DowelMax mod 2.5...

[Bill Huber]

I did a mod on the DowelMax a little while back because my fingers got tired of tightening an and untightening the clamp screws.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=116680&highlight=dowelmax

Well I didn't like the looks of them, they worked good but it just didn't look very good...

So here is mod 2.5.

I ordered some 5/16 x 18 brass rod and 2 black phenolic knobs with brass inserts from SmallParts.com.

I wanted to keep the stock knobs and screws if I ever wanted to put them back for some reason.

With a 5/64th allen wrench remove the clamp plates from the clamp screws. Remove the clamp screws and cut 2 brass rods to that length. File and clean up the ends after cutting and make sure that one end of the rod is flat.
Mark the center of the rod and drill a hole 3/4" deep with a #36 drill bit. Now tape the hole with a 6-32 tape. You DO NOT want to tape the full 3/4", I started out at about 5/16" and then tested it to see that the screw for the clamp plates would tighten down but would still not hold the clamp plate ridged. I just did a test and then tapped a little bit more and so on until I got it just right.

Put the clamp plates back on, screw the clamp screws in and then screw on the knob. I use red Loctite to hold the knobs on and it has held them all weekend while doing a bunch of dowels.

Now it looks a lot better an they work very well.

124521

[Jacob Mac]

I like your mods, and I see the utility, but I do not have the a) drill press; and b) intestinal fortitude to mess with my dowelmax. But good on you for improving it.

[Bill Huber]

I like your mods, and I see the utility, but I do not have the a) drill press; and b) intestinal fortitude to mess with my dowelmax. But good on you for improving it.

There is nothing that you are going to screw up. You are replacing the 2 clamp screws and keeping the original ones. You can use a hand drill, the holes do not have to be perfect they just hold the plates on and a number 36 bit is not like really really small.

If you like it go for it, you can always put it right back together just like it was.

[Brian Penning]

Bill,
I noticed you've switched the threaded rods on the DM, changing the shorter reference plate rods with the longer clamping plate rods.
This due to the knobs snagging the longer rods?
Any problems due to the switch?

[Bill Huber]

Bill,
I noticed you've switched the threaded rods on the DM, changing the shorter reference plate rods with the longer clamping plate rods.
This due to the knobs snagging the longer rods?
Any problems due to the switch?

Not sure what you mean, the clamping rods are the same length as they were to start with. You can put the other rods on which ever side works depending on where you are going to drill your holes. I like the shorter rods on the clamp side so you don't hit them when you are locking it down on the wood.

[Carroll Courtney]

Bill,thanks for all the contributions that you make here,I always enjoy and learn something from your post.Thanks----Carroll

[Brian Penning]

Bill, thanks for that mod -it's much better. It was easier for me to order a pair of rods with the clamping pads right from Dowelmax.

[Will Blick]

This should be standard on all Dowelmax, I am surprised the owner missed this......those small brass knobs are hard on the fingers... great mod...