Doweling Jig Review
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ย. 2024
- On this week's show, by viewer request, I review the TASK self centering doweling jig, model #7200. I hope you enjoy the show. If you are interested in purchasing this jig, you can find it at Lee Valley Tools www.leevalley....
or your local woodworking supplier.
Don't forget to like and subscribe and as always, thank you for tuning in. I truly appreciate your support.
I have been spending hours on the internet looking for a simple, moderately priced, and well made doweling jig. When I saw your video I decided to order it and needless to say I was not disappointed. It was extremely well made and offered many of the options available on the more expensive jigs from other manufacturers. The joints I made so far using the jig are surprisingly strong when compared to the pocket hole joints I usually make. The major benefit to this type of joinery is that there are no visible signs of fasteners. Bottom line....I give this product a solid 10 as well. ......Thank you very much for this very helpful video! 👍👍
I'm glad that you found the show useful Larry and I'm even more pleased that you are happy with your jig. Thanks for tuning in to the show and taking the time to leave the kind words. I truly appreciate it.
I just purchased this Dowling jig today and came home to look for instructions on its proper use and your video popped up first. Thanks for the informative video as always. Makes me feel better about the tool that I just purchased lol.
Glad that you were able to find the video Terry. I hope you enjoy your jig. thanks for tuning in .
Obviously you set out to review this centering dowel jig but your excellent demonstration and narration of its use was invaluable to me. My projects are VERY small scale. Currently I am attempting to modify a small (assemble-it-yourself) bookshelf, so I'm not exactly a handywoman. I am usually very frustrated when I watch woodworking/handyman TH-cam vids either because so much knowledge is assumed or because the people demonstrating are not really interested in teaching you anything, they're just showing off what they can do! But Kenny, yours was fantastic. Thank you!
Thank you for the kind words Candida. My shows are usually longer in length and the reason for that is that I pride myself on having a show that will actually TEACH something instead of just showing you what I do. I'm glad that my efforts were appreciated. With over 500 episodes of the show on the channel, I hope that you will find other episodes that will teach you something. Thanks for tuning in and for taking the time to leave your comment. I truly appreciate it.
Just bought this big today and it is indeed a quality tool! One of the best investments I’ve made in my wood working tools collection.
Glad to hear it. Good luck with your new jig and thank you for tuning in to the show.
Thank you so much for showing how to use this simple tool. I have been looking on youtube for hours and you're the first to show how how to use it. Others just made a detailed nightmare out of something so simple. :)
You're very welcome Coletta. I'm glad that you found the show useful. Thank you for tuning in and for taking the time to leave a comment. I truly appreciate it.
What she said!! I couldn't have said it better!! Awesome tool and awesome instructional!!
I have had this jig for years it is one of the best.
I totally agree Rob. I love this thing. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Thank you for making this video! I had this doweling jig for a while and didn't know how to use it, and was thinking of getting another one instead... Glad that I didn't. Thanks for the clear instructions!
You're very welcome Melissa. I'm glad that you found the video to be useful. Thanks for tuning in and for taking the time to leave your kind words. It's very much appreciated.
Man! I have never commented on a TH-cam video before, but I have to say something about this video! What a great review! What a great video! I really appreciate this review. Been exploring Amazon doweling jigs, for the last 3 hours and felt apprehensive about all of them. Within 10 minutes into this review, I went on bought this product! Thank you very much. Very helpful! Blessings, from Jamaica!
Well I'm glad that I could help you out Davion. I'm also glad that if you were going to make your first comment ever on TH-cam, you chose to do it on my show. Good luck with your new dowelling jig. I've used mine for years and truly love it. It has never steered me wrong. Thanks for tuning in to the show and for all the kind words. It is truly appreciated. Stay safe.
Thanks for the tutorial. I got one of these from my uncle's workshop after he passed away. I couldn't figure out how to use it but after watching this it makes sense. The problem in my case is that it's a knock off made in China and doesn 't have the little lines to line up the holes.
To fix this I went ahead and unscrewed the back plate until it came off. With the front plate still attached to the screw I used a magic marker to color the areas where the lines should be. I placed it in my vise and using a combination square I scribed a mark with a scratch awl. Now all I have to do is realign it so that the bushings are centered again.
Oh and BTW, I am now subscried and look forward to future videos.
Thanks,
Paul
Glad to hear that your scribed line worked Paul. I was going to answer your original question about whether or not it would work but I never got to it before you edited your comment. Great thinking. Glad to have you aboard as a subscriber and I look forward to your future comments and questions on the show. Thanks for tuning in.
I'm happy to see you reviewing this jig. I have an old Craftsman unit I have been thinking about replacing.
Thanks for the review!
You're very welcome Paul. I've been happy with this jig since the day I bought it and it have never steered me wrong. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Thanks for the review! It answered every question I had about the jig. I didn't know about the etched lines so I was confused about how the alignment worked. Showing how you were able to align three tight dowels has sold me on the jig.
You're very welcome Jim. It honestly has never steered me wrong and I have never had a problem with the jig EVER. It has always produced solid results and I have absolutely zero regrets in spending the extra cash to get this one. Glad that you found the show useful. Thanks for tuning in.
I have had one similar for over ten years. Great investment. I like to use mine to drill holes in round stock.
