short but wide dowels

a set of short dowels to repair outdoor wooden planks with rotten screw holes. You can also use it to make clean screw holes in brand new planks.

design considerations:

• the side flaps avoid the dowel to turn when you screw.

• the ribs prevent the dowel from popping out when you pull on the screw.

• the internal cone opening forces the screw to expand the dowel inside the wood hole

• the cylinder hole at the base of the dowel avoid the dowel to break when it expands

• the overal light cone shape helps the insertion

• the dowels are short so the hole does not need to open on the other side of the plank

• the dowed is split in 2 only to allow the expansion in one direction only (to avoid splitting the plank)

I've used it for myself before sharing it, It make the repair fast and reliable.

I have tested only one file for myself, i assume the other ones are ok.

height_7_width_11_screw_4 means:

• height of dowel is 7mm, when you do not want ot bore deep than 7 mm in your 10mm plank

• outer diameter is 11 mm: drill a 11 or 12 mm hole

• the entrance side for the screw has a dameter of 4mm. Goes down to 4-3 = 1 mm on the other side 

print in PETG, by group of 5x5. Slice with Arachne, layer 0.2, strong profile.

it prints very fast because they are so small.

usage

• drill a hole of large diameter in the plank to make clean hole

• press the small side of the dowel in the hole

• make sure the expansion direction is in the long side of your plank (to avoid splitting)

• hammer the dowel into the hole

• now you can screw inside the dowel: the plank will be firmly gripped by the scew

Have fun 

As usual: like, download, comment show me your makes.