Article Kyle Cameron Article Kyle Cameron

7 Essential Woodworking Joints | A Beginner Woodworkers Guide

As an aspiring woodworker you will inevitably seek to increase your skill and knowledge in the area of joinery. There are many woodworking joints, some more difficult than others, of which a few stand out as being essential to the craft. In my opinion there are 7 joints that, to be an accomplished woodworker,

Introduction

As an aspiring woodworker you will inevitably seek to increase your skill and knowledge in the area of joinery. There are many woodworking joints, some more difficult than others, of which a few stand out as being essential to the craft. In my opinion there are 7 joints that, to be an accomplished woodworker, you must become proficient at in order to produce heirloom quality fine furniture. The following list begins with the simplest joint to accomplish and ends with the most difficult. Keep in mind that this is a highly debated topic amongst woodworkers and you will likely get different answers depending on the person you ask. I developed this list based on my own experience while learning to build furniture and, to this day, am still nowhere near a master at any one of these joints. Woodworking is a craft that people spend a lifetime learning and very few gain the title of master woodworker.

It is my hope that the information you gain through this article will help you on your path to becoming a joinery wizard. If you work through each joint in this list, starting with the butt joint and ending with the dovetail, you will build the joinery skills required to produce stunning furniture pieces.

The Six Essential Woodworking Joints

The Butt Joint

Perhaps the simplest form of joinery is the butt joint. It is the mating of two different wood surfaces, using glue and often a mechanical fastener. This joint doesn’t require the removal of wood to be executed. Most commonly butt joints are used to join boards together for wide panels or table tops. It’s typical to reinforce butt joints with pocket hole screws, dowels, and biscuits to provide additional holding power. Although, these reinforcements are widely used they are not necessary. Modern wood glues have such holding power that the wood fibers will sever long before the wood glue fails. One variation of the butt joint, usually taught to fine woodworking students, is the spring joint. Essentially, a very small amount of wood is removed from the center of each mating board and clamping pressure is used to bring the joint together. This process creates an almost invisible glue joint. This joint variation is on the more advanced side and a little out of scope for this article.

The Half-Lap Joint

The half-lap joint is assembled exactly how the name indicates. Two pieces of lumber are joined together after each piece has half its thickness removed. The two pieces of lumber are overlapped at the points where the wood has been removed and glue is used to secure them to each other. This joint is often used to create frames for cabinet doors, picture frames, drawer fronts, and cabinet face frames. There are many ways to accomplish this joint but usually woodworkers use a table saw equipped with a dado blade. There are ways to use the table saw without the dado blade so don’t worry if you don’t have one. This joint can also be accomplished using a band saw with a tall fence or a hand saw (carcass saw, tenon saw) and a shoulder plane. Although this joint is very strong without reinforcement, it’s common to see half-laps reinforced with dowels. Holes are drilled through the joint, perpendicular to it, in at least two locations and dowels are secured in the holes with glue.

The Miter Joint

When I was starting out as a woodworker this was a joint that I struggled to learn. On its face it’s an easy joint, but executing it is a little harder than it seems. A miter joint is accomplished by joining four pieces of wood that have had a 45 degree angle cut on both ends of each piece. These angels are cut in a sequence that results in a 90 degree corner when the pieces are brought together. When all four pieces are glued, a square or a rectangle should be the result. The problem lies in cutting the 45 degree angles into each corner. Making a perfect 45 degree cut is much more difficult than it seems. Most tools that can accomplish this cut, despite how expensive they are, rarely provide a perfect cut. What happens is a multiplicative effect, meaning, the error compounds itself and by the time you go to glue the last mitered corner a gap in the joint appears. To work around this there are techniques that assist in dealing with the error. I will link to a video showing this process because explaining it is a little tricky. It’s easier to learn the process by seeing it than by reading it. If you are a hand tool user there is a method, the one that I now use, that provides for a high degree of accuracy. It involves the use of a shooting board and hand plane. I will also link to a video demonstrating this technique.

