tenons, you gotta try a drawbore tenon and skip the glue. There's something extra satisfying about knowing you could take the whole thing apart again if you had to. The guy who is refinishing it in 150 years might appreciate that.
I enjoyed your video. First time watching. Years ago I stopped using nails in my projects. Screws take longer but do a better job and I don’t have to listen to the Bang, Bang, Bang of the hammer. And I can play my classical music and enjoy it without interruption as I work. Thank you for mentioning dowels and their related cousins. For many projects I use dowels only and no screws. I subscribed.
This is reference material that anyone starting woodworking needs to know. Thank you for the clear explanation and comparison between methods. I really enjoy your channel.
Excellent video. I just saw a few of yours and am a new subscriber so thank you for the content. Like a lot of people I’m particular about my joinery. I don’t use a biscuit ever because they can be finicky and don’t provide any strength. I have a love for festool products, except one, the domino. Not that it’s a bad tool or even its price although that does factor in slightly. I just really love the dowelmax. I have yet to find something that the domino does that the dowelmax can’t. And the domino isn’t as point and shoot as you might think. There are a lot of adjustments needed for certain situations. The worst part of the dowelmax is figuring out which shim to use. Other than that it’s just line up your check marks clamp and drill. It’s not a cheap tool either especially when you add the accessories and different size dowels, but it is still cheaper than the domino, as are the dowels cheaper than the domino dowels. You can also get them more places. I really wish more content creators would include it in their videos. I like that you are including the castle pocket hole system more in your videos. That should catch on too. Good work. Keep it coming
A very good straight forward video. I used mortise and tenon construction to build a cherry wood butler's table for my wife. I used this construction for all legs and cross brace and biscuits for the table top to help align the boards. No screws were used in the final assembly which has a clean look throughout. I also use the Quarter-Quarter-Quarter System when making drawers, too.
Good content! You brought a huge amount of information in a short time, and covered a very wide topic with good information. Keep up the great videos. Your sponsor should be happy with the results here.
Very useful video. Well done and thumbs up. I would have added one thing. When talking about using biscuits you should let people know that they are made from compressed beech, which an extremely strong wood. When used with water based glues they swell up inside the slot cut by the biscuit machine making for a very strong joint. In fact, one video did a test between dowel and biscuit joints and discovered that one biscuit is stronger than a two dowel joint in wood of the same dimensions. Your video was well thought out.
Great Video Brother.! I've been using the dowel method for a few decades, and not that 'you can't teach an ol'dog new tricks,' I simply ain't at the point of needing a Festool jointer. But they're undeniably cool should I ever get to that point, and I can roll the purchase over into the job.😎🤓🤠
Excellent video, very clear and informative. The only thing I would take issue with is that early in the video (at 2:42) you showed putting a screw into end-grain. While this is strong initially (just try pulling such a joint apart), if the joint is subject to any kind of movement, those screw threads begin nibbling away at grain that is running lengthwise between adjacent threads of the screw. I have seen many failed joints where the screws pulled out with the gaps (or gullets) between their threads jammed full of the sheared-off wood. A sharp nail, on the other hand, does not, when driven into end grain, compress a plug of wood forward as it penetrates. Rather, the wood is compressed to the sides as the point of the nail forces it aside. In sound stock this compressed wood keeps squeezing back on the shaft if the nail, ideally gripping it tightly for a long time, even if the joint is subject to movement. Anyhow, thanks or the fine (and without an axe to grind) video.
Its rare for me to appreciate a video like this one. No bullshit. Very well explained. Dont think only about your own projects but caring about what other peoples might do.
Thanks. Very informative. I actually worked in a cabinet factory years ago (1970), but not as skilled labor. I was at the end of the production line dong a quick QC, and organizing the (mostly kitchen) cabinets by by job in the warehouse. The guys in the paint booth were usually high, so I had to fix a lot of their sloppy work, which usually just meant wiping off the top coat with acetone, and reapplying a clear coat of spray polyurethane. I miss the 1970s chemicals.
Festool Domino $1000.00, My Proter Cable Biscuit cutter $50, I bought my used works flawlessly. And for me the biscuit has worked fantastic. I like them because the slot is bigger than the biscuit allowing for some easy adjustment if your cuts are not perfect.
I built a 4x6 foot box shelf for my sister-in-law, 15 years ago, using biscuits, screws and glue. Still holding up perfect, even when it was moved to a new house, 3 states away.
I built a stand to hold my ice maker, bottled water, and a 5 gallon water jug on top. I used biscuits on the side frames, and pocket screws to on the cross boards to hold them together. It's held up flawlessly for years. Still, I clicked on the video because I'm always interested in finding out more, I loved your insights.
I am a sinner. I use screws and glue, but hide them with dowel plugs. Still pretty darn strong. As long as you build it with structure in mind, you can get away with a lot of sinning. 😊
I build solid body Guitars so screws were obviously not an option when I was deciding what type of joinery to use to glue up the body blanks. I don't need a lot of strength, so just glue would work, but I wanted to avoid fighting alignment issues while clamping. The final decision was made simple when a friend/fellow woodworker offered me a Porter Cable Biscuit joiner (and a bag of 200 #20 biscuits) for $40.
I built a solid oak medicine cabinet using biscuits. Once the carcass was built I used 24 biscuits to secure the face to it, with gorilla glue. Once assembled and coated with 7 coats of exterior water-based urethane varnish (sanded between each coat). Over 10 years now and it's still solid and looking like new.
I find biscuits to be pretty strong for cabinet carcasses with plywood butt joints. Because of how wide they are they if you were to rack the box they don't tear right through the material like screws or smaller dominos. But really, a cabinet gets its strength in that direction from the back and the face frame. Pocket holes for carcass joinery are really a waste - the only time I'd do this is if there was an exposed side on a lower cabinet not being covered by a panel, which is to say almost never in a run of cabinets. Great for face frames of course which is their only real use case for me other than relatively quick and inexpensive trim joinery, like flush wainscoting or something.
