# Maximum stock width for Dowel Jigs



## woodetal (Jan 9, 2019)

All! Most of my joinery is M&T. Some biscuits from time to time. I have two projects that need dowels for various reasons. The stock I need to join is @2.25". It appears the Dowelmax has greater then 2" capacity. Jessem's max remains a mystery. Other jigs appear very limited in max stock width. What is your experience?


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## LeeRoyMan (Feb 23, 2019)

Ye ole' General 840 would go to 4" (had to look that up)
This was my first doweling jig. 
Way before they had any of the fancy stuff, at least fancy stuff that I knew about.

Drilled hundreds of holes and made just as many blisters, but all and all, 
it was pretty descent at lining up holes.


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

The fence on the JessEm goes back to 3 1/2 inches, so you could put a dowel in the center of a 7 inch wide board. It's also designed such that you can change the fence setting without unclamping the jig. That allows you to do arrays of dowels rather than a single row in cases where you need extra joint strength.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

6" width here. $78.50

https://www.dowl-it.com/5

Dowelmax classic does 4", costs a LOT more, but it also is easier to work, and more predictable results.

https://www.amazon.com/Dowelmax-Precision-Engineered-Joining-System/dp/B00021ULRE

I can see why older Generals are selling for a few hundred bux, they worked well, without a lot of fussing.


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## LittleBlackDuck (Feb 26, 2016)

Another one of my not-so *cheap advise*.

If you can afford it, you could do a lot worse than a Fe*$*tool Domino… think long term… I avoided it like the plague till they recently released their breakdown hardware… that has moved the goal post to the opposite end of the field.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

Maybe you could make your own

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=make+your+own+dowel+jig+for+thick+wood+


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