Rockler Beadlock

[Carl Crout]

I bought the Rockler Beadlock to experiment with. Any reason I shouldn't just use three separate 3/8's dowels as opposed to buying Rocker's wood or their $70 bit to make my own stock?
Looks like the small thin strip of wood between the dowels on their stock adds no extra strength anyway.

Thoughts?

[Gary Ragatz]

Seems to me the three separate dowels will give you less side-grain gluing surface (inside the mortise) than the Beadlock loose tenon stock does - so perhaps a weaker joint. With the dowels, roughly half the surface of each dowel is contacting end-grain inside the mortise. With the Beadlock stock almost all the contact is side-grain to side-grain.

[Jim Becker]

The strength of the system comes from having tenon stock that matches the profile. If you're only going to use dowels, it's best to just drill for dowels. Every joinery system has its costs and with Beadlock, it's either buying tenon stock or making it with the available tooling. The tooling is actually a good investment if you plan on using the system fully.

[Stan Calow]

What Jim said. Separate dowels wouldn't have the web connection between the dowels that makes the beadlock piece a solid tenon.

[Gary Ragatz]

The strength of the system comes from having tenon stock that matches the profile. If you're only going to use dowels, it's best to just drill for dowels.

Maybe I misunderstood, but my impression was that the OP was proposing to use the Beadlock jig like a doweling jig - just drill the first three holes and not bother with the 3/16" shift and the second set of holes.

[Jim Becker]

Maybe I misunderstood, but my impression was that the OP was proposing to use the Beadlock jig like a doweling jig - just drill the first three holes and not bother with the 3/16" shift and the second set of holes.
If he does that, then it would certainly work for dowel. I honestly didn't read it that way, so good point.

[Carl Crout]

I could use it both ways. As a doweling jig and then when I need the extra strength use the beadlock stock.

Thanks for the replies

[Randy Heinemann]

I own the jig and originally made to projects with it. It worked well but seemed to be more time consuming than other methods of joinery. It's an unknown whether using a bit other than Rockler's bit would provide the same results. That is something probably only Rockler can answer and, I guess, that they have some interest in you buying their bit.

I tend to use jigs and tools according to the manufacturer's directions and with their equipment as i have found that, when I substitute parts and bits for the specified ones, things tend to lose precision and the result isn't the intended one. It is not designed to be a standard dowel jig so I would guess that it wouldn't work as well as with the setup and equipment that comes with it.

[Robert Mayer]

Its complete junk, dont buy it!!! Get a dowelmax, its excellent

[Carl Crout]

Its complete junk, dont buy it!!! Get a dowelmax, its excellent

The dowelmax only does dowels while the beadlock does the beadlock tenons. What's your complaint about the system?

[Eric Arnsdorff]

I don't have the Rockler beadlock jig but I don't see any reason you couldn't use it as a dowel jig and a beadlock jig. I suspect the beadlock tenon could provide some additional strength but how much that extra is really needed would depend on the application and I suspect typically wouldn't be required.
I'm curious if my Jessem dowling jig has the same hole spacing as the Rockler unit and if I could use the beadlock tenons with it. I'm not sure that I would use them but curious to know in the event I decide to pick some up to try it next time I'm near a Rockler.
Can you determine what the spacing is on the beadlock jig?

[Carl Crout]

I don't have the Rockler beadlock jig but I don't see any reason you couldn't use it as a dowel jig and a beadlock jig. I suspect the beadlock tenon could provide some additional strength but how much that extra is really needed would depend on the application and I suspect typically wouldn't be required.
I'm curious if my Jessem dowling jig has the same hole spacing as the Rockler unit and if I could use the beadlock tenons with it. I'm not sure that I would use them but curious to know in the event I decide to pick some up to try it next time I'm near a Rockler.
Can you determine what the spacing is on the beadlock jig?
1/2" center to center on the 3/8" holes

463790

[Randy Heinemann]

The Beadlock jig may not be the highest quality but it isn't junk; just not that quick a way to join pieces of wood. There are better ways for sure.

[Davis Young]

I remember the original Beadlock had overlapping holes in the jig. There was only one set up, you drilled all the holes and you used their tenon, or got the router it to make your own tenon. The Rockler version has the user drill three holes and then shift the jig to create the overlapping holes. This seems like a way less efficient method and increases the chance of misalignment.

