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Dowels and Pegs
used in the making of Beekeeping Kit
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Mortice and tenon, dowels and pegs are traditional methods of
joinery. With the advent of the use of organic acids, by some
beekeepers, these methods need reappraisal as the acids are very
corrosive to metal fasteners and metal hive parts.
The square peg in a round hole
This old cliche is almost true in my case! If I drill a dowel hole at
6 mm diameter I will make a peg from material that is 7 mm
square. I will shave it down in a progressive fashion from 7 mm
square to roughly 6 mm round. This tapered peg is then glued and
hammered into place, It will enter as far as it needs to go to get a
good grip, the square end acts like the head of a nail or screw. After
24 hours for the glue to set the protruding ends are trimmed off
using a
Gent saw. If this sort of
peg is used in a 'blind' hole, I make the hole deeper than required
and cut a pressure relief groove along the length of the peg using a
'V' shaped graver.
There are proprietary hardwood dowels... These are known
as glue pins in the USA and they have straight grooved and spiral
grooved types.
Sold in DIY and woodworking shops in the UK, they are available in
6 mm, 8 mm and 10 mm diameters, they have parallel
grooves along their length in a splined fashion, which allows the glue
to escape (otherwise the dowel pops out... As it acts like a piston in
a cylinder). Various jigs and gadgets are available to enable these
dowels to be used accurately and repeatedly.
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The illustrations at right were picked up from the website
of
Bayer Wood Products Maumee, OH, USA
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Written... Spring 2001, Additions... 11 February 2002
Revised... 03 January 2003
Transferred to New Domain... 17 May 2004,