@MWAWoodworks to clarify a bit, if I care how the side looks that's what end panels are for, but I see people building entire banks of cabinets with pocket holes, spending time drilling holes and clamping parts together when all you really need to do is tack pieces together with some staples and countersink screws from the outside. If alignment is a concern you can't beat biscuits unless you like spending more money and time using dominos. And that's not me being a festool hater, it's just a slower tool and the tenons are expensive. I own a domino and and a couple of their vacuums. Great tools for when strength is paramount in a furniture piece or something or parts are too narrow for biscuits.
I agree. Biscuits are frequently criticized based on strength tests using biscuits in the worst possible application - rocking loads on a single row of biscuits
This is a very informative video on a topic that has a lot of things to talk about. You made a comment early on when talking about pockethole joinery that there's a time and place for it. Well, that can be said for every type of joinery you mentioned in the video. As with many other aspects of woodworking (or many other crafts), the trick is knowing when and where to apply the proper technique. That would be a great follow-up to a video like this.
I’m trying to marry two one by six boards on edge ( two boards corners on edge 90 degrees ) to build a frame for a dog ramp but need the best option for the best support and longer life, what should I use ?
I got myself a cheap bisquit joiner ($70) several years ago. Works really well, but needs a bit of planning for the assembly to work, if you are messing with odd angles.
Man, this video made my day! I appreciate the clear and concise info but especially loved the hilarious and perfectly appropriate film and prop (Capt. America!) inserts. Nicely done, sir!
Very informative. I learned a great deal from this video, but as a hobby woodworker in a small garage shop, I'm only making small stuff now & don't usually need the strength some joints have however, I'm still going to use them just because it's a bit of a challenge for me.
Nice overview. The thing I like about pocket holes is that the entry price can be quite low. For instance the Kreg Tools Mini Jig runs about 18 or 19 bucks, add a box of screws and you’re off and running. Are pocket hole for everything, of course not, but they are a useful tool to have in your arsenal.
Very well done sir, I’d only add vis a vis the traditional joints that they needn’t be cut by hand, I get very good results from a dovetail jig and a router, one of those things that makes me look like a much better woodworker than I really am. With the right jig all things are possible!
Beefier F clamps are available. I have some that are 36” and they are plenty rugged. Bora 50” parallel clamps are available for about $100 for 2. Bessey 50” parallel clamps are about $62.
Thanks for this video. Who cares what the haters say, the fact is there are many ways to join wood together securely and you did a nice job of explaining them from beginner to pro.
This is a good video, very well presented! I actually followed it all, learned a bit, and will be making better decisions about doing my joining in the future! New subscriber is born!!!
Somewhere on TH-cam is a video by Matthias Wandel where he uses a standard dowel jig on the face of a board by simply clamping it to what is basically a T-square and clamping THAT in place.
Nice to see that I'm not the only one who has forgotten to match the collar depth setting on my Kreg pocket hole jig and punched the bit through the base a couple times.
I'd also add that pocket holes work well on particle board and MDF because the screws are being driven at an angle and not into the end grains. These days I like to use biscuits in place of mortise & tenons or dowels as I've had dowels come loose over time especially if it's something that might move (like a table leg). And nothing against traditional mortise & tenons, but biscuits just make the job quick, easy and it's not going anywhere either. Its just the initial outlay for the tool.
Well presented. One point though. If you allow the first application of glue to soak into end grain wait about twenty minutes and then re apply glue before clamping, a end to long grain or end to end grain joint is usefully strong. But of course only if you have time to spare.
I just recently got a biscuit joiner, and with the little bit of experience I have with it, I have come to the following conclusions: Any strength added to a joint by a biscuit is going to be negligible for bending loads, mild for tension loads, and moderate for torsion or shear loads. I personally don't intend to use them in major structural applications with the possible exception of adding them to panel glue-ups, but this for alignment rather than strength. It may be an ideal tool for reinforcing miter joints such as those in the corner of a jewelry box or base molding on a cabinet, maybe for strength I guess but also for assistance in aligning the joint during assembly. I'm also going to try attaching a face frame to a cabinet with biscuits, not to add any strength as the glue should be sufficiently strong but to aid in alignment during assembly and the glue drying process. The biscuits will replace 18 gauge brad nails, and eliminate having to patch nail holes.
For many projects I simply glue, let dry, drill a hole through both joined pieces, hammer in a glue-soaked fluted dowel, and flush cut the end off. I get perfect alignment and angles every time at the glue-up stage. No dowel guides or other fancy jigs or alignment or power tools are needed, only a hammer, drill, and wood glue (which everyone has). The speed of this method is limited by the time required for the glue to set up for each joint, I typically allow at least 30 minutes. But if I plan it out ahead, I can be working on other joints in parallel, while one is drying.
I think we were about to send out and SOS for you. Thanks for the upload. I always look forward to them. I’ve been here and will be here to see this channel continue to grow. Hope your holidays were great and your new year is off to a good start!
Great overview. Since I got my dowelmax, that's been my go-to for the vast majority of my projects. I do still like box joints a lot though; they always look amazing. If I didn't have the dowelmax, I'd have a domino for sure.
@@MWAWoodworks It and the jessem you have are really the cream of the crop when it comes to dowel jigs and you can't go wrong with either. I went for the dowelmax because of the integral clamping but would have been just as happy with the jessem I'm sure.
Is there a reason doweling joiners are hardly recommended? I usually see doweling jigs like the one you showed and the domino joiner recommended but doesn't a tool similar to a grizzly dual spindle corded doweling joiner accomplish the same as a domino albeit not as strong of a joint?
@@Chachanator I haven't done a ton of research on those, but from what I have done, the ones at the jessem/dowelmax price range are generally not very accurate or reliable. You'd have to spend a good bit more to get a half decent machine.
