Hollow a dowel for eye-popping joints

I always look for ways to add interesting details to boxes, so I developed a means of hollowing a dowel to create a "double dowel" joint reinforcement, as shown below.

To do the same you'll need a doweling jig with replaceable inserts of various diameters. I use a Dowelmax jig.

First, make a disposable wood fixture to hold the dowels for hollowing by placing ³⁄₈ " drill guides in the jig and drill 1¹⁄₂ " deep into the end of a scrap board. Then add a drop of cyanoacrylate glue to one end only of ³⁄₈ " dowels 1¹⁄₂ " long, and use a longer dowel to press the dowels to the bottom of each hole.

Next, place ¹⁄₄ " drill guides in the jig and redrill the holes with a ¹⁄₄ " bit. Crosscut the board about 1¹⁄₄ " from the end. Use a ³⁄₈ " dowel to push out the hollow dowels.

After inserting a hollow dowel in a joint, you can fill it with contrasting wood, brass or aluminum rod, or epoxy.
—Jeff Baenen, Kenosha, Wis.