Tongue and Groove Joints

The tongue and groove joint is sort of like a half-lap running along the edge grain of a piece of lumber. Generally, you will see this joint in hardwood flooring, country settles, cedar bottom chests and some bookshelves. What is different about tongue and groove joints is they are typically assembled without glue and with minimal to no fasteners. Most woodworkers use this joint to compensate for situations where wood movement is likely and using glue would result in a joint failure. In my experience, boards that have had tongue and grooves machined into them are sandwiched within a frame allowing for them to be held in place and also move with seasonal expansion and contraction of the wood fibers. To create this joint a table saw and dado blade are used most often. There are also special tongue and groove router bits that are designed specifically to create tongue and grooves. If you’re more of a traditionalist a plow plane or combination plane can be used, in conjunction with tongue and groove blades, to create this joint.

The Box Joint

Also known as a finger joint, the box joint is very strong and one of the more decorative joint options on this list. It consists of a varying number of interlocking fingers that nest inside one another. What makes this joint so strong is the incredible amount of glue surface that exists. The nesting fingers allow for 3/4’s of the available surface area on each finger to be glued directly to the surfaces of adjacent fingers. The only part of each finger that remains unattached is the end grain. Given that end grain glue joints are notoriously weak this isn’t a bad thing. There are several ways to create a box joint, by hand (using hand saws, coping saw, and chisels), with a table saw and dado blade, on a router table using spiral bits and a jig, or on the table using a commercial jig. I have also seen some pretty innovative shop built jigs as well. There are a couple of pretty prominent YouTubers that created a few. Mostly, this joint is used in making drawers for furniture pieces and in jewelry/keepsake box construction. I have even seen a box jointed live edge bench made with reclaimed barn wood and slabs.

Mortise and Tenon Joints

Depending on what type of mortise and tenon you are executing this can be one of the more forgiving joinery methods. It’s created by removing a portion of wood from all four sides of a piece of lumber, usually at one end, and recessing what is left in another piece of lumber. Typically, the entire recessed piece is out of view once the joint is assembled. Being assembled this way allows for some error in fitting the joint. Since you don’t have to worry about any part of the tenon being seen, incredible accuracy isn’t necessary. If the tenon fits inside the mortis relatively well, glue will make up for any issues that might be present. Some woodworkers use this joint as a decorative element in their furniture. Usually, the mortise extends all the way through one piece of lumber and the tenon is either proud of the surface or flush with it. You will often see chamfers on the edges of the protruding tenons, or wedges used to both strengthen the joint and as a decorative element when the tenons are flush. Mortise and tenons are most useful when assembling chests of drawers (the frame), attaching stretchers to legs, and when adding breadboard ends to tabletops. The mortise and tenon joint can be accomplished using a table saw with a dado blade and router with a spiral bit, this is how most wood workers do it, or you can go the traditional route and use a hand saw and chisels. Specialty chisels exist for this specific joint, they are referred to as mortising chisels. Additionally, powered mortisers can be purchased to accomplish the mortise portion of this joint.

The Dovetail Joint

The dovetail joint is likely the most iconic joint that exists in the realm of woodworking. It derives its name from an actual dove’s tail because of its resemblance to the bird’s tail feathers. Typically, a dovetail is used in case work and drawer joinery but there are many applications where this joint can be useful. There are two terms to be aware of with this joint, pins and tails. The tails of a dovetail joint are what you probably expect, the fan like wedge of wood that exists after removing waste wood from between each tail. The pins are the mirror opposite of the tails, the wedge of waste wood removed to make the tails is left behind and wood in the exact shape and depth of the tail is removed revealing the pins. I know that was probably confusing a little so my suggestion would be to dive a little more into this topic by researching images of the joint to better understand it. There are many ways to produce this joint and even more methods that have been developed. Most commonly this joint is produced either by hand, with a dovetail saw, dovetail marker, and chisels, or with a manufactured jig. There are methods that utilize a band saw and table saw to create this joint but it requires you to create a few templates and a sled to make it happen. I will link to a video that demonstrates this technique below. To give you a preview of the rabbit hole you can fall down when exploring this topic, there are several variations of the dovetail joint. The through dovetail, half-blind dovetail, sliding dovetail, mitered dovetail, houndstooth dovetail, and half-blind houndstooth dovetail are just a few of the options you have. This topic can get in-depth and the learning curve to being proficient at this joint can be steep. My suggestion is to get proficient at using a handsaw and chisels before attempting to make on of these. Developing those two skills first will accelerate your ability to make this beautiful and iconic joint.

