Pantherjoe Posted April 29, 2018 Report Share Posted April 29, 2018 Building the river fall table in the Guild and contemplating on joinery for the miter edge. I don't have a Domino so was looking at the dowel max system. Any thoughts or word of wisdom is greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted April 29, 2018 Report Share Posted April 29, 2018 Welcome to the forums Joe. I have no experience with the Dowel Max but the information on their site would lead me to believe that it would work fine. The main purpose of the dowel or domino in a project like this is alinement. Another possibility to accomplish this would be to use a spline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherjoe Posted April 29, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2018 Thanks Chet, have you any information you can lead me to about the spline option? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Triebe Posted April 29, 2018 Report Share Posted April 29, 2018 Big Dowelmax fan here. Use it constantly. It would do great on the 45 degree miters for the waterfall edge. Get the 45 angle attachment, obviously. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherjoe Posted April 29, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2018 Thanks Kurt, would love to go to the"green side", but need to save up $$, and I thought the dowelmax would be a cheaper alternative. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat60 Posted April 29, 2018 Report Share Posted April 29, 2018 Welcome Joe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Triebe Posted April 29, 2018 Report Share Posted April 29, 2018 Thanks Kurt, would love to go to the"green side", but need to save up $$, and I thought the dowelmax would be a cheaper alternative.Totally. That’s why I got it. I’m sure the Domino is incredible, but I can’t justify it as a hobbyist. Functionally speaking, not much separates the Domino from the Dowelmax. Domino would be faster, and would make it a smidge easier to do loose/wide settings for cheater breadboard ends. It allows more angles, whereas Dowelmax mostly just gives you 90 and 45, though there are ways to do other angles sometimes, depending on the joint and your creativity.It’s every bit as accurate, though, and the final joint would be similarly strong between the two systems. And, yeah, the cost savings are pretty significant.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted April 29, 2018 Report Share Posted April 29, 2018 2 hours ago, Pantherjoe said: Thanks Chet, have you any information you can lead me to about the spline option? Actually the more I think about it, it was a dumb idea for working with a slab. You would have to cut your slots on the table saw and that isn't going to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted April 29, 2018 Report Share Posted April 29, 2018 I have a shop made jig for holding my router at 45, which would allow you to cut spline slots perpendicular to the miter cut face. You should use a spline with grain oriented the same direction as the slab so it will expand the same. You can also make a very simple dowel drilling guide, if you don't want to invest in the dowelmax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew1 Posted April 29, 2018 Report Share Posted April 29, 2018 The dowelmax kit is in line with the triton dowel tool. I would imagine that provides good results even if not the best tool out there. Never used either though so maybe somebody else can give a review. I do love me some power tools though (Tim Taylor grunt) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted April 29, 2018 Report Share Posted April 29, 2018 1 hour ago, Andrew1 said: triton dowel tool. From the reviews and demos I have seen of this tool (one was Marc) I think I would stay away from this and get the dowel max. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted April 30, 2018 Report Share Posted April 30, 2018 14 hours ago, wtnhighlander said: I have a shop made jig for holding my router at 45, which would allow you to cut spline slots perpendicular to the miter cut face. You should use a spline with grain oriented the same direction as the slab so it will expand the same. Any chance you've got a picture of your jig? I've considered doing something similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted April 30, 2018 Report Share Posted April 30, 2018 I thought I had a photo, but all I found was this pic of the prototype, in use to make an odd-angle chamfer on a table edge. I have disassembled the prototype, with plans for version 0.2 to mount the router in an inverted lift mechanism, and on trunnions to keep the arc center at the work surface. Version 0.1 was just a hinged base, which required a loooong bit to do much of an angle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted April 30, 2018 Report Share Posted April 30, 2018 I guess if it were me i'd buy a router with the $300 and do loose M&T. Or if you have a router grab a good edge guide and save the $300 toward the domino if you get sick of doing it with a router. Or spend the $300 on some nice wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post MattF Posted May 1, 2018 Popular Post Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 What’s your timeline on this project. I was given a dowelmax by a forum member here to use on my Roubo build, and the person does not want it back. My plan was to offer this up to someone else in need when I complete the bench. With that said, l am done laminating the slabs and have finished up the end cap, but I have a ways to go. With respect to the dowel max, it is a well made tool, nicely machined with tight tolerances, it did a wonderful job on the slabs 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Coop Posted May 1, 2018 Popular Post Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 12 minutes ago, MattF said: What’s your timeline on this project. I was given a dowelmax by a forum member here to use on my Roubo build, and the person does not want it back. My plan was to offer this up to someone else in need when I complete the bench. With that said, l am done laminating the slabs and have finished up the end cap, but I have a ways to go. With respect to the dowel max, it is a well made tool, nicely machined with tight tolerances, it did a wonderful job on the slabs The members here are the best! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 I've got one of the early dowelmax type jigs. It looks like they have improved it quite a bit. With careful use and sharp bits those jigs can deliver good results. Patience and practice helps a lot. Yields stronger joints than a biscuit machine for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mycrossover Posted May 20, 2018 Report Share Posted May 20, 2018 I'm glad to see comments on the Dowel Max. When the Festool domino came out, my first thought was that the Dowel max was a poor man's Festool. I have no experience with the Dowel Max so I am glad to read that it is a good alternative. They even sell a router bit to make your own tenons.Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Bob Posted May 20, 2018 Report Share Posted May 20, 2018 I used the Dowel Max for years. It is a great tool, no where near as fast as the domino though. Just gave mine to my son, because I bought the domino a few years back and haven't used it since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logos Posted June 1, 2018 Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 Any chance you've got a picture of your jig? I've considered doing something similar.Rockler sells one Works well, I use mine for dovetail splines on miters But love my dowelmax! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krtwood Posted June 1, 2018 Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 Ah, Matt did one of the tables with a router instead of the Domino... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pondhockey Posted June 1, 2018 Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 On 5/20/2018 at 12:01 PM, Just Bob said: I used the Dowel Max for years. It is a great tool, no where near as fast as the domino though. Just gave mine to my son, because I bought the domino a few years back and haven't used it since. Just to be clear, you've fallen in love with the domino and haven't used the Dowel Max since then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Bob Posted June 1, 2018 Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 8 hours ago, Pondhockey said: Just to be clear, you've fallen in love with the domino and haven't used the Dowel Max since then? Correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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