8 Best Dowel Jigs 2022 – Reviews & Buyer’s Guide

In numerous cases, the ideal way to produce a joint is to use a dowel, but striving to drill matching dowel holes freehand is incredibly difficult. Dowel jigs simplify the approach by giving you an correct, straightforward to use resource that gives trusted results. However, sorting via the a lot of manufacturers can be demanding, and there can be a considerable distinction in between versions.

We have picked 8 various dowel jigs to assessment, so you can see the variation amongst them as properly as any special characteristics 1 may have that another does not. We’ve also included a buyer’s information to support you learn more about how these instruments work.

Be a part of us while we consider an in-depth search at housing material, wooden stock dimensions, dowel dimension, simplicity of use, and much more to aid you make an educated buy.

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A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites

The 8 Best Dowel Jigs – Reviews 2022

1. Wolfcraft 3751405 Pro Doweling Jig Kit – Best Overall

The Wolfcraft 3751405 Professional Doweling Jig Kit is our decide for the ideal total dowel jig. It functions a compact design and style with sturdy aluminum development. It’s lightweight and easy to set up and even comes with a complete instruction guide describing every stage of the doweling approach. It can all function with substance from one/2 to one one/four inches thick, assisting you produce 1/4, five/16, three/eight-inch dowel holes for your projects. The jig has 2 parts that help clamp the wood to keep your undertaking protected even though you drill, and three steel depth stops to guarantee correct drilling depth and maximum flexibility. It will come with 60 fluted dowel pins to support you get started out quickly.

The only criticism we have about the Wolfcraft 3751405 Professional is that the drill stops use slotted screws alternatively of hex screws, so it’s harder to get a tight grip on the drill little bit. Regardless of this we feel this is the greatest dowel jig you can acquire this 12 months.

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2. Milescraft 1319 Handheld Dowel Jig – Best Value

The Milescraft 1319 Handheld Dowel Jig is our choose for the ideal dowel jig for the income since it is quickly and straightforward to use. It functions a special style in which four pegs work to self-centre the jig, so there is no need to have for measurements or markings. Chambers reduce into the device assist you to line up your dowels, so the boards go together correctly. You can use it with lumber from 1/2 to one 1/2 inches thick, and it will aid you make holes for one/four, 5/16, 3/eight-inch dowels. Steel bushings aid to make sure lengthy daily life.

The biggest issue we had with the Milescraft 1319 was that the manage wasn’t usually at a convenient angle. The jig is all 1 piece and facilities alone employing the plastic ft, which often puts the jig manage at a considerably less than best angle to hold it while drilling.

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3. Eagle America Self-Centering Dowel Jig – Premium Choice

The Eagle The us 445-7600 Self-Centering Dowel Jig is our top quality decision dowel jig. This exact jig is ideal for one/4, 5/16, three/8, seven/sixteen, and one/2-inch dowels, which provides 2 bigger sizes than our other top versions. The anodized aluminum entire body is lightweight but tough sufficient to final numerous several years, and the bushings use hardened steel to protect them from put on. You can use any wood from one/four to six inches thick, which is a broader range than our leading types, and it attributes 2 self-centering holes with 2 bushings each and every.

The most significant dilemma we had with Eagle The united states was that it was not quite precise out of the box and needed calibration. Thankfully, this is one of the few equipment that allow calibration, and after altered, it worked completely nevertheless, it wasn’t as great on edge to surface joints as our leading decision.

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4. Woodstock D4116 Doweling Jig

The Woodstock D4116 Doweling Jig can operate with wooden up to 2 inches thick and can create two parallel holes with out relocating the jig. It can make holes for one/four, five/sixteen, 3/8, 7/16, and one/2-inch dowels and comes with six hardened steel bushings, two for each of the one/4, five/16, and three/eight sizes. It’s self-centering and manufactured from sturdy aluminum.

We like using the Woodstock, and the only problem we had with it was that the greatest 1/2-inch dimensions gap was a bit as well modest and would get the drill little bit, so we could not use it for one/2-inch dowels.

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5. Milescraft 1311 Doweling Jig

The Milescraft 1311 Doweling Jig is distinctive in that it enables you to clamp both boards concurrently and can develop up to 3 holes without moving the jig. It is appropriate for generating holes that fit 1/4, five/16, three/eight-inch dowels, and can perform with wooden among 1/2 and 1 1/2 inches thick. It is created from resilient aluminum and includes detailed instructions on producing many different joints.

The draw back to the Milescraft 1311 is that it needs a large degree of precision from the person when location up the venture. This slightest inaccuracy when aligning the boards will consequence in a flawed joint. There are also 4 screws holding the information in spot, so it’s tiresome to adjust between assignments, and the screws are gentle and effortlessly stripped. It’s a decent dowel jig, but it will take some follow to turn out to be competent at utilizing it.

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6. AUTOTOOLHOME Self Centering Doweling Jig

The AUTOTOOLHOME Self Centering Doweling Jig is a self-centering jig manufactured of aircraft-quality aluminum for severe durability. It gives for accurate positioning and characteristics a hardened metal middle block to resist dress in from drill bits. It also involves 6 hardened and steel bushings with easy relocating threads for precise depth control. It can operate with round or square wood up to two one/two inches thick and is ideal for producing 1/4, five/16, three/eight, seven/16, and one/2-inch dowels. A large steel clamping screw allows you to utilize as significantly strain as necessary.

