Why is the Miller™ Dowel better than a straight (pin) dowel?
The most significant difference is what we call the “capping effect” of the head of the Miller Dowel. What this means is that the only shoulder along the length of a Miller Dowel that seats when inserted is the topmost section. The force of your mallet drives the Miller Dowel down into the pilot hole until the top section seats—forcing the top board down against the substrate. This clamping pressure is so effective that the work piece no longer needs to be clamped, and the chance of a bridge forming between the two components is nearly impossible.