Where people go wrong on biscuit strength is that: 1) The plethora of methods with hardware you showed, like pocket holes, are all going to be stronger (well usually) with biscuits. So if you gave a pass on all that stuff, you have to do so with biscuits. I have bookcases and cabinets, and cabinet doors that are 40 years old and none show any problems (unlike similar age dowels that come apart so much they feature in furniture repair videos). The only project that ever failed was a pair of Krenov style sawhorse (like a track hurdle). It was built on a "I dare you to hold together" basis. I eventually broke the pair of them. But one thing is that they were really easy to repair with boat epoxy and will probably outlive me. 2) People seem to forget that altogether, with extra glue and machining, you can add a second biscuit in about one minute. And it is almost impossible to mess up the easy machining. Two biscuits really are strong. 3) There are a lot of situations where you can use a large biscuit in a situation that seems to call for the small, or medium. Large ones are almost all I use. The advantage of bicuits over stuff like pocket holes is that you can't see a hole. You can hide some of the holes from PHs, but certainly not all of them. Disadvantage is that you often need a ton of clamps for biscuit projects; glue will squeeze out, and in some situations, that just won't work. Glue-up can be scary, as violence is sometimes required to close all the joints, yet while they grab, as mentioned they still need clamps.
All joints are featured in furniture repair videos, there's no exceptions! All joints break down over time, furniture is just either designed to be repairable or replaceable. Like old shaker furniture was made to be repairable. While Ikea furniture is made to be replaceable... Besides, there's been a ton of joint strength tests done over the years and unless you're using them as a spline, such as re-enforcing a miter joint, then biscuits basically have no strength and are only really useful for alignment during glue ups. While too close to the surface and they can cause visible issues over the years because they do expand and contract and that can cause visible issues to the surface and joint. Otherwise, you're basically relying on the glue joint for strength and not the biscuit. Dowel joints also rely on the glue for the actual strength but they can be stronger than a biscuit joint but there are stronger joints than either. A loose tenon, like a domino, would be what would actually be good for both strengthening and alignment. There's just the cost issue difference for all joinery methods, which is one of the reasons for Pocket Holes popularity because they start really low cost and can be used with just a common drill. While biscuit jointers are hit or miss until you hit the premium price range and aren't as useful as a drill for range of uses. Though, dominoes are the most expensive, with a few exceptions for other expensive joinery options. They're also one of the few that provide both alignment and strengthening benefits, along with being pretty fast and thus beneficial for production level work. There are cheaper alternatives, that are at the biscuit price range, but they're slower or require extra steps. Btw, Shaker furniture used both dowels and pocket holes (not a modern invention, actually goes back a few centuries). Typically, pocket holes were used to attach table tops with shaker furniture, for example. While dowels were often used in chairs and sometimes even for stands the legs can really be slightly tapered dowels that fit into drilled mortises in the post. Dowels can be any size and length, while there's other methods to help joints stay more stable over time. Like using a cross direction pattern to make it harder for the joint to come apart even if the glue fails. Such as when either a dowel or biscuit changes shape over time. Since they tend to swell when first glued but shrink as they dry out over time, leaving a gap. There's more than just types of joints to go by, such as splines, etc. Using biscuits as splines can be useful but you can do that with many other joinery options too...
I love this video. You always hear woodworkers who use dominoes mention that you could do the same thing with biscuits, pocket holes or dowels and they are correct. I have a video coming out soon where I use pocket holes where the woodworker who designed the plans used dominoes. And while it worked, it took a lot longer to do it that way. And I am only a hobbyist woodworker but fall into the camp of Id rather not spend the lion's share of my time on joinery such as pocket holes and dowels. That is why a domino machine is in my future, for sure. For me, it is way worth it. For me. Anyway, thanks for the video and I love the breakdown.
there is one more actually few where you use for cabinets or furniture where inside either metal, or hook metal used so it could be removed and moved to other place
Great video, but I was disappointed that I didn't see the half-lap joint mentioned in the first section. They're relatively easy to make (super easy if you have a router), and they take full advantage of the "stronger than the wood itself" property by gluing two faces instead of an edge to end grain. Disadvantages are that you need slightly longer pieces because of the overlap, and in my experience it can introduce some weakness at the edge of the lap if there's risk of it flexing perpendicular to the surface of the joint.
Wow awesome info I've never heard of pipe clamps but to be able to use them on wooden building projects is great nit ever one can afford $75 a piece parallel clamps
Excellent video. Harbor freight clamps are wonderful (for the cost). A lot of the time, quantity is over quality. As long as the joints are nice, you shouldn't need crazy amounts of clamping forces.
Excellent summary! I am wondering whether you consider Rockler's Beadlock a viable alternative to the Festool Domino? I have not used either. It looks like Beadlock requires more setup work etc... but at a much lower entry price then dominos for the weekend worker. Appears the joint would be of similar strength/quality.
Great video! Grizzly Industrial makes a doweling machine that looks like a biscuit jointer / domino jointer. It drills out 2 holes in end pieces or flat pieces. I have it & it works well after the learning curve. You can use various sizes of the drill bits depending on what size dowels you will be using. It’s a great alternative as well.
Awesome walk through all the joinery. Question: What do you think about double-biscuits? I have seen some guys offset the blade to cut high on the piece, then they flip the piece over and do it again. What you end up with are two biscuits at the same lateral location, one above the other. And, of course, the wood needs to be thick enough to support a second biscuit; usually 3/4" is good. I imagine that increases strength of the joint, but enough?
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Even had a captain jack cameo.
(let's see if anyone else caught that)
Well done - clear, concise, and without an agenda. I get really tired of the "forget what you know", "weird trick", or "the only way to do this" videos. The key to good woodworking is to understand the different options, choose appropriately, have the proper tools, and use the tools and materials correctly.
Minus all the product plugs 😅
@@BossLevelPro No plugs on those products they are all battery. Plenty of advertisements though.
Your comment, "Where the enjoyment of the process and the craftmanship are just as important as the final piece itself", really hit home. I'm retired, I can take all the time I want and really appreciate an air-tight joint at every corner. My friends seem confused at my thousands of $$$ of tools in the shop, but they find me calmly hand sawing, chiseling, planing, etc. Thanks for verifying my obsession. I subscribed to see more of your clear, common sense approach to woodworking.
Thanks for your support and the kind words as well! ❤️
Word!!!