Even though the AUTOTOOLHOME labored properly sufficient, we found that it didn’t grip the undertaking very properly and necessary too much tightening, often with pliers’ support, to get it to keep the venture without having sliding. It also required some adjustment out the box to make it self-centering, and it is very expensive for what you get.

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7. Rockler Corner Key Doweling Jig

The Rockler Corner Crucial Doweling Jig is unique in that it is for producing decorative joints. As opposed to most dowel jigs, this device drills from the exterior of the joint leaving the dowels uncovered for an inventive physical appearance. It drills dowel holes at a 45° angle and generates holes for 1/8, one/four, 3/8-inch dowels. A obvious alignment window and molded reference traces make it effortless to align your project and drill with confidence.

The draw back to the Rockler Corner Essential is that it is only suitable for scaled-down ornamental assignments and is not effectively suited to common goal joints. It also does not come with any clamps, so you are going to require to purchase those separately.

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8. HF tools Doweling Jig Tool

The HF instruments Doweling Jig Device is the previous model of dowel jig on our listing to evaluation, and it is suitable for making holes for one/four, five/16, three/8, seven/sixteen, and one/two-inch dowels. It consists of 5 metal bushings and works with wood up to two inches thick.

Unfortunately, we did not find the HF appropriate for our workshop. Each bushing was also tiny and would grab the drill bit preventing it from drilling into the task. If you have the equipment in your workshop, you could be ready to bore them out marginally so you can use this jig, but it looks like a lot of perform for the couple of bucks saved. It does not self-heart both, and it is difficult to align the holes, so you will also require to try to calibrate it or use wedges.

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Buyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Dowel Jig

In this segment we’ll take a seem at some issues you must contemplate before buying a dowel jig.

When Do I Use a Dowel Jig?

You use a dowel jig when you need to join two boards collectively employing dowels. The dowel makes certain that the gap you drill to maintain the dowel is at the correct position and depth. The housing retains the drill bit straight although a stopper prevents the bit from going as well deep. Guides also assist you drill the matching gap so the two boards can join.

Trying to drill these holes without having the dowel jig’s support would probably guide to an angled dowel and a misaligned and compromised joint.

Bushings

Metal bushings are the element of the resource your drill little bit passes through to speak to the wooden. These bushings are hardened steel to resist put on from becoming in speak to with the drill bit. Different dimensions bushings will permit you to create holes appropriate for various sized dowels. Most of the manufacturers on our listing allow for at minimum three distinct dowel dimensions, with the 1/four, 5/sixteen, and three/8-inch dimension currently being the most well-known. However, you can locate dowel jigs that let you to accommodate a extensive variety of dowels to match any project.

Maximum Material Size

The highest dimensions of the content your jig can settle for is the subsequent point you want to consider ahead of generating a acquire. Most of the jigs on our record can acknowledge substance amongst 1/2 and one one/2 inches thick, which ought to be much more than adequate for becoming a member of most boards in the house workshop. However, like pushing size, you can find tools that will take smaller sized and more substantial pieces of wood if you require it for your venture.

Self-Centering

Most dowel jigs are self-centering and routinely use posts or legs that protrude from the base to line up the gadget. While most of them are relatively exact, if you are a perfectionist, you may possibly discover some of these tools are slightly off-center when you produce the gap. Many of the jigs on our list let you to calibrate them if you uncover they are not centered correctly.

Accuracy

While the instrument demands to centre itself appropriately, it have to also permit you to produce a gap in the next board that strains up with the initial, so the two can be part of appropriately. Some jigs make lining up the board easier than other people, and we tried out to mention any equipment that had been tough to use in our testimonials.

Construction Material

Although the bushing substance is the most vital, the housing content is also important in terms of weight and durability. Most of the dowel jigs on our checklist are aluminum nonetheless, some use other components like plastic or metal.

Drill Stop

There are two kinds of the drill cease. The first variety looks like a bolt and slides above the drill bit and fastens with a screw. This second variety screws into the prime of the dowel jig, and you can change in-depth by how much you screw it in.

Instructions

There are a number of joints that you can use any dowel jig to help create, and if you are new to woodworking, a appropriate established of recommendations describing these joints is an vital part of your obtain. Most of the equipment on our checklist contain some simple recommendations, and we attempted to stage out individuals with detailed information.

Quick Tips

Choosing Dowel Size

Using your Dowel Jig

Conclusion

When deciding on your next dowel jig, you can’t go mistaken with our choice for the best general. The Wolfcraft 3751405 Professional Doweling Jig Package permits you to drill to the most common dowel dimensions. It has a resilient aluminum body, will come with 2 clamps to aid hold your undertaking in location, and contains sixty dowel pens for you to get began quickly.

One more intelligent choice is our greatest value. The Milescraft 1319 Handheld Dowel Jig is like our best choose in several methods but decreases expenses by using a plastic housing materials. It worked completely for us, however, and we feel it would make a wonderful addition to any woodshop.

We hope you have enjoyed studying more than these reviews and understand something new from our buyer’s information. If we have assisted you find your up coming device, make sure you share this guide to the best dowel jigs on Facebook and Twitter.