Genius Idea? Game Changing trick for Perfect Dowel Alignment without a Jig

So simple and easy, but oh so accurate. Using ordinary masking tape for lining up the holes for dowels is pretty much fool-proof. I used this method several times after I made this video and with the same results: perfectly lined up dowels.
Now I should mention that the tape locates the centre point precisely, but it's up to you to drill the hole straight. Using a brad-point bit is mandatory and getting a feel for drilling at a 90 degree angle is also very important. However, you can use a block of wood with a hole drilled on the drill press to help guide the drill bit straight, if drilling freehand. Or just drill the holes on a drill press if you have one.
But with that said, the holes don't need to be drilled at the exact angle - they just need to be close and the joint will go together without any problem. The important thing (and why the dowel centre pins failed) is that the holes are in perfectly lined up on both parts, and that's what the tape trick does.
Try it out for yourself!

😮👏👏👏👏

Brilliant!

What type of glue?

very clever, thanks!

Howdy, Brother! Epic!! Drive-On, Cowboy!! 🤠

uhhhhhh.... this is what dowel marking pins are for. You're re-inventing the wheel.

This is experience at best!! Great!

Genius!

If i could give this two thumbs up I would!

Genius!!!

Very tidy tip there Bud. Love it. All the best from UK

Absolutely number one hack for woodworking I ever seen 🙌🙌🙌 I am just one step from completing my first bed and had a a real headache with joints of sides (it will be on YT, hopefully you will take a look :D). Now it will be real joy to do these joints :D

eccelent idea

Thank you for the help 👍🏻

Ok, this is genius. That simple.

What adhesive do you use

One of of the best advices for that need! Thx,man!

Wjen doing the 90° "fail", he did a bad angle hole, so I wasńt really gobsmacked when it didńt work. The "prediction" was deliberately manipulated. Good trick though to use tape as an aligner.👍

Well done Sir !

Nice Clip! Sind die Zwingen auch selber gebaut? 😍✌🏻

Brilliant simplicity

Friggen genius! I've been trying to figure out how to dowel two pieces of flat stock, actually 6x6, and really didn't have center pins and would need like 20 to set all at once. This will work perfect with a little wider tape.

Totally brilliant!

Totally brilliant!

Fantastic! Genius! Thanks.
We can even adapt that method to screwing a powerstrip to a wall or other items.

Your idea is genius. BUT….if you drill the holes freehand and your angle is off, it all goes to hell. 😮

What kind of brown glue did you use?

Genius that

Thank you for sharing, super "trick", The word "trick" actually demeans what is a very smart tip. So nice of you to share with the community.

That really is very clever.

Brilliant! 👏

Awesome … thanks for sharing … genius at work!! 🙏

Flawless.Thanks.

What about the angle at which you drill the holes in the two pieces you want to join? If they are not straight with each other the dowels wont fit properly, that appears to be the issue with the attempt you made with the centering plugs. I'm not experienced using dowels so just asking.

I gotta try this

Nice will use this method on my storm windows I will be making!

I wonder is that how they built the pyramids, I mean the simplicity of it. It's brilliant, but we would all have found this method by trial and error if we had to. Great video, thanks.

Z?..

This is exactly what I needed for my next project, thanks for sharing this user useful and simple hack

Cool.

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" Very handy hack, thanks a lot for sharing man!! Cheers from Alberta- Canada!!

Genius, I love it

nifty! 👍🏻

The simplest is quite often the best!

Brilliant

Nicely done. That works for installing power strips in your shop too. 😎

this man think he reinvented the wheel, ppl have been doing this shit for 50+ years....

question: when hand-drilling how do you make sure the dowel hole is vertical and not at an angle? This affects the joinery a lot :(