Dowelmax

[Bob Jeppson]

First of all I am not a representative of, a family member of nor do I have any financial interest in dowelmax. I felt this tool worthy of a testimonial.

What an amazing well engineered tool. As a beginning woodworker the dowelmax makes me look like I know what I am doing. Perfect fits and worth the money though I did question my own sanity when I made the decision to spend that amount of money on a "dowel jig". To call this highly engineered tool a "dowel jig" does not serve it justice. I would spend the money again. It is one of those rare items that does exactly what it is advertised to do.

Thanks for reading.

[Carroll Courtney]

Thanks Bob,I have made plans to purchase one also, when my secret funds allows me too.Each postive post that I read gets me fired up.

[Matt Ocel]

Yeah - I'm going to get one also. No matter how hard I try, I still get a little creep on my pocket screws

[Mike Heidrick]

My instructional free DVD came today and the price sheet. Looks awesome. Anyone want to sell me theirs and buy a domino?

[Randy Davidson]

I am extremely happy with my Dowelmax. It has been easy and accurate to the tee every time I have used it. Seriously consider ordering the 1/4" dowel setup along with it.

[J. Z. Guest]

My instructional free DVD came today and the price sheet. Looks awesome. Anyone want to sell me theirs and buy a domino?

Nope, and that's the key Mike. There are very few bad things about it, and no one wants to sell theirs. Also, people don't regret spending the money after buying it, even though it costs a pretty penny! That was pretty convincing to me.

I ordered the free DVD & flyer too, and watched it about 5 times, each time, I was closer to buying it. Even so, that is nothing until you see & touch one in person. If you're coming up in the Chicago direction, drop me a PM and I'll have you over to look at it in person over a beer or two.

(Mike Lindsay: Have you considered creating a Dowelmax Owners Registry? One in which DM owners would be willing to demonstrate in person the DMs? I think that would help your cause. If it results in a sale, tracked through a simple referall form, you could give the original DM owner a $10 gift card for dowelmax products or a free baggie of dowels?)


Here were the things that surprised me about Dowelmax:
The bit needs cleaning a bit more often than is shown in the videos. (and not with your fingers, or you'll slice yourself on that razor-sharp bit)
The fit & finish of the device. Even though everyone says it is great, it just cannot be appreciated except in person. For example, the way the finger nuts are so buttery smooth on the threaded studs.
If you use it to glue up panels, make sure you don't put the dowels too close to the ends of the boards. Otherwise, when you cut the panel to final length and cut through a dowel, you'll be mad at yourself. Also, make the panel near to final width, so you don't rip it later and get into the ends of the dowels.

Downsides? Only two that I can think of, and they're both pretty weak:
In order to work efficiently on 3/4" stock, you need two bits & stop collars. Otherwise, you have to keep moving the stop collar.
The joints look like butt joints when finished. This is not always what I'm after. (just bought a dovetail jig for the rest of the time)The old adage is especially true when it comes to doweling jigs: "Buy once, cry once. Buy cheap, buy twice." :D

[Ray Schafer]

As I have said in other posts, this is an awesome tool. It has even outdone my Kreg pocket jig as my favorite device. I bought the 1/4" kit and one extra drill bit and drill stop for each size.

[Don Dorn]

I keep reading testimonials like this and edge closer each time to ordering one. I have absolutely no doubt as to the tools quality and accuracy, but with so many other options, I'm having difficulty justifying it. That said however, I sprung for a Mortise Pal and really like it - same type of quality engineering. Not sure I really need both but I'm positive I would have been very happy with the Dowelmax. I hope to see one in action before droppig nearly $300.

[Bryan Berguson]

I took another hickory face frame out of the clamps tonight that was put together using my Dowelmax. I was again able to sand the joints with my ROS using 150 grit. A couple of them I could have hand sanded! If you've ever worked with hickory, you'll know how good of a testimonial that is. :)
I sure wish I'd had the DM when I made all the trim for my house...:rolleyes:

Bryan

[Art Mulder]

I Seriously consider ordering the 1/4" dowel setup along with it.

I echo this. This comment is the ONE regret that I read over and over again in owner testimonials. Save on shipping and order this right away with the whole package.

Actually, I am surprised that the company doesn't just offer this as a package on their website.


The bit needs cleaning a bit more often than is shown in the videos. (and not with your fingers, or you'll slice yourself on that razor-sharp bit)

I found this also. So far, I usually poked it out with a pencil, but I might just get a chopstick or some other scrap of wood and tuck it into my domino kit box to keep it handy.

[Phil Thien]

For fast bit-cleaning with my shop-made doweling jig, I mounted a scrub brush to the edge of my bench. I can just drag my bit against the scrub brush and it cleans the bit for me. Fast and no bleeding.