Conclusion

I hope that this article helped you on your journey to becoming a better woodworker by exposing you to some of the types of joinery that are possible while woodworking. There are many types of joints that can be made and I barely scratched the surface with this article. If this information was a little rudimentary for your current skill level then I suggest looking into the wonderful world of Japanese joinery methods. The Japanese people are some of the most skilled joiners I have ever seen. They can literally build entire structure using joinery alone without mechanical fasteners. Its incredible. If you found this article helpful and would like to support my efforts I would love it if you chose to share this article with your fellow woodworkers on social media. Thanks for reading and good luck.

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Article Kyle Cameron Article Kyle Cameron

The Doweling Jig | 5 Options You Should Consider

There are many options when it comes to which doweling jig you should buy. They come in all variations, shapes, sizes, levels of accuracy and capacity. When I was looking for one myself I unintentionally compiled a lot of research on the topic. Having all this information available I thought that some of you, out there in the woodworking ether, would benefit from having an article available covering the topic.

Introduction

There are many options when it comes to which doweling jig you should buy. They come in all variations, shapes, sizes, levels of accuracy and capacity. When I was looking for one myself I unintentionally compiled a lot of research on the topic. Having all this information available I thought that some of you, out there in the woodworking ether, would benefit from having an article available covering the topic. After several days of searching I compiled a short list of doweling jigs which incorporates 5 of the most common doweling jig variations. That being said there may be other doweling jigs out there that are better or more versatile than the ones I have presented. Additionally, this article is not meant to be an end all be all resource on doweling jigs. What my intention was when building this list was to provide the widest variety of configurations, capacities, and prices for what was available in the doweling jig arena currently on the market.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic and any recommendations you may have for other jigs that I haven’t covered. If you have anything to add please throw it into a comment down below so that all my readers can benefit from it.

Doweling Jigs Worth Looking At

Jessem Model 08350 Dowelling Jig Master Kit

I thought I would start with the most expensive option in this list. The Jessem Model 08350 doweling jig is high quality precision jig. The body of this jig is CNC machined out of aluminum and anodized in black. All of the alignment markings are laser etched to ensure an extremely high level of accuracy. On the underside of the jig body alignment grooves have been milled into the surface to provide accurate alignment in 1/8” increments. These grooves are mated with protrusions on the jig fence for indexing against your work piece. This is the only jig in this list, and possibly on the market, that allows you to adjust for multiple dowel placements without unclamping it. The only downside that I foresee with this jig is its inability to be micro-adjusted. In the event that you have an oddly thicknessed piece of lumber, as in its thickness/size is unknown, you will be locked into those 1/8” increments built into the jig fence. This will cause your placement of dowels to not be symmetrical across the end grain of your piece. This may or may not be a problem for most people but I thought it was worth noting. All in all though, this is an extremely accurate and versatile doweling jig and it has very high rating amongst its users. 

Features/Capabilities

  • Types of Joints: Corner, Edge, Surface
  • Material Thickness: 1/2" - 7"
  • Dowel Sizes: 1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2"
  • Material: Steel
  • Clamping: Manual/Not Integrated

What Comes With It

  • Main Body and Referencing Angle
  • 3/8" Guide Mount with Drill Bit and Indexing Pin
  • 1/4" Guide Mount with Drill Bit and Indexing Pin
  • 1/2" Guide Mount with Drill Bit and Indexing Pin
  • Hex Key
  • Manual

The Milescraft 1311 Joint Pro doweling jig is both affordable and reasonably well made. It has a machined aluminum body, integral (integrated) clamps and an included offset body. The offset body is designed to support the other end of your work pieces while you are drilling the dowel holes. Full disclosure… I personally own this one and I love it. On top of its versatility, the price point for this jig is reasonable as well. The only downside, and something I wish was different, is that the dowel positions are pretty much fixed where they are. There are two positions you can place each dowel hole size which limits placement on thicker work pieces . This is why I think the Amazon rating is somewhat low on this jig. If you are looking for the features of a more expensive jig but don’t want to pay the price then this is a great option. 