Yes a 10 point finished saw is a joy to use when it's razor sharp like the old Disston or Sandvik and of course Nicholson there all good handsaws which I don't believe you can buy new anymore I sharpened and set my own and have been using them for years of course I still use modern tools but I enjoy using old school more so 75 and retired still working in my shop though well enough of my rambling on you all have a Goodyear
Yep. I wanted a new dovetail saw. My old gents saw was always too small. I looked for a long time. I finally found Florip ToolWorks. He hand-builds saws in Michigan. Great saw. I ordered mine with a beautiful cherry handle. Long waiting time, however. Thx. @@kd9856
"Take the pleasure in the making of, rather than the having." Retired life-long cabinetmaker/furniture maker/yacht joiner here. I'm 6 years into building our last house with my wife.
This is one of the best videos I've seen on comparing the different types of joinery. THANK YOU! You're an excellent teacher/explainer - well done!
He is. I already knew this as a pro cabinetmaker. He explained it thoroughly and in a way than anyone interested in woodworking can understand.
This is an exceptional video for me. Working part time at Rockler I've needed a better ways to explain joinery and this video is so insightful. Delivery, clarity and comprehensiveness are excellent.
Hi Larry!
KYLE! Have to show you my latest guitar build for Gloria Anderson. She is doing a show in San Antonio on February 10th.
@@KyleCoignet
Brilliant video! Very informative, glad there was no music and not too much silly stuff with video clips. Well done!
Great video. This is the most comprehensive outline of the types of modern joinery and pros and cons of each that i think could possibly be explained in such a short video. Packed with info, but still paced well & thorough. Great work.
I built a Fish Tank stand with pocket holes 9 years ago. Still standing. Although the construction grade wood has warped a little. I watched one of those "joint strength videos" and then made sure there was enough strength in the joints well passed the weight that was going to be applied.
Fish tanks are actually pretty easy since all the weight is transferred straight down at the corners. You just need enough lateral strength to resist racking. I also made a stand for a 190 gallon aquarium and also used pocket hole screws in places. I also used red oak and glue in other places!
Thank you for your video. I really enjoy your style of delivery and your explanations of things. I’ve enjoyed all of them and really miss the days 20 years ago of building stuff in my shop. From rough stock to finished furniture, I just don’t have time anymore. It’s always fun to enjoy something vicariously, have a blessed 2024.
Thank you Dale!
Good video.
You mentioned that dowels have been used for a very long time.
Mortise and loose tenon joinery was used back in ancient Egypt. Multiple purposes including aligning/joining the tops and bottoms of wooden coffins. Dominos and other tooling makes it far faster and makes precision easy, but the joint itself is ancient.
Truth!
This is a great video explaining some the basic joinery and some of the tools to use in modern woodworking. At 10:35 you have gotten to ( IMHO ) the best part, AND NOW YOU GET TO THE PART OF THE VIDEO WHERE YOU DISCUSS REAL WOODWORKING!
I retired in June of 2023, after being trained and employed at an architectural woodworking company since November of 1973. The pride of creating a work of beauty using minimal power tools, along with the skill of using minimal hand tools, while creating something that will out live the person creating it, is what I strived for my whole working life. Joinery as you discussed, like mortice and tenons, dados, blind dados, half laps, rabbit, dovetailing, splines, lock miters and tongue and grooves may take a bit of time to execute properly. But when you get it right, you know it and you can own it!
That pride far outweighs the speed and sterilization of current modern woodworking. Woodworking that is relying on expensive tools, that may in fact, not be able to duplicate the look and quality from the old days. Modern woodworking might be a good place to start for those with money to burn on tools, and no time spare. But the pride of the craftsmanship is not the same, and maybe totally lacking.
But once you master using a sharp hand plane along with a sharp chisel with a wooden mallet, time takes a backseat to your pride that grows with each project you complete! Remember that I am retired and have lots of time to throw at my own projects. I also know what I like, and I know how to get there.
Again this is a great teaching video. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
Don't worry once AI retires all of us we can all bond around the joys of hand made furniture!
I’ve watched some New Yankees workshop episodes recently and Norm used pocket holes. It’s interesting how they get such a bad rap. Pocket holes is how I got started in joinery. I personally hate using them now. BUT… it’s not because of the typical issues. Of course…I don’t like how your joint can wander as you screw them in. But for me, it’s about how the pocket hole is made. I have broken both my wrists at different times in my life and I just have weak wrists. If I have very many pocket holes the drilling of the holes starts to become painful in my wrists. I tried the dowel thing. But I now believe I got a cheap one that wasn’t worth the money. It was just as hard to use on my wrists and since it was cheap… getting accurate alignment wasn’t easy. But now I have a domino. I can’t imagine trying anything else after using it. I absolutely love it.
I have thought that if I were to do pocket holes… it would be the one you use by castle. Or the Kreg foreman. But probably the Castle. THanks for sharing this video. Lots of good info.
The Castle machine is a step up for pocket holes. Removes a lot of the common issues.
What a refreshingly simple video!! Wish I had seen something like this 20 years ago :D
My 2c for beginners:
Given enough leverage, even solid welded metal joints will break. Trees, buildings, bridges do fall down. Its just physics.
Invest sufficient time on your design. The shape of your furniture, the material used and overall fit&finish will dictate its overall strength & durability. The "type" of joint used is insignificant, Provided everything is put together properly with basic precautions. (Glue Joints between uneven surfaces/With air gaps will almost certainly fail. Long tables without a supported middle will tend to sag.)
Each load-bearing piece of wood must be attached at 2 points bare minimum, 3 for optimal strength. Use triangular shapes or brace the corners using 45 degree wood offcuts/store bought metal brackets.
For example, Cantilevered legs affixed only to the table top are weaker compared to legs with a simple stretcher across. This is true regardless of the type of fastener/glue/joint used in either case.
For maximum speed, Use wood glue + brads with the above method. If you dont own an air compressor or avoid using brads (Kids!!), Use Glue + Screws along with a portable drill.
If you work alone, use epoxy adhesive to avoid glue-ing anxiety. (No clamps required in either method)
A ridiculous number of channels use Glue and Brads and Clamps and Screws. This is redundant, wasteful and utterly pointless.
