Woodworking Tools for Joining Miters

Brad Nailer

A brad nailer is a small finish nailer. It is a common tool for joining wood miters. Like larger framing nailers, clips of nails are loaded into the gun for high-production use. Nails are propelled pneumatically with the nailer attached to an air compressor by an air hose. Other brad nailers are airless, cordless and powered by batteries. Often, finish work joined by brads is also reinforced with wood glue. Nailers aren't used when brad placement must be extremely precise.

A dowel jig is used to make dowel joints. Large miters are sometimes joined with dowel joints. The jig guides a drill bit into two or more holes equidistant from one another in one side of the joint; then, it is used to make two corresponding holes in the other side of the joint. The joint surfaces are fastened with glue and dowels to reinforce and align the joint. Dowels are more commonly used on perpendicular and butt-joints. The depth of the dowels precludes their use in smaller, miter applications, the hole would puncture through the edge of the wood.

A biscuit jointer uses the same concept as dowel joints. The biscuit jointer, however, doesn't use a jig; it is a custom, cutting tool. A rotary blade plunges into the wood faces being joined. Unlike a dowel joint, sometimes just a single biscuit is used. The biscuit is a crescent-shaped, wood fiber piece that fits into the slot cut by biscuit jointers. The joints are attached like dowel joints with identical holes on each joinery surface; the biscuit is glued into the middle to strengthen and align the joint.

Pocket screw jigs are similar to dowel jigs, but more versatile. Like a dowel jig, they work in conjunction with a power drill, guiding the bit. Pocket screws guides, however, rely on screws, not dowels for the joint. The screws cinch the wood together, so there is no need to clamp the material together. Pocket screw jigs also cut into unseen areas of the wood's face, instead of being hidden inside the joint. It is a stronger joint, but is limited as it is not intended to be a visible joint.