How to join to wooden rods on a 90 degree angle that are the same size?

[Zachary]

hello I need to know how to join two 9.5mm wooden rods on a 90 degree angle. I have no idea how to do it I don't have any special tools jigs or guides E.G. drill press, drill guide. I have researched it a bit and found a video for something called a fish-mouth but I think you need a drill press and hole saw to do that and you can't get a hole saw small enough and I don't have a drill press and can't afford one either. So can someone tell me how to join the rods together without any special tools jigs or guides thank you.

And in case you don't know what jigs or guides I'm talking about here are some links for them.

https://www.timbecon.com.au/collections/milescraft-drilling/products/milescraft-drill-mate-portable-...

https://www.timbecon.com.au/collections/milescraft-drilling/products/milescraft-drill-block-plus-met...

Zachary.

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Zachary,

To join two 9.5mm wooden rods at a 90-degree angle, you can actually do this quite simply without the need for expensive tools or complicated jigs. One of the easiest methods is to cut the ends of the rods at a 45-degree angle using a mitre box and a saw. A mitre box is an inexpensive tool that helps guide the saw at the correct angle. This cut will create a stronger joint, as the angled surfaces provide a larger area for glue to bond, making the joint more secure.

After cutting both rods at 45 degrees, you can then glue them together. Apply a wood glue to both cut surfaces, press them together, and clamp the pieces until the glue sets. This will give you a clean and simple joint.

If you want to add extra strength to the joint, you can drill a small pilot hole diagonally through the joint and then screw the pieces together. The screw should go through both rods at an angle, which will provide additional holding power, especially if the rods are under any kind of stress.

While the fish-mouth joint you mentioned is a great option for certain types of projects, it requires more specialised equipment, such as a drill press and a hole saw, which you’ve correctly noted you don't have. The mitre cut and glue method is the simplest and most cost-effective solution for joining the rods at a 90-degree angle without the need for special tools.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[Zachary]

Thank you for your answer and I did think of cutting the rods at a 45 degree angle and joining them together but the thing is the rods have to be able to easily come apart. And just another small question can you even get a 9.5mm holesaw.

Thankyou.

[JacobZ]

Hi @Zachary,

I'm not aware of a 9.5mm hole saw as they tend to be used for cutting larger diameter holes, but a 9.5mm drill bit like this 9.5mm Viper Jobber Drill Bit will do exactly the same thing.

You could clamp the 9.5mm dowel in place and drill a hole straight through it. As the drill bit is the exact same diameter as the dowel, it will separate the two ends with a perfect fish mouth to sit on the connecting piece.

Find the centre of your dowel and use a nail punch to create an indent that will help seat a drill bit perfectly in the centre. You can then drill a 6mm hole down the centre of the fish mouth and into the connecting piece and use a 6mm Fluted Dowel to connect them together.

This would join the pieces together and allow you to pull them apart easily. If you wanted to lock them to eachother, just add wood glue.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob

[Nailbag]

Hi @Zachary 

as an alternative drill bit to the one @JacobZ recommended is a Sutton 9.5mm Brad Point wood drill bit. These make very clean holes for dowelling projects. Unfortunately I can't see this size/type on the Bunnings web site.

 

Nailbag

 

[MitchellMc]

That would likely be a Special Order item from Sutton's extended range @Nailbag.

Mitchell