Where disassembly may be required, Use only fasteners without glue. (Drywall screws, Chipboard screws, D-Nuts, Furniture bolts, etc. Again, no clamping required)
If you are making good looking traditional furniture, By all means invest in a hundred clamps, Cut some nice tenons, use lots of glue, Put a drawbore through, etc etc. Remember, This is where the journey matters as much as the destination.
Above all, Screw the rules & have fun building stuff!!
As a wise man once said: "strength in arches"
I've had woodworkers to tell me that some joinery methods are just wrong and should not be used, such as biscuits. I find that the skill level of a woodworker and the project together may well dictate the methods used and this presentation opens up a nice list of options for us to try. Some of these I'd not heard of before seeing this video, and I think I know places where I'd be able to use them. Thanks for this well done explanation of joinery methods!
Yep there's a lot of people who are in the "there's only one way" camp. Glad I could help you see otherwise! 😁
Enjoyed the video. One of the highest quality dowel jigs is the Dowelmax. Machined precision and very versatile.
Agreed. I use mine all the time. It does a super job. Not cheap but definitely worth the cost.
Nice, balanced discussion. I recently saw a presentation showing that for a number of typical wood species, tapping a given machine thread (e.g. 10-32) provides more pull-out resistance than threaded inserts for the same size screw. There was also a wear test: even after 10's of dis+reassemble cycles the tapped holes did extremely well. I admit this took me by surprise, but, in retrospect, does make some sense. Nice because - as you mentioned - the inserts aren't free. A single tap is less expensive than inserts for even one project in many cases. One other factor you didn't get into except for the super-expensive pocket joiner: the difficulty of precisely aligning joints during assembly varies wildly among the different methods.
The best bring it all together wood joinery video I have ever seen. Thank you very much for making. I will be purchasing from MWA soon.
I use all the joints that mentioned, i love making my own tenons for the domino and exposing them usually with a darker or lighter wood to accentuate the joint. I'm a tool junky and have been since was i was 12 years old, i recently splurged for a Lamello Zeta P2 (crazy expensive) which is a tool that most woodworkers don't need, but again, im addicted! It works like a plate jointer, but uses special connectors that i have used with and without glue depending on the application. Great video, thanks for sharing!
Great video, I have a 'clamp on' pocket hole jig, but can also use this jig for dowels when using the correct bit. I can see this setup holding up to furniture type assembly in most cases.
Thanks for the video!
🙌
Thank you for the joinery tutorial. I've seen them before but applications weren't explained as well as you did. Thanks 👍 again. I appreciate it! 😊😊❤❤
Thanks!
Good video. New woodworkers, if you use pipe clamps protect the wood from pipe staining when gluing up!
Good tip!
Use the galvanized pipes. Its better. However, its the metal and water in the glue that makes a stain. Just like a putty knife and water based putty. Best way is to keep pipe away from glue by using spacers or use tape where the glue is.
And don’t over-tighten. You dont want to starve the joint by squeezing out all of the glue, or bowing the board with too much clamp pressure. Additionally, it’s always a good practice to alternate the clamps (top and underside) if at all possible.
Not enough adjectives: great, brilliant, concise…Thank you for the best joinery video I’ve seen. You covered all the types of joints and their uses, and their costs. THANK YOU! You have demystified joinery. Now I have to decide to pony up for a domino machine or learn to make mortises and tenons. I’m working on lap- and half-lap joints now.
If you're making traditional tenons, you gotta try a drawbore tenon and skip the glue. There's something extra satisfying about knowing you could take the whole thing apart again if you had to. The guy who is refinishing it in 150 years might appreciate that.
I enjoyed your video. First time watching. Years ago I stopped using nails in my projects. Screws take longer but do a better job and I don’t have to listen to the Bang, Bang, Bang of the hammer. And I can play my classical music and enjoy it without interruption as I work. Thank you for mentioning dowels and their related cousins. For many projects I use dowels only and no screws. I subscribed.
This is reference material that anyone starting woodworking needs to know. Thank you for the clear explanation and comparison between methods. I really enjoy your channel.
Excellent video. I just saw a few of yours and am a new subscriber so thank you for the content. Like a lot of people I’m particular about my joinery. I don’t use a biscuit ever because they can be finicky and don’t provide any strength. I have a love for festool products, except one, the domino. Not that it’s a bad tool or even its price although that does factor in slightly. I just really love the dowelmax. I have yet to find something that the domino does that the dowelmax can’t. And the domino isn’t as point and shoot as you might think. There are a lot of adjustments needed for certain situations. The worst part of the dowelmax is figuring out which shim to use. Other than that it’s just line up your check marks clamp and drill. It’s not a cheap tool either especially when you add the accessories and different size dowels, but it is still cheaper than the domino, as are the dowels cheaper than the domino dowels. You can also get them more places. I really wish more content creators would include it in their videos. I like that you are including the castle pocket hole system more in your videos. That should catch on too. Good work. Keep it coming
I also have a Dowel Max. Very good tool.
A very good straight forward video. I used mortise and tenon construction to build a cherry wood butler's table for my wife. I used this construction for all legs and cross brace and biscuits for the table top to help align the boards. No screws were used in the final assembly which has a clean look throughout. I also use the Quarter-Quarter-Quarter System when making drawers, too.
Good content! You brought a huge amount of information in a short time, and covered a very wide topic with good information. Keep up the great videos. Your sponsor should be happy with the results here.
So glad you find the value in my content!
The duo doweler is pretty much a point and shoot machine. It is an investment but people love the precision of it . Great video Sir
Very useful video. Well done and thumbs up. I would have added one thing. When talking about using biscuits you should let people know that they are made from compressed beech, which an extremely strong wood.
When used with water based glues they swell up inside the slot cut by the biscuit machine making for a very strong joint.
In fact, one video did a test between dowel and biscuit joints and discovered that one biscuit is stronger than a two dowel joint in wood of the same dimensions.
Your video was well thought out.
Great Video Brother.! I've been using the dowel method for a few decades, and not that 'you can't teach an ol'dog new tricks,' I simply ain't at the point of needing a Festool jointer. But they're undeniably cool should I ever get to that point, and I can roll the purchase over into the job.😎🤓🤠
Great video. There is a jointing method for each application. I like how you explained each method and the pro’s and cons.
