dowel question

[mel]

This may seem like an insignificant question but I'm asking anyway. I'm building a high chair from one of Rocklers plans. It advises to predrill for a dowel pin in the back post blank for attaching to seat at 90 degrees, then cutting the bottom of post at 7 degrees. That requires drilling the mating hole in the seat at 7 degrees. Why couldn't I just cut the post first, clamp it in a vise with the bottom flush so I could just drill a 90 degree hole in both pieces?

[Leon]

The only problem I see with that is if the dowel post is small in diameter and you cannot drill deep enough at 7 degrees relative to the post. If the post is relative thick, you should be able to do it your way.

That said, ultimately it is probably going to be a stronger joint set up if the pin enters the chair at 7 degrees vs. entering the post at 7 degrees.

[Erik Ahrens]

I doubt the designer used 7 deg just for the complexity of it. I don't have the plans to review but I would suggest visualizing the assembly completed, perhaps from the completed picture and try to think of a reason 7 deg. is used. Is 7 deg a good angle for the back tilt?

Erik

[Erik Ahrens]

I doubt the designer used 7 deg just for the complexity of it. I don't have the plans to review but I would suggest visualizing the assembly completed, perhaps from the completed picture and try to think of a reason 7 deg. is used. Is 7 deg a good angle for the back tilt?

Erik