Joining Pieces: Dowels & Mortise/Tenons

[Robson Valley]

There's a thread in the Chainsaw Carving Forum: "wood to wood". There's a sidebar issue of what to use in the joints but no explanation as to how to get the parts lined up correctly.

Lets suppose that the wood carving is composed of several pieces meant to be joined together. I've used Lee Valley (LV) products as examples.
Let's suppose that the ideal joint would have one or more dowel pins (LV 41K60.01)
Let's suppose that the pieces are all too big and too lumpy to fit into a drill press.
My first hole in the main body of the carving is a guesstimate. Next, I use a dowel center (LV 66J45.05) to figure out where to start the hole in the add-on piece.
Those work great but all I get is a starting point. How do I drill the second hole on the same axis as the first?

Next, suppose that a square-cut, massive mortise & tenon is the way to go. The same question pops up: how do you lay out the joint so that the pieces are a flush match?

[Sharon of the Dell]

Great questions and I have no answers! Will be waiting to read the responses!

[BeaverDon]

If possible, you should try to establish a flat, reference surface to use a square on. It takes some practice, but you'd be surprised how close you can get drilling "by eye". You literally eye down the bit and get it a true and square as possible.

Another way: take a block of wood and drill through it with a drill press. Than use that block to help align your bit. The longer the block, the better chance you have of keeping the bit on a straight path. You might need to get longer bits for this.

The greater the depth of the hole or mortise, the more deviation will matter. If you are just gluing up a small carving, you only need a short tenon or dowel and making parts match isn't as difficult.

[Claude]

Assuming you're talking about a chainsawed piece (a large carving), you could chuck a 1/2 inch drill bit in a plunge router, set it on the flat spot, and drill the hole using the router. Obviously wouldn't work for a 6 inch tall caricature, though...

Personally, I'd go with BeaverDon's idea of wood block guide in both pieces, but slightly oversize the hole to account for any slight misalignment, then put in the dowel, all-thread rod, or whatever, with enough epoxy to fill the gaps. Unlike most glues, the epoxy is waterproof. Use one of the longer-set-up-time epoxies... And, just to be clear, when I say oversize the hole, I mean start with 1/16th oversize. Epoxy the dowel or rod in one side by itself. When it's set up, place the other pice on the dowel or rod and check the fit. If there is an alignment problem, ream out the hole another 1/16th and check the fit again, repeat as necessary.

Claude

[chipmunk]

they make dowel sets u drill 1 hole then put the set in and it puts a small point where the other hole goes u can use lip stick to mark too. as far as square put a small[square] in the hole with small nails at each corner of the peg then set the other peice on top the nails will mark where it laids then pull the peg out match up with the 4 nail marks mark around it with a pencil then cut that will get u close within a 1/8"

[davidinsarasota]

Useful thread guys, thanks. I will be attempting to attach carved wooden bat wings to a carved wooden gargoyle. Neither of the surfaces will be flat, and the part of the gargoyles back where the wing structure (hopefully one piece with a 'rib' protruding along the center where the two wings meet) will attach is both slanted and concave.

Tell me if I understands Don's drill jig correctly. For my project it would be about 6" long then probably 2"X2". I drill two half inch holes 4" apart as guides for the bit that will do the actual drilling in the workpieces.

I place it on the gargoyles back and drill my holes slightly large to allow for positioning. Then I place it on the rib on the underside of the wings. The holes will be properly spaced, but what about the angle?

Thanks

[Robson Valley]

David: ". . .but what about the angle?"
I'm prepared to believe that I should try to run the holes "straight" in, even though they may actually be angles relative to the axis of the carved piece.
I have a nice bit of mahogany leg left over from shortening a surveyor's wooden tripod. I'll use the drill press to make the holes (why did I buy a drill press? I can't drill/eyeball straight holes.)

I think that Beaverdon's jig suggestion will save the piece. When I do a monumental Raven for out in the garden, chipmunk's suggestion will enable me to hang a 36" Raven beak on the bird.
So I'm guessing that I can just scale up the jigs for the scale of the carvings.

I'm trying to finish a wall hanging, one of a series of carvings to illustrate the Haida legendary belief of Raven Returning the Light. The flat with 8 arms is maybe 18" x 24" and I need to hang both halves of the Raven's beak in the center, beak is maybe 9" long, carrying the Sun (1.5" disk of yellow calcite stone). So I have to mount 2 pieces, in register. Neither of the beak pieces is very thick. I figured that I could use short lengths of bamboo BBQ skewer as pegs.
But, like I asked, I didn't know any of the tricks to getting the pairs of holes drilled on the same axis.

More ideas, anyone?

[Woodyrock]

Robson:

If you are using bamboo skewers for the doweling, you do not need to worry much about the holes you bore for them being exactly parallel. The bamboo is very forgiving of being bent.You however need to get the holes aligned. You can also use the bamboo chop sticks for larger dowels. Boat builders, and marine joiners have been using bamboo skewers, and chop sticks for years for thei purpose.
Woody

[Claude]

If you need more strength/stiffness than bamboo, go down to Michael's craft store - they have hardwood dowels in sizes ranging from 1/16 inch up to 1 inch.

"I'm prepared to believe that I should try to run the holes "straight" in, even though they may actually be angles relative to the axis of the carved piece."

I agree with this. I would try to eyeball the drill to be exactly perpendicular to the surface at the point where the drill touches, even if the overall piece is curved.

"Next, suppose that a square-cut, massive mortise & tenon is the way to go. The same question pops up: how do you lay out the joint so that the pieces are a flush match?"

I'd try to get a good fit by careful measurements. When that failed, I'd begin to trim off parts of the piece with the tenon until it fit flush all the way around. Once I could get a good dry fit, then I'd add the glue/epoxy and clamp it together.

Claude

[BobD]

Another option are the 'drill press attachments' that fit onto a hand drill. Here's one from woodcraft
Buy Precision Drill Guide at Woodcraft.com

You can adjust the angle to match the hole you want.

I use it all the time.

Bob