Excellent video, very clear and informative. The only thing I would take issue with is that early in the video (at 2:42) you showed putting a screw into end-grain. While this is strong initially (just try pulling such a joint apart), if the joint is subject to any kind of movement, those screw threads begin nibbling away at grain that is running lengthwise between adjacent threads of the screw. I have seen many failed joints where the screws pulled out with the gaps (or gullets) between their threads jammed full of the sheared-off wood. A sharp nail, on the other hand, does not, when driven into end grain, compress a plug of wood forward as it penetrates. Rather, the wood is compressed to the sides as the point of the nail forces it aside. In sound stock this compressed wood keeps squeezing back on the shaft if the nail, ideally gripping it tightly for a long time, even if the joint is subject to movement.
Anyhow, thanks or the fine (and without an axe to grind) video.
You are a Master at teaching, great video!
Thanks!
hey thanks Paul! That's HIGH praise!
Its rare for me to appreciate a video like this one.
No bullshit. Very well explained. Dont think only about your own projects but caring about what other peoples might do.
First practical explanation for working in a shared shop to get a project done! Thanks! Post more…..
This is such a great, well presented video. That was a lot of well organized information and your presentation style is great! Thank you!
Thanks. Very informative. I actually worked in a cabinet factory years ago (1970), but not as skilled labor. I was at the end of the production line dong a quick QC, and organizing the (mostly kitchen) cabinets by by job in the warehouse. The guys in the paint booth were usually high, so I had to fix a lot of their sloppy work, which usually just meant wiping off the top coat with acetone, and reapplying a clear coat of spray polyurethane. I miss the 1970s chemicals.
Festool Domino $1000.00, My Proter Cable Biscuit cutter $50, I bought my used works flawlessly. And for me the biscuit has worked fantastic. I like them because the slot is bigger than the biscuit allowing for some easy adjustment if your cuts are not perfect.
Biscuit joints have limitations and need to be used appropriately.
I built a 4x6 foot box shelf for my sister-in-law, 15 years ago, using biscuits, screws and glue. Still holding up perfect, even when it was moved to a new house, 3 states away.
Great video! I use all of these methods and the simple trick is as you said, deciding which one is right for the job.
Glad it was helpful!
I built a stand to hold my ice maker, bottled water, and a 5 gallon water jug on top. I used biscuits on the side frames, and pocket screws to on the cross boards to hold them together. It's held up flawlessly for years. Still, I clicked on the video because I'm always interested in finding out more, I loved your insights.
I am a sinner. I use screws and glue, but hide them with dowel plugs. Still pretty darn strong. As long as you build it with structure in mind, you can get away with a lot of sinning. 😊
I build solid body Guitars so screws were obviously not an option when I was deciding what type of joinery to use to glue up the body blanks. I don't need a lot of strength, so just glue would work, but I wanted to avoid fighting alignment issues while clamping. The final decision was made simple when a friend/fellow woodworker offered me a Porter Cable Biscuit joiner (and a bag of 200 #20 biscuits) for $40.
perfect!
Thank you for the joinery tutorial. I've seen them before but applications weren't explained as well as you did. Thanks again. I appreciate it!
I built a solid oak medicine cabinet using biscuits. Once the carcass was built I used 24 biscuits to secure the face to it, with gorilla glue. Once assembled and coated with 7 coats of exterior water-based urethane varnish (sanded between each coat). Over 10 years now and it's still solid and looking like new.
I glue wood then use screws. After wood dry I remove screw and drill hole and insert dowels. Looks good
I use screws as "clamps" all the time. Great option if its appropriate for the project!
My favorite has always been the glued dowel pin. Harder dowel than the wood being joined. But really they just hold alignment while the glue dries.
I find biscuits to be pretty strong for cabinet carcasses with plywood butt joints. Because of how wide they are they if you were to rack the box they don't tear right through the material like screws or smaller dominos. But really, a cabinet gets its strength in that direction from the back and the face frame. Pocket holes for carcass joinery are really a waste - the only time I'd do this is if there was an exposed side on a lower cabinet not being covered by a panel, which is to say almost never in a run of cabinets. Great for face frames of course which is their only real use case for me other than relatively quick and inexpensive trim joinery, like flush wainscoting or something.
Interesting take 🤔
@MWAWoodworks to clarify a bit, if I care how the side looks that's what end panels are for, but I see people building entire banks of cabinets with pocket holes, spending time drilling holes and clamping parts together when all you really need to do is tack pieces together with some staples and countersink screws from the outside. If alignment is a concern you can't beat biscuits unless you like spending more money and time using dominos. And that's not me being a festool hater, it's just a slower tool and the tenons are expensive. I own a domino and and a couple of their vacuums. Great tools for when strength is paramount in a furniture piece or something or parts are too narrow for biscuits.
I agree. Biscuits are frequently criticized based on strength tests using biscuits in the worst possible application - rocking loads on a single row of biscuits
This is a very informative video on a topic that has a lot of things to talk about.
You made a comment early on when talking about pockethole joinery that there's a time and place for it. Well, that can be said for every type of joinery you mentioned in the video. As with many other aspects of woodworking (or many other crafts), the trick is knowing when and where to apply the proper technique. That would be a great follow-up to a video like this.
Ha, that was the point of THIS video to explain what type of project each joinery type is good for 😂 maybe I didn't make that clear enough.
I’m trying to marry two one by six boards on edge ( two boards corners on edge 90 degrees ) to build a frame for a dog ramp but need the best option for the best support and longer life, what should I use ?
I got myself a cheap bisquit joiner ($70) several years ago. Works really well, but needs a bit of planning for the assembly to work, if you are messing with odd angles.
Man, this video made my day! I appreciate the clear and concise info but especially loved the hilarious and perfectly appropriate film and prop (Capt. America!) inserts. Nicely done, sir!
Very informative. I learned a great deal from this video, but as a hobby woodworker in a small garage shop, I'm only making small stuff now & don't usually need the strength some joints have however, I'm still going to use them just because it's a bit of a challenge for me.
