Dowelling Jigs - suggestions

[puffernutter]

Not metalworking, sorry!

I need to make some bespoke shelves and I was considering a classic "MFI - Made For Idiots" approach of having 3/4" x 18" wide mdf uprights and dowelling shelves. There are in fact two sets of shelves, the first set are 18" wide, the second set are 12" wide.
So I need a way to accurately dowel the ends of the shelves and of course the uprights to match.

There appears to be a large number of options on line from Banggood, through Screwfix to Axminster Tools! This is the only job I have planned with the jig for the moment, so a professional jig (at professional prices) is not worth it. Cheap and cheerful may not give me the accuracy, so summat inbetween?

What have you done in the past?

I know the shelves will be fixed, that's not and issue and I'd prefer to dowel as anything else takes space away.

Cheers

Peter

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Biscuit jointer for alignment and screw if MDF. Gonna have to paint anyway so easy enough to two part the holes.

Just like these were far quicker than messing with dowels

 

[puffernutter]

Biscuit jointer for alignment and screw if MDF. Gonna have to paint anyway so easy enough to two part the holes.

Good idea, I've always have a desire for a biscuit joiner, but never the justification.....

Cheers

Peter

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Good idea, I've always have a desire for a biscuit joiner, but never the justification.....

Cheers

Peter

Much quicker when dealing with MDF
Just keep an eye on your reference surfaces.

I picked up one of these

Can't fault it for the pennies.

Probably update it as it's seen a lot more use than expected

Triton TBJ001 760W Biscuit Jointer 240V | Toolstation

• 760 watt Power • 0-90° angle & 0-40mm height adjustable fence • Cast aluminium base, fence & drive housing & easy blade change • Quick set depth guide with fine adjustment compatible with #0, #10, #20 & S6 biscuits Supplied with dust extraction bag. Powerful 760W biscuit jointer...

www.toolstation.com

 

[badabec]

How about a pocket hole jig? Kreg do a good one. They also make angled plugs to fill in the hole.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kreg-R3-INT-Pocket-Hole-Jig/dp/B077HZ747J

Kreg Jig® R3

The Home Improver’s Solution for Building with Wood With the Kreg Jig® R3, you can build bookcases, shelves, and storage projects for your…

www.kreg-europe.com

 

[bricol]

No More Nails

Previous owner of my garage used something similar to add battens and shelves to the concrete panels - the wood splintered leaving thin slivers behind way before the glue gave up!

 

[gaz1]

 

[Newlands]

Lost count of the number of MDF shelving units I’ve made. All of them had the uprights grooved to take the shelves - you only need about 2mm depth so it can be done in one pass with a router. Before I had a Domino I often just used screws and pva to fix the shelves - csk the holes and fill with polyester filler. In fact, some of the bedroom units I made for myself over twenty years ago we’re done like this and are perfectly acceptable even after all this time, with no sign of the screw holes under the paint finish.
Here’s a slightly more fancy one with a face frame and doors, but the carcass underneath is just as described above - 18mm mdf shelves sitting in 2mm grooves routed in the uprights. If you want to add strength to the shelves, fit a back (glue and pin to the shelves) and add a bit of 20x45 to the front edge otherwise any shelf over a couple of feet long will sag.

I’ve always thought dowels are a complete waste of time - they add no strength and are fiddly to line up. A roofing square, a sharp pencil, a bench, a couple of decent clamps and a router will give you better strength and better accuracy.

 

[mtt.tr]

I like my dowel jointer.

 

[Robotstar5]

Good idea, I've always have a desire for a biscuit joiner, but never the justification.....

Cheers

Peter

I have an Aldi Powercraft? biscuit jointer still in it's box if you're interested? seemed like a good idea at the time I bought it