Connecting thin pieces of wood together is easy with dowels, which make strong joints. But lining them up can be a tricky process. Make this dowel jig for drilling accurate holes.

Dowel joinery is a great alternative to drilling pocket holes. They are ideal for making cabinet face frames and other small woodworking projects.

Dowel holes can be marked by manually measuring and lining up the pieces to be attached, or using a dowel jig to help. Store bought dowel jigs can do the job in a variety of ways and are a more accurate time saver over manual measuring.

You can use couple pieces of scrap wood and bushings to make your own dowel jig that is cheap and accurate. A drill press with a forstner bit will help make the holes straight and clean and the bushings are available at any hardware store.

Make a simple dowel jig [Jer’s Woodshop (YouTube)]

Lifehacker’s Workshop column covers DIY tips, techniques and projects.

Yes, I wish to receive exclusive discounts, special offers and competitions from our partners.

Now you can get the top stories from Lifehacker delivered to your inbox. Enter your email below.

By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.