Freud Dowler or Drill Press or ????

[kenny vernon]

My first post on Sawmill. Very impressive site. Not sure how I didn't find it sooner :confused:

Anyways.... I'm needing to setup shop for repetitive and accurate dowels for making frames in decent volume (15-20 per day). I want to setup a station dedicated for this so thinking of setting up something like the Freud dowel joiner or possibly setting up jig for drill press. Any other ideas or something wrong with either of these?

Thanks in advance for any input. Looking forward to learning and contributing (more learning than contributing most likely).

[Callan Campbell]

I can't help much since I don't have to run any production out of my shop like that, but here are a few ideas about it. Drill Press, if you dedicate an existing drill press for this, do you have more or another that can be used for other tasks as needed, or do you have only one DP and would need to break the set-up down to use it for other things if need be?
Drill presses are usually a comfortable working height and have some pluses going for them, but do you plan to add some sort of Dust Collection to the doweling process for the extra mess/chips you'll be making?
OK, doweling machine. I'm assuming you'd have to buy one ,so that means some money out. I've not looked at this model in a few years, so I'm foggy on the details. Does it allow easy, multiple hole plunging like a Festool Domino with its guide pins? Or do you have to build a jig anyway to make the tool do what you want? Does it have decent DC via a port on the tool to hook a vacuum up to?
The biggest other difference between the two is that you're bringing the work to the Drill Press, and bringing the Freud doweler to the work, correct? I'm thinking of the small, hand held doweler that's like a barrel type jig saw motor attached to the dowel drill fence and head assembly? Am I right?:confused::confused::confused:

[kenny vernon]

Thanks for quick reply. Answers and additional information --

DP would not be dedicated for this and one of main reasons I am hesitant to go this route. If it works good then additional DP could be added to make it dedicated. DC will be used.

Dowelling machine is hand held and a lot like biscuit joiner. It will be a purchase as I don't currently have one. I'm looking at setting it up in work station to be "stationary" and dedicated. It has port for DC.

In either case it will be setup to be like assembly line so will be bringing work to it.

Need something stronger than biscuit. Domino is overkill. M&T not applicable for volume (subjective opinion) and is overkill. Any other simple and decent strength rail and stile face frame type joinery?

[Rick Lizek]

A doweling jig for the small quantities you are looking at. Making your own jig with steel bushings is one I've done a lot. There are horizontal boring machines available from sources like Grizzly.

My personal favorite is a horizontal slot mortiser which can do loose tenon joinery or be used as a horizontal boring, doweling machine. Fast, easy to set up and very fast change overs between different operations. The better horizontal slot mortisers run at 3000 to 5000 rpm and do not use a router motor.

[Joe Chritz]

What are you building?

Face frames for cabinets? Picture frames? Is that 15-20 per day, 5 days a week? What kind of budget are you looking at? If you are looking at producing 100 a week all the time you are really into the commercial line boring machine area.

If these are face frames for cabinets there are better options for small frame production than doweling.

Joe

[kenny vernon]

These are for frames of shutters so joinery needs to be hidden as the frame is seen from both sides. The dowels provide strength for weight of panel. I have built some in the past but have an opportunity to build as a small company now. Production will be limited in the beginning to small orders but hopefully increase over the next few months. When in full production of 100+ per week I will be looking at commercial boring machines (Grizzly makes on that seems to be popular) but not in my budget as a start up right now. Just wanting something to fill the gap.

I purchased the Freud machine over the weekend (thanks Woodcraft for 10% sale). Seems to be quality machine. Just learning and tuning it.

Thanks for replies and input.

[Bill Huber]

To start out with I would look at the Jessem Dowel jig, it is fast and easy to use and very very accurate.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=140404&highlight=Jessem+dowel

I am not affiliated with Jessem in any way, I bought one and really like it.

Then you could move up later on as needed.