Features/Capabilities

  • Types of Joints: Corner, Edge, Surface
  • Material Thickness: 1/2” – 1 1/2"
  • Dowel Sizes: 1/4", 5/16”, 3/8”
  • Material: Aluminum
  • Clamping: Integral/Integrated

What Comes With It

  • Main Body and Offset Body
  • 3 Drill Guide Bushings: 1/4”, 5/16”, 3/8”
  • Allen Key
  • Manual

The highly rated Dowl-it 1000 doweling jig has been around for a long time. It has a machined steel body and a self-centering patented clamping screw that is integrated into the jig body. One of the things that I love about this jig is the multitude of dowel sizes that is supports. Of the jigs in this article, this one has the most options for dowel sizes. With six different option, you can pretty much buy any pre-made dowel on the market and this jig will support it. As good as it is the Dowel-it only supports edge joints. The video linked above shows that you can make it work with corner and face joints but the mating face dowel holes have to be drilled manually(without a jig). At the end of the day this is a basic doweling jig with some very convenient features. It’s hard to go wrong with anything made or promoted by Rockler, so you will likely not be disappointed with this as long as your needs are basic.

Features/Capabilities

  • Types of Joints: Edge
  • Material Thickness: 1/2” – 2"
  • Dowel Sizes: 3/16", 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 7/16" and 1/2"
  • Material: Hardened Steel
  • Clamping: Integral/Integrated

What Comes With It

  • Main Body
  • Manual
  • Amazon Rating: 4.5 out of 5
  • Price Point: $40 - $50
  • Product Link: https://amzn.to/2X8brNO
  • Product Video: Not Available

This is the only obscure brand doweling jig that I included in this list. There are other brands that produce the exact same jig, but this is the only one I found that included multiple sizes in the same kit. The construction of this jig is a machined steel body with an acrylic fence. This is a very basic doweling jig and isn’t meant for complex dowel joinery. If you are looking to simply edge joint boards together for panel glue-ups or shelving, then this one is for you. The kit that I link to above has three different jig bodies, the corresponding drill bits, stop collars, and a hard-shell case. What this jig lacks in versatility it makes up for in presentation and completeness. Of the jigs in this article, this kit has the most included with it. The thing to keep in mind here is to not expect a high degree of accuracy, this is more of a utility dowel jig then a precision one.

Features/Capabilities

  • Types of Joints: Edge
  • Material Thickness: 1/2"(No max limit)
  • Dowel Sizes: 1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2"
  • Material: Hardened Steel/Acrylic
  • Clamping: Manual/Not Integrated

What Comes With It

  • 1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2” Doweling Jigs
  • 1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2” Drill Bits
  • Drill Bit Stop Collars
  • Manual and Carry Case

The Milescraft #1319 JointMate is the most unique of the doweling jigs in this article. It neither has the ability to clamp to a workpiece or change templates for various dowel sizes. Instead, what it does is self-center using four posts protruding from its body and must be held in place using the integral (integrated) handle. Curiously though, this jig can drill three different size dowel holes and has the capability to perform all the same joints as the most expensive jig in this list. How you utilize the four protruding posts determines which dowel hole will self-center on the workpiece. The manual does an ok job of showing a pictographic representation of how to use the self-centering posts based on board thickness. I suggest downloading it to see how this jig works before making the decision to purchase. Its price and capabilities are very enticing, but its accuracy and ease of use is lacking a little.

Features/Capabilities

  • Types of Joints: Corner, Edge, Surface
  • Material Thickness: 1/2" to 1 1/2"
  • Dowel Sizes: 1/4”, 5/16”, 3/8"
  • Material: ABS Plastic
  • Clamping: Manual Hold/Clamping Not Available

What Comes With It

  • Jig Body and Fence
  • Manual

Conclusion

Regardless of the jig you choose, it needs to be right for the project you are working on. Not all dowel jigs, joinery jigs in general, are right for every situation. You may be working on a project that simply requires edge joining or one that may require dowels in multiple non-typical locations. Dowel jigs on the cheaper side will generally have fewer adjustments and be less capable then the more expensive ones but, if you needs are basic, you may only need to buy that $10 jig. If your still reading this far into my article then the only advice I can give is match the jig to the project and don’t break the bank to have the best and most accurate jig when you don’t need it. As always thanks for reading and I hope you found something in this article useful and it helped you make a decision for your project.

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