Glad to hear that you like your jig Cooper. There are definitely many different uses and it's up to the user how to make the jig work for them. Thanks for tuning in and for chiming in with your method. Love it.
Hi Kenny. Thanks for the fantastic review! I'm in the market for my first doweling jig, and I have struggled to differentiate between the different brands. A lot of the 'review' sites for doweling jigs appear to be garbage. This video has me sold on the TASK model. I really appreciate it, and I'm looking forward to checking out your other videos.
I'm glad that you found the show to be useful Samantha. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Thanks for tuning in and taking the time to leave the kind words. I truly appreciate it.
I was researching doweling jigs and found your video. Outstanding review. I'm glad you emphasized quality over price. Because of that (and some other videos you have), I'm a new subscriber : ) Thank you for all the effort and work you put in to create valuable content. Mark in Colorado.
Glad to have you aboard as a subscriber Mark. I hope you continue to find useful content in the past and future episodes of the program. The show airs twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays. Thanks for tuning in sir and for taking the time to leave the kind words. It's very much appreciated.
The fact that the two pieces fit together so well was because of YOUR accuracy in getting the line on the two wood pieces to match up with the line on the dowel jig perfectly. Get that wrong, even by a little over three or more dowels, and you start all over again!
I can't argue this. Any time that you introduce a human element to a product, there is the chance that it could fail. Not looking directly at the laser cut line could cause misalignment of your marks etc. You make a good point. Thanks for tuning in to the show and for chiming in with your opinions. It's very much appreciated.
Thanks for the review and detailed explanation to use it. I do appreciate your video.
You're very welcome Adriana. I'm glad that you found it useful. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Your video is excellent. I bought one that came packaged with drill bits and collars.
Glad that you liked the show. Sounds like your jig is a little different than mine but the principle operation of the jig is the same. Thanks for tuning in and good luck with your new jig.
I've watched this several times but never had the need to have one. Now that I'm building a larger flat project, I think this will help greatly in the alingment of the three sections. I have always enjoyed watching your videos. I find them very helpful and well put together. I started looking for a doweling jig and could not find anything I liked with any good reviews and then I remembered watching this video. It took me a little while to find it, but well worth the time. I am going to Woodcraft In San Antonio today to purchase either the 7200tk or 7300tk model. Thanks for all of the wonderful information.
Glad that you found the show useful Michael. I hope you like your jig. Thanks for tuning in to the show and taking the time to leave a comment.
@@acutabove_woodworkings I used the doweling jig today to put together 2 of the three parts of the countertop. The top is a little over 1 1\4 inch thick and after marking the side and edges, I drilled 5 holes in each side and they went together perfectly. It's really nice when you buy a new tool and it actually works the way it should. Thanks again for your time to teach us how to do things right.
Mike.
@@michaelvickrey2494 It's not always the case, but sometimes, you get what you pay for. I love my jig as well.
Thank you. Just got one of these and didn't know how to use until your video!
I'm glad that you found the video to be useful Tenzin. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Hello Kenny ! I used your video to LEARN how to use a similar Dowling jig ( not the Task model ). Thank you very much ! Cheers from Quebec,Canada, Polar Bear country.
Glad to hear that the show was able to help you out Roland. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Thank you so much, I just getting into wood working, I have used biscuits, so now I want to try something like this..
You're very welcome J.C. I hope you found the show useful. Good luck on your woodworking adventure and thank you for tuning in to the show.
Kenny, good review. Interesting how the holes on the one end aren’t threaded and only the holes on the other end accept the inserts. I don’t think I have seen that before, usually all the holes are threaded. Your jig enables larger holes, don’t remember seeing one that went to 1/2 inch. I like that design even though I don’t know how often I would use a dowel that big. But I could if I wanted.
It does provide some versatility that way Paul but much like you, I honestly can't think of an application where I would be utilizing a 1/2" diameter dowel. LOL. Who knows though? Stranger things have happened. Thanks for tuning in this week sir. Always great to hear your comments on the show.
A bad dowel jig is awful and ruins projects. But it's hard to see the difference between the good and bad models when shopping online (they all look identical). Someone recommended the Infinity tools model but looking online it seems identical to the cheaper models. I will probably try to hack my cheapo one to get it to work, spend a few weeks trying, and then return to buy a 50 dollar model. :) Thanks for this great video!
Glad to hear that you liked it. Good luck with your dowelling jig. I hope you get it working. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Thank you for this video. I have been looking for an explanation for this particular jig and other components would be needed after purchase.
You're very welcome Veronica. Glad that you liked it. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
This is a good jig for it's limited purpose, but it doesn't do face dowels (like for shelves), offset dowels (for thick stock) or angle dowels (for drawers or boxes). If you want the best doweling jig, get a DowelMax.
I'm glad that you like your DowelMax. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Does not have marks to see if your lined up.
@@patrickarchuleta9594 It took me 30 seconds with a rule and four strokes with a file to put registration marks on mine. Easy peasy. 😎
Someone told me to use wood bit drills . I tried using a regular bit with another jig and it didn’t align perfectly. The guy said that was probably my problem so we will see after purchasing this jig. Thanks for the video.
