https://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-how-to/joinery/mortise-tenon-joinery/domino-joinery-tool-accessories?did=11800081-20240201&utm_campaign=wood-online_newsletter&utm_source=wood&utm_medium=email&utm_content=020124&lctg=a96c71695cc66a880e55baf7da5346a33334b504

https://www.woodmagazine.com/video/shop-tested-loose-tenon-tools

I am still never sold on dowel joints.  I guess I've just repaired too many of them.  R. Bruce Hoadley wrote a FWW many years ago explaining why they are a terrible joint.  Of course every "strength test" occurs before the joint has gone thru a couple of seasons of wood movement.  To summarize his comments: (a) they have minimal glue surface and most of that is end grain and (b) differential expansion/contraction is bound to stress the glue joint.

 

The writers at PopWood gave me a BeadLock and I've used it a few times.  I call it "the poor man's Domino".   I also use it as a dowel jig when needed.  

 

I now have a mortising machine and have used it a few times.  Some day, I'll use it for loose tenons.

And Glen Huey taught me how to cut mortises with a plunge router.  I need to try that some day.

 

P.S. Glen is now the Donut Dude Donut https://the-donutdude.com/

Afraid my budget will never be able to afford a Festool 

2 hours ago, lew said:

Afraid my budget will never be able to afford a Festool 

Mine either.

BTW, was there a mention of donuts? Those are in the budget.

To me another tool to make the end result also much more costly. Not saying only for the rich and famous but for those who do a lot of that kind of work or just became enamored with the coolness of the tool.

Dowels were used for too many years and will result in repairs. When so many are use repairs will be more common  over a period of  time..