How Do You Fasten Wood With Dowels?
Dowels are a great way to fasten wood to give it more stability than just using screws. Dowels are small, cylindrical pieces of wood that fit into holes at a joint of two larger pieces of wood. Using dowels to fasten wood works well in making shelves, cabinets and small wooden furniture. Buy a few dowels at the local hardware store. Either buy long dowels to cut to size or buy precut dowels. The advantage to buying precut dowels is that they will be even, chamfered and will have slots cut to allow wood glue to escape. Dowels are usually 1/4 inch, 5/16 inch, 3/8 inch and 1/2 inch. Drill holes for the dowel into one of the pieces of wood you want to join. Use at least two dowels at each joint. Use a drill bit that is the same diameter as your dowel and drill slightly deeper than half of the length of the dowel. The added depth will allow a place for the wood glue. Use masking tape to mark on your drill bit the necessary depth. Mark the other piece of wood where you need to drill for the
