Hey everyone! I'm feeling pretty stuck on a project I've been tackling, specifically making some patio chairs with the Brady Hommel plans. I'm having a tough time figuring out how to join two 17-degree miter cuts (the back leg and back support of the chair) using dowels. I have a warrior self-centering dowel jig that works well for straight joints, but it just won't help me with this angled connection. I'm worried that using pocket holes or biscuits might not hold up, and I definitely can't afford a domino joiner right now. I'd really appreciate any tips or advice you might have!
3 Answers
Have you tried using a wedge made from some scrap wood? You could drill through it to get a good connection while still using your 90° dowel jig. That might give you the angle you need!
If you can line up two flat faces on the pieces that you're connecting, you can reference your dowel jig off those faces. Even if the dowels aren't square to the rest of your project, as long as they're square with the flat surfaces, you'll be fine. But if I'm not getting it right, maybe a sketch of your setup could help clarify!
Got it, that makes sense! I just need to figure out how to set the dowel jig for that 17-degree angle.
You could try using through dowels. Honestly, you don't even need a jig for that—just drill them in a bit blindly and push them through. If you want, you could also add some splines for extra strength! That's the method I'd go with.
Exactly! If you use another wedge to adjust, you can get it back to 90°, which should help a ton.