Our standard Dowel Templates can be used to cut dowels or round mortise and tenon joints 1/4” - 1” in diameter. The Dowel XL is a continuation of that concept allowing PantoRouter® users to cut dowels or round mortise and tenon joints 1-1/4” and 1-1/2” in diameter.

The major difference between the standard Dowel Templates and the Dowel XL is the way the mortise is cut. With the standard Dowel Templates, the diameter of the mortise is determined by the diameter of the bit. For a 1/2” mortise, a 1/2” bit is used to make a straight plunging cut. While this works well for smaller bits, straight plunge cuts with 1-1/4” or 1-1/2” diameter bits are not practical or desirable. The Dowel XL Template utilizes a 1/2” bit to cut the mortise and tenon for both sizes, the only thing that changes is the guide bearing. The mortise pocket has two steps, the inner step is for a roughing pass that cuts a mortise ~1/16” smaller than the final diameter. The outer pocket is used for a finishing pass to remove the final 1/16” of material. This ensures perfectly clean mortise walls free of gouges or chip-out when cutting a through mortise and tenon joint.