Woodpeckers CAM-A-LINE dowel guide

A precision engineered, easy to use and, highly accurate variable spacing jig with guides for 1/4", 5/16", 3/8" and 1/2" dowels.

Author: Carl Duguay

Dowel joinery has been widely used by professional woodworkers for generations. Dowelled joints are exceedingly strong and can be used on virtually any furniture project. While the technique is relatively easy to use, it requires absolute precision for the dowels to provide strength and for the joint to look visually appealing. If the dowel holes are misaligned, the joint is unlikely to come together properly.

The most efficient way to drill dowel holes is with a jig. While there are several great jigs on the market, Woodpeckers’ new CAM-A-LINE jig has a number of unique features – variable spacing, adjustable fence and reversible stop – that make it an excellent choice for anyone who uses dowel joinery on a regular basis.

Manufacturer: Woodpeckers
Model: CAL-DEL
Price: $239.99 US
Warranty: Limited lifetime; 30-day money back
Made in: USA
Source: shopwoodpeckers.ca (may require special order)

Features (deluxe set):

Precision machined anodized aluminum and stainless steel construction.
Dowel holes can be drilled from 3/4″ to 1-3/4″ center-to-center.
Includes: 1/4″, 5/16″, 3/8″ and 1/2″ bushings with matching pins and stop collars, two stop blocks, three 12″ extension rods, wall-mountable Rack-It.

Of all the dowelling jigs I’ve used over the past three decades the CAM-A-LINE jig is one of the easiest to use and the most precise of the lot. The deluxe set, which I tested, comes with bushings that enable you to drill 1/4″, 5/16″, 3/8″ and 1/2″ dowel holes. If you use a specific dowel size most of the time you can purchase the jig with one of the four bushings.

The jig holds three of each size of bushing. You simply screw the bushings into the jig and tighten them up – after setting your dowel hole spacing – with a hex key. You set the hole spacing by rotating the frame on the top of the jig. Dowel hole spacing can be as close as 3/4″ up to a maximum of 1-3/4″.

There are engraved centerlines on all four sides of the jig that help you align the jig to the registration lines on your stock. To make the centerlines a bit easier to see I highlighted them using a fine tip Sharpie.

Once the jig is positioned you clamp it in place using F-clamps or quick-grip clamps. At 1-1/2″ by 5″ the front jaw is large enough to provide a secure clamping surface.

The jig includes stop collars for setting precise drilling depths that will enable you to achieve accuracy and repeatability across multiple holes, which is important for assembly and structural integrity.

There are also three 12″ extension rods that can be inter-connected to extend the reach of the jig, allowing you to align and drill dowel holes further away from the edge of a workpiece. You’ll find this particularly useful when working with wider or longer boards.