How to Make a Dowel Slotting Jig
Wooden dowels are well known in the carpentry world. A dowel is basically used to hold two objects together by inserting into the holes of the object which needs securing. Many times when you want to have your dowels slotted or ripped, you have to take them to a specialty shop. With these simple steps, you can make a jig in your own workshop that will slot or rip your wooden dowels. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Wooden dowels
- Piece of wood
- Drill press
- Band saw and band saw table with fence and clamps
Instructions
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1
Take the piece of wood and cut it so that it is 1-by-1-by-4.5 inches.
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2
Use a pencil or pen to make a mark in the middle of the end of the piece of wood. Using a drill press, drill a hole entirely through the wood (going from one end of the wood to the other) where you made the mark. The hole should be the same size as the dowel you want to slot or rip.
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3
Draw a line in the center of the wood starting at the edge of one side of the wood. Take a band saw blade and mark this line.
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4
Use the clamps on the band saw table to cinch the band saw fence down along the side of the new jig you just made in Steps 2 and 3.
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5
Use the table saw blade again to make a 3-inch cut along the line you marked in Step 3. Now take another clamp and fasten the jig to the blade saw table fence.
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6
Slot or rip your dowel by thrusting the dowel through the hole in the jig making it go past the band saw blade.
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Tips & Warnings
Use proper safety precautions when using the band saw and drill press to avoid injury.