Brad point bits are best suited for drilling holes in wood Rachelle as they are less apt to wander when drilling. I would strongly suggest using them whenever drilling in wood. Twist bits are better suited for drilling things like metal or plastic. I hope this helps. Good luck with your jig and thanks for tuning in to the show.
@@acutabove_woodworkings thank you for the information!
@@rachellelapre9238 You're very welcome. Please feel free to ask any questions you might have.
Thanks for the review. I am going to put some rubber pads on it, mounts it upside down and try to use it as a self centering vise for a project. Self centering vises are super expensive, this seems like it could do the trick. I'm just concerned about play in the mechanism.
There isn't much play at all in the mechanism and if there is, you can adjust it. Thanks for tuning in to the show. I hope your idea works for you.
Thanks for the review, I have one that looks and works the same but it’s from harbor freight and made in China. Was going to return it but after watching your video, I think I can use it.
Well I hope you can use it Ronald. Good luck with your jig and thanks for tuning in to the show.
Looking to getting a jig from harbor freight or online. You’ve convinced me not too. Thanks for a well produced video sir.
For the record Edwardo, I still have this jig, still use it and still love it. Good luck with your jig purchase. Thanks for tuning in and for the kind words.
I just recently purchased this jig. I was joining 2x6 together and wanted to use 1/2” dowels. Vertical drilling went fine. But when I tried drilling horizontally on the end of the table the flutes on the bit elongated the hole in the jig and caused the dowels to be misaligned
This is the strangest thing I've heard recently. I've honestly never heard of this happening with any jig. Drilling vertically or horizontally makes no difference to the jig. It's all just drilling as far as it is concerned and as long as you had the bit squarely travelling through the guide bushing, and everything securely clamped in place, there should have been no chance for a distorted hole. I'd be interested to know why this happened if you ever figure it out.
Bought one from harbor freight and it RACKED like crazy on me and the joint would never line up flush. I think they should make the etched lines black or red just my opinion also the little collets didnt fit right either finally bought one from rockler and now I'm happy
Sometimes, you get what you pay for Joe. We don't have harbour freight here in Canada but I honestly haven't heard too many good things about it. Glad to hear you have a jig that works for you now. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Harbor freight has some gems, unfortunately they have some turds to, sometimes you just have to try your luck and mark it up to experience if it doesn’t work out.
Awesome review I have had this jig for 3 months and I absolutely love it. Also I just bought the Leigh D4R pro dovetail jig because your review was so well done. Excellent work new subscriber.
Glad to hear that you like the shows. Welcome aboard as a new subscriber. I hope that you will find many other show episodes that you enjoy. Fridays are my woodworking editions of the show whereas Tuesday can be pretty much anything so there is plenty to choose from. Thanks for tuning in and for taking the time to leave a comment. I truly appreciate it.
That's me sold and subscribed, great review
Glad to have you aboard as a subscriber. I hope you will continue to like the program and hopefully find other episodes of the show that you will like. There are well over 650 of them to choose from so there is plenty of variety. Thanks for tuning in.
@@acutabove_woodworkings Wow, you have been busy, I like your no-nonsense style and shall look forward to watching as many as I can, thank you for sharing
Great Review Kenny, sounds like it's a great tool to have in your collection of jigs.
Barry (ENG)
Glad that you liked it Barry. Sorry for the late reply. Believe it or not, I am just seeing this now. Thanks for tuning in.
Great video, very helpful. Thanks
Glad that you liked it Jack. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Best explanation I saw thus far👍
Glad that you liked it Dylan. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Very helpful!
I am new at woodworking and attempting to create a Christian cross for gifts. I am using a self-centering jig recently purchased, the two boards once mated, leave a roughly 1/16” or sometimes larger uneven edge. I’ve lined both boards accurately, but am unable to determine what I might be doing improperly. Thoughts appreciated!
It sounds to me, like your "self-centering" jig isn't centering properly. I'm not sure what jig you have, but cheaper jigs can sometimes be assembled incorrectly and the threads don't line up properly to centre your board in your jig. You can easily test this by marking a centre line on the edge of a scrap board. Then, using your jig, drill a dowel hole on that side of the board. Is the hole centred on the line? If not, your jig is not working correctly. This doesn't mean that you can't use your jig. What it means is that you just need to pay attention to the orientation of your boards. Mark the top surface of each board and always position the jig with the boards facing the same way in the jig. This way, even if the holes are not centred, as long as they are consistently off by the same amount, they will be off that amount on each board and because you have paid attention to the configuration, the boards should fit together with the surfaces flush to each other. I hope this helps a little. Thanks for tuning in.
Thanks for Friendly Introduction.
You're very welcome Ali. Thanks for tuning in.
Thanks for a great review. I'm a firm believer in you get what you pay for.
It isn't always the case Wayne but in this particular scenario, I would definitely say that it holds true. Thanks for the kind words on the show and for tuning in.
Great overall review of the product. Makes me feel a lot better about using this cheaper alternative to a biscuit joiner.
Don't sell yourself short Jordan. Dowel joinery is just as effective and just a strong as biscuits. It's a perfectly acceptable alternative. Glad that you liked the show. Thanks for tuning in.
