# Glue or Epoxy?



## docspencer (Jan 27, 2013)

I'm building a cherry bench with slab top and slab legs. I'm using dowels to join the top to the legs and stretcher to the legs. The dowels are a bot loose in the holes. Will glue be strong enough or should I use epoxy. This is my first piece to sell so I want it to be good and sturdy. Thanks.


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## BFamous (Jan 26, 2018)

If the dowels are loose, switch to bigger dowels. Sure you could use a liquid that expands to hope the gaps are filled, but wouldn't you feel better knowing you sold a piece where the joints were tight to begin with?


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## eflanders (May 2, 2013)

An epoxy would probably be best because of the loose fit. Otherwise use a gap filling/expanding glue like gorilla glue.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

Use wedges in the dowels to tighten the fit. It is always better to have a strong mechanical bond than to rely on glue to compensate for a weak one.


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## docspencer (Jan 27, 2013)

Wow. Thanks for the quick replies. I should clarify - used 3/4" dowels and 3/4" forstner bit. The dowels wouldn't fit so I had to sand a bit. Not horribly loose but I wanted to create room for the glue/epoxy.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Or wedge the dowel.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Dowel rod sold in hardware stores isn't round.

If you're getting your dowels from that material
I recommend re-thinking the approach.

Round dowel stock can be made with a jig on
the table saw or with a router table.


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## BFamous (Jan 26, 2018)

Well if you sanded them too thin, can't you just get new ones? 

Otherwise, I agree with the wedged approach too.


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## docspencer (Jan 27, 2013)

Sure. I have some of the rod left. Don't I need some room for adhesive in the hole?


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

How loose are they? If there are no big gaps and the dowel holds on its own, just use some PVA glue.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

If you have an 1/8"+ thick pc of steel you can make a dowel plate.

Drill a hole. Pound it through. I did some 1/8" dowels recently. Worked like a champ.


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## patcollins (Jul 22, 2010)

Many dowels that are made for the purpose of joinery are fluted so that the glue has a place to go when you pound them in. If there is no place for the glue to go the dowel will not go in all the way. If I were making my own dowels I would take a triangular file and make some small random notches on them for the glue to go.


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