Self-Centering Doweling Jig

Use a self-centering doweling jig to drill perfectly centered and perpendicular holes for dowel joints, shelf pins, and alignment tasks.

How It Works

A doweling jig clamps onto the workpiece and provides hardened steel guide bushings that constrain the drill bit to a specific position and angle. Self-centering models automatically center themselves on the workpiece edge, ensuring the hole is both perpendicular and precisely centered. The steel bushings prevent the bit from deflecting as it enters the material.

Instructions

1. Mark the hole location along the edge or face of the workpiece
2. Clamp the doweling jig onto the workpiece, aligning the appropriate guide bushing with your mark
3. Select the drill bit size matching your dowel or pin diameter
4. Insert the drill bit through the guide bushing
5. Drill to the required depth using the depth stop on your drill bit or a depth collar
6. Remove the jig and repeat for additional holes

Tips

• Self-centering jigs like the Dowelmax ($80-100) or budget options like the Milescraft JointMate ($20-30) range widely in price and precision
• A doweling jig excels specifically at edge-drilling for joinery (shelf pins, dowel joints, alignment holes)
• Use brad-point bits for the cleanest holes in wood — they cut cleaner than standard twist bits through guide bushings
• Apply a piece of masking tape wrapped around the drill bit at the desired depth as a simple depth stop
• For repetitive hole patterns (like shelf pin holes), a jig with multiple bushings saves enormous time

Common Mistakes

• Not clamping the jig firmly, which allows it to shift during drilling and produces misaligned holes
• Using standard twist bits instead of brad-point bits, which can wander inside the guide bushing
• Drilling deeper than intended because there is no depth stop — always mark your depth
• Choosing a jig with guide bushing sizes that do not match your common dowel sizes