Dowels -To glue or not to glue?

[Brian Penning]

Attempting to see what others do.

[Ron Dunn]

I put the nozzle of the glue bottle just inside the hole, and squeeze very lightly as I rotate the nozzle around sides of the hole. That leaves a fine bead of glue at the top of the whole, which (speculation) is spread as I insert the dowel.

I tried brushing a couple of times, but it just took too long.

Glueing the dowel is a recipe for squeeze-out.

[Art Mulder]

I squirt glue in the hole and spread it around with a toothpick.

(you ARE talking about a dowelmax -or similar- joint, correct?)

[J. Z. Guest]

I put the glue in the hole, and fill it half-way. Then, when I put the ridged dowels in the holes and push them to the bottom, it squishes up all around the dowel. This won't work with spiral flute dowels.

[Brian Penning]

I'm surprised that some folks apply glue to the dowel only.

And no, wasn't specifically thinking of Dowelmax. I often use the ½" dowels fluted dowels from LV

[Jim Lindsay]

Attempting to see what others do.

When gluing the joint assembly, I use an artist's paint brush which is just less than 3/8" diameter, to ensure the entire periphery of the bored hole has a fine film of glue, and if the joint is likely to be highly stressed (e.g. chair rail or apron), I would use the same paint brush to smear a light coating of glue on the exterior surface of each dowel.

Jim Lindsay, Dowelmax