| Fig. 232. |
| a. Corner-iron. |
| b. Straight plate. |
| c. Panel-iron. |
Dowel-rods. Dowel-rods are cylindrical rods, from 3⁄16" to 1" in diameter, and 36", 42", and 48" long. They are commonly made of birch or maple, but maple is more satisfactory as it shrinks less and is stronger than birch.
Dowels are used as pins for joining boards edge to edge, and as a substitute for mortise-and-tenon joints.
There is, to be sure, a prejudice against dowels on the part of cabinet-makers due, possibly, to the willingness to have it appear that doweling is a device of inferior mechanics. But doweling is cheaper and quicker than tenoning, and there are many places in wood construction where it is just as satisfactory and, if properly done, just as strong. Certain parts of even the best furniture are so put together.
Shoe pegs serve well as small dowels. They are dipped in glue and driven into brad-awl holes.
Wedges are commonly used in door construction between the edges of tenons and the insides of mortises which are slightly beveled, No. [34], Fig. 266, [p. 179]. Or the end of a tenon may be split to receive the wedges, No. [35], Fig. 266. The blind wedge is used in the fox-tail joint, No. [36], Fig. 266.
GLUE
Glue is an inferior kind of gelatin, and is of two kinds,—animal glue and fish glue. Animal glue is made of bones and trimmings, cuttings and fleshings from hides and skins of animals. Sinews, feet, tails, snouts, ears, and horn pith are also largely used. Cattle, calves, goats, pigs, horses, and rabbits, all yield characteristic glues.
The best glue is made from hides of oxen, which are soaked in lime water until fatty or partly decayed matter is eaten out and only the glue is left. The product is cleaned, boiled down and dried.