EXCELLENT !!!!!!!!!!! DEMO,EXPLANATION, SIMPLE LANGUAGE .........NO MUSIC....NO DISTRACTION. GREAT VIDEO !!!!!!!!!!! QUESTION I WAS GIVEN A DOWEL SAME ONE AS YOURS WITH THE EXCEPTION IT HAS 6 DIFFERENT SIZES..........HOWEVER THE HOLES ARE NOT THREADED FOR THE USE OF THE INSERTS........IS THAT A PROBLEM ? DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE INSERTS WHEN DRILLING THE ACTUAL HOLE ?? THANK YOU AGAIN FOR A GREAT TUTORIAL
It seems a little odd that the holes are not threaded. Are the inserts threaded? The inserts are necessary when drilling the hole because that is what guides the drill bit and makes the perfect alignment possible. It is possible that your insert guides are just friction fit in the holes, but I've never seen one like that. Without actually seeing it, it's hard for me to give a definitive answer but the inserts are definitely necessary when drilling your holes. I hope this helps a little. Thanks for tuning in and for the kind words on the show. It's appreciated.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PROMPT REPLY. IT DID NOT COME WITH INSERTS. I HAVE WATCHED A VIDEO OF THE SAME DOWEL I HAVE AND IT SHOWED NO INSERTS AND NO THREADS INSIDE.......SO I GUESS ITS THE FRICTION KIND YOU DESCRIBED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN.....VERY HELPFUL
Great review Kenny thank you., looking forward to next week show.
Glad that you liked it Raymond. Thanks for tuning in. It's always great to see your comments on the show.
Great content. Thanks, man!
You're very welcome Sean. Thanks for tuning in to the show
Thanks! Just bought this style jig, very helpful
Glad that you found the show useful Brian. Good luck with your new jig and thanks for tuning in.
Hi I'm just heading for retirement (1-2 years) I'm been in Petro Chem for 46 years so now so I'm taking up carpentry to relax and create nice stuff for my large family. Loved your review, this is a product I'm intent on getting but I'm struggling here in Australia to find where to get one. Do you have any dealers name , I don't mind shipping from the states. Thanks for a great channel.
Thanks for the kind words on the show. I am in Canada but I can certainly give you the link to the store where I got mine. Not sure if they do international shipping or not but it wouldn't hurt to check. Here's the link. I hope it helps. www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/jigs-guides-and-fixtures/32250-self-centering-dowelling-jig?item=25K6401. Good luck with your woodworking adventure. I hope you enjoy it and have fun with it. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Just bought one because of this review. Thanks man.
Well I hope that you enjoy yours as much as I have enjoyed mine. Thanks for tuning in to the show and taking the time to leave your comment. It's very much appreciated.
Donde lo compraste?
@@lucinorosas1088 The link is in the description of the video Lucino. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
@@acutabove_woodworkings gracias
@@lucinorosas1088 you are very welcome.
Thanks Kenny...…… that's a real nice jig.... thanks for the video
You're very welcome Bob. Glad you enjoyed the show. Thanks for tuning in.
Thank you for your thorough review: very helpful.
I'm glad that you liked it. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
The biggest issue with dowels is getting accuracy. If you are out by a fraction it can telegraph in the overall structure of what you are building.
Pencil lines are probably not good enough. You would need to have a positive stopping system.
While I won't disagree with you that a positive stop would be the most accurate for a dowelling application, I will say that a positive stop is not always the most practical. I have done dowelling on boards 3' in length with dowels every 4" and I have never had an alignment problem with this jig. That's what I love about our hobby, for every process, there are several ways of achieving it and as long as it is safe, who's to say who's right or wrong? Thanks for tuning in to the show and chiming in with your opinions and experience. It's appreciated.
thanks for the review. this is the one I am buying
You're very welcome. Good luck with your new jig and thanks for tuning in to the show.
Ironically i bought this just last week. Though I have not yet put it to use I wS happy to see your very positive review on the item. Thanks
Harleymike/chicago
You're going to really enjoy this jig Michael. I've never had a problem with it and I've always gotten perfect results. Thanks for tuning in.
Hi, I’m new to doweling… Is there a way, using this tool you’ve given the rating of 10 to, to drill a perfectly aligned dowel hole in the middle of a face, rather than an edge?
It would depend on the size of the board Anatoli. The jig has its limitations for sizes. If you are looking to drill holes in a larger surface, like the face of a shelf, you would need to get a shelf pin drilling guide. One similar to this. www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/jigs-guides-and-fixtures/42200-veritas-32-cabinetmaking-system
There are cheaper ones available, but this one is just an example. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Good review, that's the one I'm going to get.
I hope you like it. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
EXACTLY what ive been looking for!
I hope you found the show useful Bob. Thanks for tuning in.
@@acutabove_woodworkings i did. I was struggling on how to get a centered and straight hole for dowel pins. Kinda hard to do with a cordless drill :)
@@cool77arrow Glad to hear it. Good luck with your project.
You showed edge to edge joint but what about side to edge joint?
This jig is not designed for edge to side joints. This is strictly for edge to edge. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in.
I’ve had one for years. Okay tool. Two weaknesses IMHO. 1. Not designed for anything but centered holes (there are workarounds). 2. No foolproof way to make precision-spaced holes several inches (or feet) apart.