Nice overview. The thing I like about pocket holes is that the entry price can be quite low. For instance the Kreg Tools Mini Jig runs about 18 or 19 bucks, add a box of screws and you’re off and running. Are pocket hole for everything, of course not, but they are a useful tool to have in your arsenal.
Great. Thanks. Excellent balance of emphasis on what joint for which project and why.
Thanks for watching 😃
Very well done sir, I’d only add vis a vis the traditional joints that they needn’t be cut by hand, I get very good results from a dovetail jig and a router, one of those things that makes me look like a much better woodworker than I really am.
With the right jig all things are possible!
Oh yeah I never do it by hand
What an excellent presentation! Thank you Sir!
Managed to snag a knockoff dowel jig from harbor fright last year, it is handy dandy.
awesome!
Highlander reference? You're now my favorite woodworker on YT.
Oh wow had I known it was that easier I would have done it sooner 🙏
A perfectly executed tutorial thanks
Thanks for a really good, clear comparison of all the joinery methods. Well done.
Beefier F clamps are available. I have some that are 36” and they are plenty rugged.
Bora 50” parallel clamps are available for about $100 for 2.
Bessey 50” parallel clamps are about $62.
what’s the strongest joint screws and pockets? I’ll need to know for when I build a seagoing power dory. The ribs are about 120° angle I think.
Great video showing all the different ways to join too peace’s of wood together thanks for sharing
Thanks Jim!
Thanks for this video. Who cares what the haters say, the fact is there are many ways to join wood together securely and you did a nice job of explaining them from beginner to pro.
This is a good video, very well presented! I actually followed it all, learned a bit, and will be making better decisions about doing my joining in the future! New subscriber is born!!!
As usual, great video. I have learned so much from you. Please, keep those videos coming!
Always enjoy watching your videos.. both incredibly informative and entertaining!! Thank you!
Thanks for the kind words, Jay! Appreciate you buddy!
Somewhere on TH-cam is a video by Matthias Wandel where he uses a standard dowel jig on the face of a board by simply clamping it to what is basically a T-square and clamping THAT in place.
Yeah I have no doubt Mathias figured out a very clever way to get the job done!
Nice to see that I'm not the only one who has forgotten to match the collar depth setting on my Kreg pocket hole jig and punched the bit through the base a couple times.
That's just a zero clearance hole 😂😂😂😂
I'd also add that pocket holes work well on particle board and MDF because the screws are being driven at an angle and not into the end grains. These days I like to use biscuits in place of mortise & tenons or dowels as I've had dowels come loose over time especially if it's something that might move (like a table leg). And nothing against traditional mortise & tenons, but biscuits just make the job quick, easy and it's not going anywhere either. Its just the initial outlay for the tool.
Hi ,Which of these connections would be best for long old reclaimed oak floorboards glued to a concrete floor?
Biscuits are invented/created by Lamello and it is used for cabinet (laminate chipboard) making... or at least in Europe.
Well presented. One point though. If you allow the first application of glue to soak into end grain wait about twenty minutes and then re apply glue before clamping, a end to long grain or end to end grain joint is usefully strong. But of course only if you have time to spare.
Good video with clear explinations highlighting only what is really necessary. 👍
Great info. Thanks for your time producing.
Thanks for watching!
One more that could have been added is a glue joint and pin nails. I've used them quite a bit.
For sure! Pin nails are like little clamps!
I just recently got a biscuit joiner, and with the little bit of experience I have with it, I have come to the following conclusions:
Any strength added to a joint by a biscuit is going to be negligible for bending loads, mild for tension loads, and moderate for torsion or shear loads. I personally don't intend to use them in major structural applications with the possible exception of adding them to panel glue-ups, but this for alignment rather than strength. It may be an ideal tool for reinforcing miter joints such as those in the corner of a jewelry box or base molding on a cabinet, maybe for strength I guess but also for assistance in aligning the joint during assembly. I'm also going to try attaching a face frame to a cabinet with biscuits, not to add any strength as the glue should be sufficiently strong but to aid in alignment during assembly and the glue drying process. The biscuits will replace 18 gauge brad nails, and eliminate having to patch nail holes.
One of the very few videos that Succeeds in mixing in humorous clips and setting them up - Me Likey!
Ha thanks for appreciating it!
Excellent joint ideas. Shop and compare is a great concept.
I have used spline joints on clocks and cabinets I use 1/4 luan and a slot cutter
,
For many projects I simply glue, let dry, drill a hole through both joined pieces, hammer in a glue-soaked fluted dowel, and flush cut the end off. I get perfect alignment and angles every time at the glue-up stage. No dowel guides or other fancy jigs or alignment or power tools are needed, only a hammer, drill, and wood glue (which everyone has). The speed of this method is limited by the time required for the glue to set up for each joint, I typically allow at least 30 minutes. But if I plan it out ahead, I can be working on other joints in parallel, while one is drying.
thats a great method. Then try using dowel stock of the same species as the joined boards and it wont be that noticeable that its even there!
I think we were about to send out and SOS for you. Thanks for the upload. I always look forward to them. I’ve been here and will be here to see this channel continue to grow. Hope your holidays were great and your new year is off to a good start!
Thanks for watching our for me! Life's been crazy, big changes coming soon!
Great overview. Since I got my dowelmax, that's been my go-to for the vast majority of my projects. I do still like box joints a lot though; they always look amazing. If I didn't have the dowelmax, I'd have a domino for sure.
I hear the dowelmax is a good tool. Don't have one myself tho.
@@MWAWoodworks It and the jessem you have are really the cream of the crop when it comes to dowel jigs and you can't go wrong with either. I went for the dowelmax because of the integral clamping but would have been just as happy with the jessem I'm sure.
I like the Jessem a lot. I just don't use dowels enough anymore so I don't keep up with all the jigs out there.
Is there a reason doweling joiners are hardly recommended? I usually see doweling jigs like the one you showed and the domino joiner recommended but doesn't a tool similar to a grizzly dual spindle corded doweling joiner accomplish the same as a domino albeit not as strong of a joint?
@@Chachanator I haven't done a ton of research on those, but from what I have done, the ones at the jessem/dowelmax price range are generally not very accurate or reliable. You'd have to spend a good bit more to get a half decent machine.
