Are 3/8” Dowels Suitable for a 6” Thick Coffee Table Board?
Asked by CraftyNinja42
I'm building a circular coffee table with cross halved legs, arranged like a plus or X shape. I've been debating how to attach the legs securely to the top and am leaning towards using dowels and glue. I already have quite a few 3/8" dowels on hand and I'm wondering if they're too small for this application or if they'd work, considering the table will rest on the dowels and legs.
Answers
It’s pretty unlikely that multiple 3/8” dowels will shear off in normal use; you’d likely damage the table before that happens. If you're still worried, using more dowels can help. Just remember, the glue can sometimes fail and cause the dowels to pull out, but that’s not a huge concern in this case.
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Don't forget that dowels are mainly used for alignment, not necessarily for strength. You might be tempted to think they offer a ton of support, but they really help keep things in place instead. That said, if you're using them correctly, the 3/8” dowels should be fine for your project!
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TableTopTinkerer: That's a great point! I did some digging, and I didn’t see that mentioned often—makes me feel better about using the 3/8” dowels.