I agree with you that there are work around for getting holes that are not necessarily centred. Due to it's design, it does allow for human error to rear its ugly head and have some holes be misaligned over a longer length but all in all, it is still a well built jig that functions well for the purpose it is intended. Thanks for tuning in to the show and for taking the time to chime in with your experience with it. You bring up some very valid points that might help others when they are deciding if this is the jig for them. Thank you.
I have the same jig by a different manufacturer. I have had mine for several years and my issue with it is the white in the edge guides have faded to where they are difficult to see. I've taken bright pink nail polish to try to fill it in the groove, but still isn't clear enough. I'll have to come up with something different. The jig is also bulky if you try drilling holes in the end of a 1x2. I have a smaller jig for that.
Using a little bit of correction fluid (Liquid Paper) on the grooves and then once it dries, using a razor blade to scrape off the excess will make those lines bright white and visible again Kenny. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show and for chiming in with your thoughts.
@@acutabove_woodworkings Excellent idea. I am going to try that.
Do you have to drill one hole at a time it's you are doing 7/16? I don't see how your can keep accuracy when you have to keep moving it. Pencil lines have thickness and can be off from each side
You could drill both holes at once but if you have holes that are spread over the length of the board, they have to be drilled individually. I have never had an issue with accuracy. I use mechanical pencils for the marking so that the lead is a uniform size and I do my best to keep my line of vision at 90 degrees to the layout lines and the jig. By doing this, I've never had any issues. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Great review 👍
Glad you liked it. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
kennyearrings1 no worries. Keep up the great work. I currently have a plastic dowel jig, which has been fine for years, but I just changed the depth and now it keeps moving, so I was looking into getting a metal one. I’m torn between this one and a 60cm one from wolfcraft.
That’s a nice jig! Do you use a shim for different thicknesses of stock or just make sure to plane to the same thickness? Thanks Ken!
No need for shims Frank. The jig is self centring so the dowels will line up in the centre of the board on each piece, allowing the centres of each board to be perfectly aligned. Now if you want one surface on each board to be aligned, then yes, you would need to use shims in order to accomplish this. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in sir.
your link to leevalley was confusing. They show it as model 25K6401, I went to the Task website and they show a model 07500TK which I assume is just the newest model number of the 7200 you show here.
I think you are getting a little confused. Lee Valley doesn't even list the model number and I got that off the package of the dowelling jig. The number 25K6401 that you are seeing is not the model number, but rather it is Lee Valley's product catalog number. It has nothing to do with the model number of the dowelling jig itself. Rest assured that the link I provided is model 7200. I hope this helps to clear it up. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Helpful video. Would this jig work when using boards with different thicknesses or if 1 board was being joined on one of its faces rather than on an edge?
This will not work for face jointing. That is a totally different jig altogether. As for the different thickness, this jig centres to dowel on the board so while it will work, the smaller board will be centered on the larger board. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in.
Canadian hey .. Thank The Lord we are CANADIAN ,, the best humans on hearth ,, Great Video
Definitely Canadian. Glad to have you aboard Manuel. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Outstanding, so much so I ordered one
I hope you like it Harley. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Thanks for another honest review.
You're very welcome Doug. Glad that you liked it. Thank you for tuning in to the show.
Great review Ken. Thanks! 👍
You're very welcome. Thanks for tuning in.
I took delivery of this exact tool this day…maybe I should have watched your video before using it earlier…I agree it’s a superb bit of kit…Rick solid however it only does centre positioning…I don’t know how you can do a face to face joint ? I noticed that at the end of your video you had an attachment added…is this to enable face to face joints ? Did you make it or are they available ? BTW loved the Video…from the UK 🇬🇧 🤓👍
At the end, there was no attachment added. That was just the cardboard insert that holds the extra drill bit bushing from the original packaging. This jig is no capable of doing face to face joinery and honestly, I've never heard of anyone using dowelling for face to face joinery. There is enough glue surface area in that type of joint to hold it's own without the dowels. But if you are really adamant that you would want dowel joinery in a face to face joint, then quite possibly a shelf pin jig would suit you better. While the jig I demonstrated on the show is a wonderful jig and works really well, it is only for use with edge to edge joinery. I hope this helps a little. Thanks for tuning in and for the kind words on the show. It's appreciated.
@@acutabove_woodworkings when I made this comment it was very late ⏰ and just before bed 🛌 I worded my question 🙋♂️ completely wrong and now realise how ridiculous it was…anyway I’ve used this jig for a couple of days now and it’s brilliant for centring dowels..it’s weighty and quality and only £29 in UK 🇬🇧 I expect it will last me the rest of my life…thanks for the vids 📹
@@simonmountford4291 No question is ridiculous. The unhelpful answers that some people give....now that's what's ridiculous. Feel free to ask any question you'd like and I will always do my best to answer it for you as best I can.
This may be a dumb question, but does a doweling jig require any kind of special bit(s) or can I use any ole wood bit that accepts a stop collar? Appreciate your video as well. This looks like a solid product.