Thank you for the summary. I never trust anyone who claims there's only one solution (which happens to be theirs).
Truth!
Where people go wrong on biscuit strength is that:
1) The plethora of methods with hardware you showed, like pocket holes, are all going to be stronger (well usually) with biscuits. So if you gave a pass on all that stuff, you have to do so with biscuits. I have bookcases and cabinets, and cabinet doors that are 40 years old and none show any problems (unlike similar age dowels that come apart so much they feature in furniture repair videos). The only project that ever failed was a pair of Krenov style sawhorse (like a track hurdle). It was built on a "I dare you to hold together" basis. I eventually broke the pair of them. But one thing is that they were really easy to repair with boat epoxy and will probably outlive me.
2) People seem to forget that altogether, with extra glue and machining, you can add a second biscuit in about one minute. And it is almost impossible to mess up the easy machining. Two biscuits really are strong.
3) There are a lot of situations where you can use a large biscuit in a situation that seems to call for the small, or medium. Large ones are almost all I use.
The advantage of bicuits over stuff like pocket holes is that you can't see a hole. You can hide some of the holes from PHs, but certainly not all of them. Disadvantage is that you often need a ton of clamps for biscuit projects; glue will squeeze out, and in some situations, that just won't work. Glue-up can be scary, as violence is sometimes required to close all the joints, yet while they grab, as mentioned they still need clamps.
All joints are featured in furniture repair videos, there's no exceptions! All joints break down over time, furniture is just either designed to be repairable or replaceable. Like old shaker furniture was made to be repairable. While Ikea furniture is made to be replaceable...
Besides, there's been a ton of joint strength tests done over the years and unless you're using them as a spline, such as re-enforcing a miter joint, then biscuits basically have no strength and are only really useful for alignment during glue ups. While too close to the surface and they can cause visible issues over the years because they do expand and contract and that can cause visible issues to the surface and joint. Otherwise, you're basically relying on the glue joint for strength and not the biscuit. Dowel joints also rely on the glue for the actual strength but they can be stronger than a biscuit joint but there are stronger joints than either.
A loose tenon, like a domino, would be what would actually be good for both strengthening and alignment. There's just the cost issue difference for all joinery methods, which is one of the reasons for Pocket Holes popularity because they start really low cost and can be used with just a common drill. While biscuit jointers are hit or miss until you hit the premium price range and aren't as useful as a drill for range of uses. Though, dominoes are the most expensive, with a few exceptions for other expensive joinery options. They're also one of the few that provide both alignment and strengthening benefits, along with being pretty fast and thus beneficial for production level work. There are cheaper alternatives, that are at the biscuit price range, but they're slower or require extra steps.
Btw, Shaker furniture used both dowels and pocket holes (not a modern invention, actually goes back a few centuries). Typically, pocket holes were used to attach table tops with shaker furniture, for example. While dowels were often used in chairs and sometimes even for stands the legs can really be slightly tapered dowels that fit into drilled mortises in the post. Dowels can be any size and length, while there's other methods to help joints stay more stable over time. Like using a cross direction pattern to make it harder for the joint to come apart even if the glue fails. Such as when either a dowel or biscuit changes shape over time. Since they tend to swell when first glued but shrink as they dry out over time, leaving a gap.
There's more than just types of joints to go by, such as splines, etc. Using biscuits as splines can be useful but you can do that with many other joinery options too...
I love the way you store all the accu drills
I love this video. You always hear woodworkers who use dominoes mention that you could do the same thing with biscuits, pocket holes or dowels and they are correct. I have a video coming out soon where I use pocket holes where the woodworker who designed the plans used dominoes. And while it worked, it took a lot longer to do it that way. And I am only a hobbyist woodworker but fall into the camp of Id rather not spend the lion's share of my time on joinery such as pocket holes and dowels. That is why a domino machine is in my future, for sure. For me, it is way worth it. For me. Anyway, thanks for the video and I love the breakdown.
there is one more actually few where you use for cabinets or furniture where inside either metal, or hook metal used so it could be removed and moved to other place
Great video, but I was disappointed that I didn't see the half-lap joint mentioned in the first section. They're relatively easy to make (super easy if you have a router), and they take full advantage of the "stronger than the wood itself" property by gluing two faces instead of an edge to end grain.
Disadvantages are that you need slightly longer pieces because of the overlap, and in my experience it can introduce some weakness at the edge of the lap if there's risk of it flexing perpendicular to the surface of the joint.
With the use of the clip from Highlander you got my thumbs up. Also the information was very useful.
🙌
Wow awesome info I've never heard of pipe clamps but to be able to use them on wooden building projects is great nit ever one can afford $75 a piece parallel clamps
Tight tenons are the GOAT, especially when glued, clamped, and then dowelled... the joint is locked together for life.
Excellent video. Harbor freight clamps are wonderful (for the cost). A lot of the time, quantity is over quality. As long as the joints are nice, you shouldn't need crazy amounts of clamping forces.
Excellent summary! I am wondering whether you consider Rockler's Beadlock a viable alternative to the Festool Domino? I have not used either. It looks like Beadlock requires more setup work etc... but at a much lower entry price then dominos for the weekend worker. Appears the joint would be of similar strength/quality.
Great video!
Grizzly Industrial makes a doweling machine that looks like a biscuit jointer / domino jointer. It drills out 2 holes in end pieces or flat pieces. I have it & it works well after the learning curve. You can use various sizes of the drill bits depending on what size dowels you will be using. It’s a great alternative as well.
Thanks for the info!
Awesome walk through all the joinery. Question: What do you think about double-biscuits? I have seen some guys offset the blade to cut high on the piece, then they flip the piece over and do it again. What you end up with are two biscuits at the same lateral location, one above the other. And, of course, the wood needs to be thick enough to support a second biscuit; usually 3/4" is good. I imagine that increases strength of the joint, but enough?
Excellent tutorial!
Glad you liked it!
A video on recommended tools and equipment for someone who wants to get into woodworking would be great. Maybe beginner, novice, and expert levels?
0:19 Love the Highlander reference! 😁
Ha! You know how long I've been waiting to pull that one out?! 😂