[Jim Lindsay]

(Mike Lindsay: Have you considered creating a Dowelmax Owners Registry? One in which DM owners would be willing to demonstrate in person the DMs? I think that would help your cause. If it results in a sale, tracked through a simple referall form, you could give the original DM owner a $10 gift card for dowelmax products or a free baggie of dowels?)

Hi Jeremy,

It's an excellent idea and we've considered it before, however this is the first time it has been suggested from outside the company. Just last week someone from Carlisle, PA was asking for a local Dowelmax owner that he could contact. Also, thanks for offering to show it to the member that is interested. One thing about this business is that we have really great customers.

Because it could be a commercial pursuit, what we need to do is set up a Dowelmax Owners Club blog or forum of our own to host the registry. In the meantime, I will send you a PM to discuss it further.

Mike Lindsay.

[Bryan Berguson]

It's an excellent idea and we've considered it before, however this is the first time it has been suggested from outside the company. Just last week someone from Carlisle, PA was asking for a local Dowelmax owner that he could contact. Also, thanks for offering to show it to the member that is interested. One thing about this business is that we have really great customers.

Mike Lindsay.
http://www.dowelmax.com


Jim,

Carlisle is about 3 hours from me. Not that close but I'd be happy to talk to this fellow about my Dowelmax.

PM me if you'd like contact information.

Bryan

[Glenn Clabo]

[quote=Jim LindsayBecause it could be a commercial pursuit, what we need to do is set up a Dowelmax Owners Club blog or forum of our own to host the registry.
Mike Lindsay.[/quote]
Contact Keith...
http://sawmillcreek.org/member.php?find=lastposter&t=78954

[Tom Esh]

...The fit & finish of the device. Even though everyone says it is great, it just cannot be appreciated except in person. For example, the way the finger nuts are so buttery smooth on the threaded studs.

Indeed. I don't own any Lie-Nielsen planes, but the DM is certainly the most beautifully made tool in my shop.


Tip / warning for all DM owners: Be very careful when adding or fabricating your own supplemental shims or you can easily degrade the accuracy of this wonderful tool. In particular, don't expect a handful of brass washers from the local hardware store to come anywhere near DM tolerances. Use precision spacers if you can find them. I was doing an edge joint, did the first bores, moved the jig, and the index pin wouldn't drop into the bore. (What the ...!!?) Turns out my shims were .05 thicker on one side of the jig than the other. Out comes the micrometer and holy cow, major variance in those washers. So I went and bought a bag full and spent the next hour with the micrometer and a lapping plate to come up with half a dozen flat and within a couple thou of each other. In hindsight I think I could have fabricated some one-piece shims from sheet alum faster, but it was kinda' fun watching that DMT diamond plate make short work of brass.:D

[John Morrison60]

I have one more positive for the Dowel Max.

The How-to DVD is the best cure for insomnia that exists.
Took me three shots to get through it.

Now, that is something all of the good customers could do for Jim.
Spice up those monotone descriptions and instructions.


How's that for reaching for a criticism.

[Ron Dunn]

Jim, I'm happy to have potential Australian customers referred to me for reference. If they're in the state of Victoria I'll be able to demonstrate, otherwise reference by phone or email.

[Ray Schafer]

I can cover the Denver area.

[Jim Lindsay]

Bryan,

Thanks for the offer. I'll email the person to see if he want's to take us up on that.

Ron and Ray,

Thanks for offering to cover those areas. I will start a record of everything now so that we have the start of the registry already!

Mike from Dowelmax.

[Peter Quadarella]

I sort of discounted the Dowelmax after I purchased the Domino, but after seeing this thread and all the past favorable reviews, along with someone saying they were thinking about selling their Domino for it, maybe I should give it another look. Are there things that are much easier to do with this than the domino?

[Ray Schafer]

Peter, for me it wasn't a matter of what I can do better with the Dowelmax, it was a matter of being able to do as much for less money.

When you buy the Domino, by the time that you add the additional cutters and stock, you are well over $1000. I could buy everything that I needed with the Dowelmax for less than $400. I am sure that the Domino is a fine tool, and if I had an extra thousand bucks lying around, I would probably buy it. I also like that fact that I won't need to replace expensive cutters over time -- just a drill bit.

All that being said, I think that I may have a little more flexibility with the Dowelmax because I can put as many dowels as I want and anywhere that I want. ... but don't take that as a testimonial. I don't own a Domino and have only seen demos of it. Others who have used both more extensively may have more to add on that point.

I know that people who have seen my posts may think that I have just gone off the deep end with my admiration for this tool, but I really am just so very impressed with how it let's me avoid the many hassles or cost of M&T with (what I believe to be) joints that are as good as M&T.

