On Mon, 30 Jul 2007 11:14:42 -0700, FoggyTown wrote:


I think that you've just answered your own question... unless dowels are
considered Mechanical Fasteners..

mac


No, a dowel is not a mechanical fastener. Screws, nails, brads,
clips, etc. are.

Let me try restate the question.

In a project where screws would normally (and acceptably) be used to
attach one piece of wood to another, is there anything lost (i.e. in
strength or structural integrity) in using glued dowels instead of
screws?

FoggyTown

Well, let me do the usual disclaimer that I'm not an expert, for sure...

It would seem to me that a well fitted dowel with grooves for glue flow would be
stronger than a screw in most cases....
The main advantage to a dowel or biscuit, IMO, is the increase in gluing area...
because if the joint fails, screws aren't going to help much...

I've done test joints with biscuits and then taken them apart a week later... In
every case I had to break the joint before the biscuit let go..



mac

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