Double sided machine dowel hole placement help

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jaymcd0626
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Double sided machine dowel hole placement help

Post by jaymcd0626 »

Anyone have some good tips on placement of symmetrical dowel hole placement? I had a two sided job setup that I had dowel holes perfectly placed but I had to change my job size and now I can't get the holes properly lined up again. I thought I had them but when the job runs, the holes are clearly not symmetrical. Is there an easy way to get them set? Maybe grouping with the actual vectors or something so they stay referential to the total job and can easily be re-centered...???

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Rcnewcomb
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Re: Double sided machine dowel hole placement help

Post by Rcnewcomb »

Change to asymmetric hole placement. See this tutorial for a description: Bird
- Randall Newcomb
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ZipperHead55
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Re: Double sided machine dowel hole placement help

Post by ZipperHead55 »

Rcnewcomb wrote:
Wed May 04, 2022 5:00 pm
Change to asymmetric hole placement. See this tutorial for a description: Bird
That was a good video (I learned a bunch of things that I had never learned before..... gotta start viewing as many tutorials as I can, since there is usually at least one hidden gem in there per video), but it doesn't really explain WHY they used the asymmetrical method. I've only done a few double-sided projects, and since I generally use the center of the project for my X0Y0 datum point, I have placed my dowel holes on the centerline of the project (above/below, or left/right).

The only real advantage I can think of is that it (asymmetrical) would be handy is it would prevent you from placing the piece upside down by accident (a distinct possibility if you are frazzled or in a rush). Otherwise it doesn't make a lot of sense (to me anyway).

Allan

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SteveNelson46
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Re: Double sided machine dowel hole placement help

Post by SteveNelson46 »

Follow the procedure in the video even though you don't completely understand it. After you use it a few times it will become clear. It's the procedure I use almost exclusively and it has never fail me.
Steve

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Rcnewcomb
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Re: Double sided machine dowel hole placement help

Post by Rcnewcomb »

I thought I had them but when the job runs, the holes are clearly not symmetrical.
The asymmetrical method eliminates errors that can till creep in with symmetrical dowels.
- Randall Newcomb
10 fingers in, 10 fingers out, another good day in the shop

jaymcd0626
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Re: Double sided machine dowel hole placement help

Post by jaymcd0626 »

Thanks all! I will give it a go.

garylmast
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Re: Double sided machine dowel hole placement help

Post by garylmast »

Almost all my projects contain two-sided components, and I've done hundreds. A long time ago, I got tired of figuring what hole in my spoil board was the right one, since there was a zillion of them in it. I decided to use jigs. As long as the material is SQUARE and is ADJACANT to the x and y axis, a jig is the easiest and fastest way for two-side jobs. I've scribed lines in the spoil board using a engraver bit, in both the x and y direction for easy setup for the jigs. That's the way I do it and I never looked back at use pegs.

If the material is not square, use the pegs.

Gary

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adze_cnc
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Re: Double sided machine dowel hole placement help

Post by adze_cnc »

jaymcd0626 wrote:
Wed May 04, 2022 4:47 pm
Anyone have some good tips on placement of symmetrical dowel hole placement?
A good question would be: what do you consider a "symmetrical dowel placement"? So you have a screenshot?

ZipperHead55
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Re: Double sided machine dowel hole placement help

Post by ZipperHead55 »

garylmast wrote:
Wed May 04, 2022 10:10 pm
Almost all my projects contain two-sided components, and I've done hundreds. A long time ago, I got tired of figuring what hole in my spoil board was the right one, since there was a zillion of them in it. I decided to use jigs. As long as the material is SQUARE and is ADJACANT to the x and y axis, a jig is the easiest and fastest way for two-side jobs. I've scribed lines in the spoil board using a engraver bit, in both the x and y direction for easy setup for the jigs. That's the way I do it and I never looked back at use pegs.

If the material is not square, use the pegs.

Gary
I saw a video where the person who used the dowels would (after they were done using them) leave the dowel in the hole and slice it flush to the spoil board with a Japanese saw (forget the name, but I think most will get the point) and voila! no holes!

I think that one has to be open to multiple methods, and not rely on a one-size-fits-all approach. I use 2-sided tape on occasion. I sometimes screw my workpiece to a piece of plywood (if I need to surface the complete top). If I'm making a lot of one item, I make a jig. It's all about options and using what works, instead of trying to fit a square peg into a round hole (see what I did there?! ;) ).

Allan

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mrmfwilson
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Re: Double sided machine dowel hole placement help

Post by mrmfwilson »

Both ways can work fine. From your original post it sounds like you made changes and lost your reference. My first rule of design changes is make a copy. Then you will always be able to get back to where you were. Otherwise, group everything together in the design and make changes on fresh layers so you can see the changes visually.
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mrmfwilson
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Re: Double sided machine dowel hole placement help

Post by mrmfwilson »

Both ways can work fine. From your original post it sounds like you made changes and lost your reference. My first rule of design changes is make a copy. Then you will always be able to get back to where you were. Otherwise, group everything together in the design and make changes on fresh layers so you can see the changes visually.
Mr. Wilson
CenterLine Designs
Facebook - Centerline Designs

pviljoen
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Re: Double sided machine dowel hole placement help

Post by pviljoen »

My method is that I delete all the parts on the other side.
Go back to the "Front" side and copy all the objects to the other side.
Complete a recalc on all the paths.
Yes it is a pain in the bud , but is the only way I can think of re-aligning all the objects

jaymcd0626
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Re: Double sided machine dowel hole placement help

Post by jaymcd0626 »

Thanks all. I got it figured out and done. Thanks to the help.

Jay

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