[Peter Quadarella]

I hear you Ray, it sounds like a great tool. I already have the Domino and am not going to sell it - I'm just curious if there are any reasons to have both, or if it is a one or the other type thing.

[J. Z. Guest]

Peter, in WOOD magazine's "Loose Tenon Tools" test a while back, joints from Dowelmax came out stronger than Domino's, but took a bit longer. Both were judged to have adequate strength to replace traditional M&T's. I can't find the link to their page on it at the moment.

[Peter Quadarella]

The thing with all those tests, is they never compare like with like. For example, did they compare the dowelmax joint vs. a Domino one with 4 dominos? With the dowelmax or domino, you can just add more of the joints to make it stronger (to a point of course).

[Brian Penning]

Could a dowelmax be useful in chair repairs?
Looking at the videos I'm wondering if the jig could be used for centering over old dowels and drilling them out.

[Mike Henderson]

Could a dowelmax be useful in chair repairs?
Looking at the videos I'm wondering if the jig could be used for centering over old dowels and drilling them out.
I'd be interested in that, also. Remember that some dowels will be at an angle, especially where the seat side rail attaches to the back stile. The seat side rails splay outward towards the front.

What I'd do is add at least one additional dowel in that joint for strength. Two dowels just aren't enough.

Mike

[Bruce Glazier]

I love mine. Made some spacers out of hardboard - works fine.

[Jim Lindsay]

Could a dowelmax be useful in chair repairs?
Looking at the videos I'm wondering if the jig could be used for centering over old dowels and drilling them out.

Hi Brian,

The answer to your question is yes. What I do is plug the holes already in existance, then dress the surface. It seems to me that chair rails are the most stressed joints in furniture, so you want to increase the number and the depth. I would use 3 dowels, 2 inches long at least, or if possible a double row. The dowel position is infinitely adjustable based on the appropriate use of spacers and can be adjusted to match the position of the original dowels.

For the angles, I have devised a method, in the form of an accessory which attaches to the angle clamp bracket. It's fairly simple to make, but when bolting it to the angle clap bracket use great care and a digital caliper. A sketch of the accessory is shown on the "Angle Joint" page on http://www.dowelmax.com

On another topic, I'd like to respond to the posts by Jeremy Zorns and Peter Quadrella. Peter, you are abslutely right. I was driven to distraction by those tests. First of all, they used a zero biscuit (to compare to a mortise and tenon?). Then they used 2 dowels, again totaly inadequate for a strength test.

What they should have done is start off with the #20 biscuit which if I remember correctly requires 3-1/4 to 3-1/2 width of stock, which can accomodate 4-5 dowels. If they had done the test on that basis, believe me the results would have been completely different.

Jim.

[Robert Mayer]

I have had mine for 2 years and love it. Its an amazing tool. I bought one of the few used ones ever offered on the planet. I paid $250 on ebay for mine before the price increase. After using it I would gladly pay $400 for it. Its just worth that much.

[Mike Heidrick]

Does the dowel max limit you to putting dowels only along an edge? Can you put dowles in the middle of a piece of wood? With a biscuit jointer and Domino you just press the machine into the wood and done. How do you do this with the dowel max?

[Glenn Clabo]

Like this???

http://www.dowelmax.com/images/Application%20Example%207.jpg (http://www.dowelmax.com/images/P1010013.JPG)

[Ron Dunn]

... I would gladly pay $400 for it ...

Please don't give them that idea! *Grin*

I got enough trouble from my wife for the current purchase price. At least she settled down after seeing me use it.

[Mike Heidrick]

Like this???


http://www.dowelmax.com/images/Application%20Example%207.jpg (http://www.dowelmax.com/images/P1010013.JPG)



Yes but say in the middle of piece 8" or 12" wide.

[Joe Vincent]

Yes but say in the middle of piece 8" or 12" wide.

You would need to position the edge of the Dowelmax against a clamped straight edge / fence (offset to account for the distance to the center of the holes). Similar to what you'd need to do with a Domino or biscuit joiner, I presume.

[Ray Schafer]

Yes! Absolutely! If you go to the DowelMax website and view the videos, they demonstrate how to do just that. For example, you can use them to put a permanent shelf in the middle of a cabinet.

[Mike Heidrick]

Thats what I wanted to know. Thankyou. Know of ANY limitations to the dowelmax?

[Patrick Melchior]

I just find it interesting that how some people complain about the price of tools. Maybe it is because the size of the dowelmax is rather small and the price is by some standards high. Just like the festool domino. Well, what you are paying for is the engineering that went into the tool. I bet that there were many protoypes of the dowelmax/festool before it went to market. So with that being said..... Hey, its made in America.