[Carl Crout]

I remember the original Beadlock had overlapping holes in the jig. There was only one set up, you drilled all the holes and you used their tenon, or got the router it to make your own tenon. The Rockler version has the user drill three holes and then shift the jig to create the overlapping holes. This seems like a way less efficient method and increases the chance of misalignment.


Maybe after using it a 1000 times you might get some slop in it and have trouble. It also may be slow but if on a budget WAY cheaper than a Domino..

[Eric Arnsdorff]

Maybe after using it a 1000 times you might get some slop in it and have trouble. It also may be slow but if on a budget WAY cheaper than a Domino..

Carl I haven’t used the Rockler jig but it appears like it would work well. I like the idea of being able to do either individual dowels or using the beadlock tenon. That looks like a nice feature/design they have. As I’m sure you know it isn’t for high production rates. I have the JessEm dowel jigs and for my one off occasional use it is close to as fast as I can make use of my biscuit joiner which I’m sure is as fast as the Domino tool. The dowels offer locations in smaller places. Granted for larger panel glue ups the biscuit joiner is my go to tool. I’ve also been pleasantly surprised with the precision of the dowel placements with my jigs. The Rockler tool looks like it could work well.

Thanks for the measurement for the beadlock spacing. My JessEm jig has 3/4” spacing for the 3/8” dowels and 1/2” spacing for the 1/4” dowels. While I’m very happy with my JessEm jigs that makes the beadlock not work with my JessEm jig. When I laid it out I see that the JessEm spacing wouldn’t work with the beadlock design but does allow putting a full dowel between the 2 holes if desired.

[Carl Crout]

Carl I haven’t used the Rockler jig but it appears like it would work well. I like the idea of being able to do either individual dowels or using the beadlock tenon. That looks like a nice feature/design they have. As I’m sure you know it isn’t for high production rates. I have the JessEm dowel jigs and for my one off occasional use it is close to as fast as I can make use of my biscuit joiner which I’m sure is as fast as the Domino tool. The dowels offer locations in smaller places. Granted for larger panel glue ups the biscuit joiner is my go to tool. I’ve also been pleasantly surprised with the precision of the dowel placements with my jigs. The Rockler tool looks like it could work well.

Thanks for the measurement for the beadlock spacing. My JessEm jig has 3/4” spacing for the 3/8” dowels and 1/2” spacing for the 1/4” dowels. While I’m very happy with my JessEm jigs that makes the beadlock not work with my JessEm jig. When I laid it out I see that the JessEm spacing wouldn’t work with the beadlock design but does allow putting a full dowel between the 2 holes if desired.

You are welcome. Rockler currently is out of stock on the bit and on the stock so I will test it out once I get one or the other.

[Mike Henderson]

For many applications, why not just go with regular mortise and tenon? You can drill out the mortise and then square it with a chisel.

Mike

[Carl Crout]

For many applications, why not just go with regular mortise and tenon? You can drill out the mortise and then square it with a chisel.

Mike It should be faster to use the beadlock system

[Mike Henderson]

It should be faster to use the beadlock system

Go with a loose tenon approach. You can use a dowel jig to position your holes for the mortises and then square the mortises with a chisel. Tenon material is easy to make, and you get two full surfaces of long-grain-to-long grain glue area. And you can make your loose tenons in bulk and cut to length when needed.

If speed is really important, a Domino is the way to go but more expensive.

Mike

But making a regular tenon is easy. I use a sled on my table saw and stop blocks. I can knock out a tenon pretty quickly.

[Stan Calow]

My two cents: with a beadlock (or other loose tenon), the advantage over a regular M/T joint is that you can measure and cut the (for example) aprons of a table to exact length, without having to deal with cutting shoulders and cheeks on the long boards. There's always room for error when having to account for tenons, and especially if you are going to have tapers or splay on the legs.

[Justin Kwong]

You can use a dowel jig to position your holes for the mortises and then square the mortises with a chisel. .

Great tip - thanks!

[Robert Mayer]

The Beadlock is just messy and time consuming. The jig moves around because of the pressure needed to drill the holes. You also have to cut the Beadlock stock to the right length, which is a real pain. Especially if you cut it a bit long. It never seems to drill very straight, so the joints don't fit great. Its probably usable if you spend some time with it. I sold it after one project and got a Dowelmax. I used that Dowelmax for 15 years, built a massive amount of furniture with it. Its works really good. Finally last year I bought a Domino and so far I love it. The speed and dust collection are amazing.