Not a dumb question at all Al. You can use any wood bit that you wish with this jig as long as it fits the interior dimension of the bushing. In other words, if you are using the 1/4" bushing, you need a 1/4" diameter bit, 3/8" bushing....you need a 3/8" diameter bit, etc. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
I need to do dowels on a floor edge but it has subfloor underneath so I cannot get this jig to work. I am adding an extension to this floor so that it goes through a doorway and continues without spacing the floorboards individually. So in essence I am butt joining another section of floor onto it. I could use this jig for the section I am adding. But I need to also be able to drill the hole in three-quarter inch oak that has a subfloor attached to it and concrete underneath it. So I cannot get this jig to clamp to that area. What to use it how to create the dowel holes in the floor edge that the jig won’t fit around.
Honestly Rick, it doesn't sound like you need a dowelling jig. It sounds more like you need a biscuit joiner. The biscuit joiner can cut a slot for the biscuit without needing to get to the underside of the floor plank. If you aren't sure what I am talking about, you can check out my video on using a biscuit joiner here. th-cam.com/video/-uuf1LLT9SQ/w-d-xo.html
If you are familiar with the use of the joiner, then from what you are describing to me, this sounds like your best option that would make joining the ends of both boards possible. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
kenny do you know of a dowel jig that has a mark between the two lines so you can double dowel without moving the jig
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "double dowel" Jeff. You can drill two dowels in one go with this jig and they are about an inch apart. Other than that, I've heard good things about the Dowelmax dowelling jig but to be honest, I've never used one. I hope this helps a little. Thanks of tuning in to the show.
I'll give it a (6). It only works butting sides together. Can't be used edge to side if board.
I guess it's not a tool for everyone Robert. Thanks for tuning in to the show and taking the time to leave a comment. I truly appreciate it.
Excellent review!
Glad that you liked it Tim. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Have a similar from Harbor Freight. As usual, you get what you pay for. The bushings for my HF jig will not accept the fractional size bits they are supposed to- I have to use a letter size jig a tad smaller, then ream hole to size with fractional bit. (The bushings are too hard to ream to size with drill bits-been there, tried that. Results-dull bit!)
I used to cheap out on tools and see them for much cheaper than the name brand ones. I used to have the attitude that "they are all made in the same factory and you are only paying for the name". I found out over the years, that is not necessarily the case and I think you have found the same thing. Sorry to hear of your troubles with the Harbor Freight jig. I hope you get it resolved. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
very informative video, Thank you.
You're very welcome Mostafa. I'm glad that you liked it. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Hate to spoil the party but I have this jig and it has now malfunctioned to where only one side of the 2 sides moves when you turn the screw handle. I went on the TASK website and they do not have any troubleshooting info on this jig. I emailed them and so far no response. Hope this resolves itself before I have to buy another jig.
I'm sorry to hear that you are having issues with your jig Carl. I have no affiliation with TASK whatsoever but I can honestly say that I have never had an issue with the jig. I don't think that you spoiled the party at all and this is exactly the kind of information that the viewers of my show need to see. More importantly, they need to see if TASK will respond to you and provide a solution. I hope that they are able to resolve your issue with the jig and that you will get back to me with an update. Good luck with your jig. Thanks for tuning in and for chiming in with your comments. I truly appreciate it.
I'm just out. I need one to dowel 2.5" thick slabs. I think TASK makes a wide one that goes up to 5".
I hope you find the dowelling jig that will suit your needs Elad. Good luck and thanks for tuning in to the show.
Thank you for sharing great info 🤝
You're very welcome Tomas. I hope you enjoyed the show. Thank you for tuning in.
I bought one like it. Blekoo brand for joining from the side. I'm going to make a jig to use for facing using it plus this tool
Sounds like a great idea Lloyd. Good luck on your jig building and thanks for tuning in to the show.
lets say you have a 2 inch piece of wood and you are wanting to put 2 dowels in the end,,,you find the center line of the material,,you put your jig in place,,both holes with doweling inserts has a line under it,,if you are going to use both holes and double dowel each piece,,,there should be a line in between the two lines on your jig to line up with your center line on your work piece
I see what you mean now Jeff. I'm not sure of a jig that has that feature. Did you check out the Dowelmax that I mentioned? Maybe they have that feature. Of course, the other option would be to carefully scribe your own line on the the jig to create your own registry mark. I hope this helps a little.
Perhaps marking the edge of your stock would make it easier to align with the jigs etching.
The jig sits on the edge of the stock Carlos so you wouldn't be able to see the markings. However, it is not hard to see the marking in the windows of the jig. It's just hard to film the markings in the windows of the jig. LOL. Thanks or tuning in to the show and taking the time to leave your suggestion. It is very much appreciated.
OK so how do you use it when the wood is at 90 degrees? I would have thought that would be the most popular way to use dowel joints. How often do you join two pieces of wood as you've just shown? I can't see any way to join say a speaker box together. By the way, there's a Chinese version made with the same materials and has 6 holes instead of 4. They sell for around $20 USD whilst yours is $99.50. I honestly can't see any reason to spend 5 times more for something which does the same job and will last as long.
Unfortunately, this jig is not what you are after if you are interested in joining stock at 90 degrees. This jig is for but joining stock and the dowels are used instead of things like splines and biscuits. I have had some experience with the cheaper models and I have to say that while their material might seem the same, their quality control is quite often lacking with alignment marks being out of whack, the squareness of the jig being drastically off and the the threads being loose. Of course, it is always up to the individual as to which tool they prefer to purchase and if you (or anyone else) would be content with the cheaper priced version, then by all means, that is the one you should get. Thanks for tuning in to the show and taking the time to chime in with your comments. It is truly appreciated.
