# Dowel joint (butt joint with two dowels)

> How deep should dowels go in a dowel joint?

- Category: Joinery › Dowel & loose tenon joints
- Kind: Hardware
- Basis: Xem Studio design — geometry computed in the generator from traditional proportions
- Page: https://xemstudio.com/objects/dowel-joint/ · JSON: https://xemstudio.com/api/geometry?object=dowel-joint · Plain text: https://xemstudio.com/objects/dowel-joint/sheet.txt
- License: dimension sheet CC BY 4.0 (Xem Studio); files Xem Studio Design License (free to use and sell from, not to redistribute as files: https://xemstudio.com/license/)
- Use in every chat: add https://xemstudio.com/mcp as a connector (https://xemstudio.com/use-with-ai/)

## Overall (mm)

| length | width | height |
|---|---|---|
| 80.0 | 80.0 | 20.0 |

**Exact dimensions.** True size, with no printing tolerance added.

## Notes

- Woodworking joint drawn for 3D printing: the parts lock together by shape, so a print can be joined without glue or screws. Drawn at true size with the parts line to line (zero gap) in their assembled position — add your printer's fit allowance to the mating faces (your AI or slicer can do this).
- Two dowels in a butt joint: the simplest way to join printed parts end to face.

## Sizes

| dimension | value |
|---|---|
| stock | 20 × 20 mm square |
| parts | stile, rail, dowel 1, dowel 2 |
| dowels | 2 × Ø6 × 30 mm, 10 mm apart |
| depth | 15 mm into each part |
| assembles | dowels in, then butt together |
| holds | racking and twisting (two dowels) |

## Where the files are

- Xem Studio: [Joinery design (geometry computed in the generator from traditional proportions)](https://xemstudio.com/) — web — Xem Studio design

## Free STEP/STL (5 parts, Xem Studio Design License, Xem Studio)

Index: https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/dowel-joint/index.json · license: https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/dowel-joint/LICENSE.md

- dowel-joint-stile: [STEP](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/dowel-joint/dowel-joint-stile.step) · [STL](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/dowel-joint/dowel-joint-stile.stl) — Member with two Ø6 holes, 15 mm deep
- dowel-joint-rail: [STEP](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/dowel-joint/dowel-joint-rail.step) · [STL](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/dowel-joint/dowel-joint-rail.stl) — Butting member with two Ø6 holes, 15 mm deep
- dowel-joint-dowel-1: [STEP](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/dowel-joint/dowel-joint-dowel-1.step) · [STL](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/dowel-joint/dowel-joint-dowel-1.stl) — Ø6 × 30 mm dowel
- dowel-joint-dowel-2: [STEP](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/dowel-joint/dowel-joint-dowel-2.step) · [STL](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/dowel-joint/dowel-joint-dowel-2.stl) — Ø6 × 30 mm dowel
- dowel-joint-assembled: [STEP](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/dowel-joint/dowel-joint-assembled.step) · [STL](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/dowel-joint/dowel-joint-assembled.stl) — All parts in their assembled position (each part its own solid)

## Questions

**How far should a dowel go in?**

About half its length into each part: 15 mm of a 30 mm dowel here.

## Fits with

- [Loose tenon joint (floating tenon)](https://xemstudio.com/objects/loose-tenon-joint/)
- [Blind mortise and tenon joint](https://xemstudio.com/objects/blind-mortise-and-tenon-joint/)