@@acutabove_woodworkings Sadly there are some of us who can't afford the ridiculous prices being asked for these small gadgets. The mark up on most woodworking tools is nothing short of disgusting. Why anyone happily pays out well over $200 for something which cost no more than $20 to manufacture is beyond me. I did find another jig and paid less than $10 USD for it. I closely watched a couple of reviews of it and honestly, the results were the same as any of the more expensive variety. There's nothing to get out of whack and if it's used correctly the end result is more than suitable. I'm on a war disability pension and I'm forced to watch what I spend. My car isn't a $80,000 4WD, it's a $14,000 Ford Fiesta and after 120,000kms I've had no problems at all. High prices don't always mean better these days. Give me time and I'll make my own jig, which after all is what woodworking is all about. 🙂
@@wgatcheesesmeoff1750 As I said, the choice of which tool the user chooses to purchase is completely up to them. Be it far from me to judge someone on their tools choices. Woodworking is all about individual choices and while one tools may not work for one particular woodworker, it might be perfect for another. Good luck with getting the jig that you need (or want) for your projects. I hope you are able to find what you are looking for.
I bought this last week. I am making a board longer end grain to end grain. I can not get them to line up. So frustrated.
Are the boards the same thickness Mike. How are they not lining up? If you'd like, you can feel free to send some photos to my email and I would be more than happy to help diagnose the issue with you. kennye@acutabovewoodworkings.com
I hope this helps.
I have the same one and enjoy using it
It is a solid doweling jig and it works great. Thanks for tuning in to the show Bill.
thank you great presentation
Glad that you liked it Christophe. Thanks for tuning in to the program.
You won't be able to get this on Amazon, I found the TASK Deluxe Doweling Jig on Woodcraft for $64.99 I will be purchasing this in the next few days. Thanks for the review.
You're very welcome Dale. Good luck with your new jig. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for tuning in to the show and for taking the time to chime in with the information.
The one I found on woodcraft has a different model for 64.99, that model number is 07300TK, the model number in the video is 25K6401, not sure what the difference is
Hi. Does it work with different thicknesses planks? Thx.
It does but you have to remember that it is a centering jig so it will place the dowels in the middle of each board so the larger board will have the thinner board centred on it. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
For us fellow Canadians, where do you suggest we go to get this jig? I don't see it on Amazon.ca, or correction, I have but with $50 shipping from the US. Lee Valley?
My suggestion Rick is to wait for Lee Valley to have one of their free shipping events. From there, you can place your order and have it shipped to you anywhere in Canada free of charge. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in. Here's the link.....www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/jigs-guides-and-fixtures/32250-self-centering-dowelling-jig
Of course, there's also the possibility of an in store pick up....depending on where you live.
Rick I have one for sale if you're interested. Somehow I got two in my bin lol
Hey Kenny, I’m building an small side table using the the dowel jig for some of the base. Is there any way to use this if I wanted to attached the base to the top using dowels? Or is this totally the wrong tool for that job?
Totally the wrong jig. This jig is mainly for edge joining on stock. Now that being said, you could use the jig to drill the holes in the ends of your base and then use dowel centres to mark the holes on the table top. That would work. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
@@acutabove_woodworkings thanks so much. I figured as much. I may return it to LeeValley and get the Jessem dowel jig instead. Maybe a bit more setup, but possibly more flexible. Not sure if you’ve used this before?
@@droddis I have not used this jig but I do have several other Jessem products and their stuff is great quality. I'd be interested to know how you like the jig when you get it.
how do you drill hole on other side of material if you make 90 degree joint and one piece is 3/4 and other is flat surface( board)???
I think you are referring to a shelf pin jig Tom. That is what is used for drilling holes into the flat surface of the wood. The jig in this review is for joinery and is used for joining board edge to edge. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
What about connecting an edge to a face? You just showed two edges coming together which doesn't even require dowels for strength.
Edge to edge joinery can benefit greatly from the added strength of dowels, biscuits or splines Alan as well as assisting in getting perfect alignment of the boards. This jig is specifically deigned to do edge to edge joinery and is not intended for edge to face joinery. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
It better be a 10 to sell. $100 is the most expensive price I have seen while shopping for such a device.
It's not for everyone but it is definitely a great little jig and to this day, I've had no issues with it whatsoever. Thanks for tuning in.
@Abovetreeline: If you think $100 is too expensive, you'll be horrified at the price of a Dowelmax -- it's $250 (CDN); but it does a lot more than this jig.
The fact is (or should I say, appears to be, because I don't have the product) that this jig is meant for only one purpose, and that is to precision-drill holes (perfectly centred) in the *edge* of the workpiece (a board), and to do that reliably and repeatedly. Judging from the review, it seems to do that job well.
You can get cheap Chinese knockoffs/look-alikes on Amazon for half the price, but they are shoddily built, with lots of backlash/play in the threads. You get what you pay for.
@@BlueFish-kq9fh You are 100% correct about this dowelling jig functionality. It does one thing, but it does it very well and very precisely. Although this jig is only useable for butt joint on stock, I've been happy with it for years and never had a problem. I've looked at the dowelmax and I do like what it offers but I just haven't pulled the trigger on it yet. Thanks for tuning in and for taking the time to chime in with your comments. It's appreciated.
Can you use this jig on one end a wooden dowel? As in to join to rods end to end. Thank you
I've never considered doing something like this Aurelio. I'm sure it could be done as long as the jigs registration marks lined up perfectly with the registration mark that you would have to place on the dowels, and the dowel was installed perfectly square in the jig, I don't see a reason why it wouldn't work. The setup would be tedious though and if you had many dowels to join, it may not be the best and most efficient method. Thanks for tuning in. It's appreciated.
I scored the 6" one of these at a garage sale for 9 bucks new in the box.
That is a major score. Good for you. That's awesome. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Great video, persuaded me to but this one. BUT... does your Jig have lines etched by the holes to help you align? Are they aligned with the center of the holes or offset? I just got one of these and the holes are no where near center on the holes so completely useless for aligning! [Edit] Oh, and while the outside plates center perfectly, the inner plate with the holes has too much play in it such that the holes are not guaranteed to be dead center. This is right out of the box!
Something doesn't sound right here Dave. After reading your message, I went out to the shop yesterday and checked mine. There is no play whatsoever in the centre plate and the laser etched lines, are perfectly centred with the drill guides. There is something definitely with yours unit and I would venture to say that it is a second, or a defective unit. If it were me, I would be returning it for an exchange and I would check the unit in the store, prior to leaving with it. Something is definitely not right here because mine is nothing like what you describe. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
@@acutabove_woodworkings Thanks. I bought it online from a reputable dealer, have completed an online return form and will wait to see what they say. No where around here sells them in-store so I don't have the luxury of testing first :( Thanks again for your reply it's good to know they 'can' be precision made instead of this junk!
@@MicroFourThirdsCorner Well I hope you get this straightened out. I was so concerned about it, I went out again today and checked a second time and I can honestly say that there is no play in the centre guide and the laser marks are dead centre of the drilling guides. You had me doubting myself there Dave. LOL. Good luck with your jig. I hope you get a replacement soon. Please let me know how you make out with this.
@@acutabove_woodworkings Refund received. I found an alternative that's working well enough.
@@MicroFourThirdsCorner Glad to hear you got your money back. Sorry it wasn't a better experience for you.
I've been shopping around and I want a jig that is flexible. This looks like a nice jig but looks limited compared to the pricy dowel max. You didn't explain how or if this jig will be able to do face joints or angle joints. It looks like this jig only limited to joint anything that is only side by side. Not angles.
This jig is primarily meant to joint the edges of two boards together using dowels. You can use it on mitred edges such as a picture frame but depending on your set up, it can be limited to that. As for surface or face joints, this jig is not what you are after. For that application, normally a shelf pin jig is used. There are other jigs on the market that will perform both edge and face dowelling but they too are limited in their use. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in Tony.
@@acutabove_woodworkings thanks for the reply and awsome vid. I started woodworking late last year so I'm putting together all my tools and jigs. I'm using pocket and want to try dowels. So far love the dowel max jig but it's so expensive. Have to look around for the perfect jig if not I guess I'll have to give in and get it. Thanks dude!
@@tarias1313 You're very welcome. Feel free to ask any questions you might have along the way. Hopefully, you will find other videos on the channel that might help you out. There are well over 500 to choose from. Good luck with your woodworking adventure. It's a slippery slope for sure. LOL.
thank you Kenny . question please are the dowels stronger than the biscuits ?
This has been a major debate for years and years Walter and honestly, I don't believe that there is a difference in strength between the two. The main purpose of the biscuit or the dowel is to assist in aligning boards and to provide extra support and strength to a but joint. A biscuit is a manufactured material and in fact, has very little strength on its own. Combined with the strength of the glue, plus the strength of the grain and the added strength of the biscuit after it swells from the water based glued, it provides a very strong joint. The dowel, my opinion provides the same type of strength by means of being a solid material, plus the glue, plus the grain etc. As far as I am concerned, the difference in strength between the two isn't even worth talking about. It all boils down to which method is easier for you to use. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in.
@@acutabove_woodworkings thank you
How do you use the jig for the broad side of wood such as making shelving? Thanks
This jig is not meant for drilling dowels for shelf pins. This jig is for joinery only. If you are looking to drill holes for shelving, you would require a shelf drilling jig. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show.
Hi Kenny can you do cross dowels ? ot maybe show a demo how to?
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "cross dowels". Can you explain it a little better?
How can I use this on a board to make a bookcase?
Simple answer is that you can't. You need a completely different jig if you want drill holes for shelves. That would be a shelf pin drilling jig. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in.
I bought one. How did you determine the space between the dowels?
There really is no formula for dowel spacing James. I normally look at the length of the board and and determine how many dowels I would like to use. In a 4' board, I would place a dowel 2" in from each end and then roughly space dowels every 6-8" from there. Smaller board wont need as many dowels and honestly, one dowel every foot on a longer board is sufficient to strengthen the joint and keep everything aligned. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show.