What is it, you wood workers would know.

[pitw]

Found it in a drawer and have no idea.

[coyote101]

I'm going to guess it is a doweling jig.

Pat

[pitw]

  Good answer Pat 
   I set it and a dowel on the bench and waited but the dance was slow .

[alscalls]

It is designed to keep you straight and centered when drilling many holes into a workpiece........
As you side it up or down the piece...... it will hold the same center...... and guide you straight.....

Here are some........
http://www.amazon.com/Wolfcraft-3751405-Dowel-Pro-Doweling/sim/B0000DD1P6/2

[pitw]

  In other words it's pretty much useless eh.  

[FinsnFur]

Useless if your not into woodworking. Doweling is commonly used on lot of furniture. It's used to majorly strengthen joints.
Drilling a series of holes into each piece to be joined it's very critical that they are aligned correctly.  A small dowel is then inserted into the holes of one half to be joined. Half the dowels are still exposed which are then placed into the holes on the other half to be joined as it's all glued together, you can see how a slight misalignment would make for a crooked joint.

[HaMeR]

Excellent post Jim. And here I thought you were just an old hide tanner.   

[FinsnFur]

  My Papa and my step Papa both were carpenters by trade

[pitw]

  Thanks guys.  Without a book this gizmo is greek to me.

[HaMeR]

A quick search & those are going for $28-$35 Barry. Not that you're selling it. I just wondered what it would bring. 

Here's a link to some pics that show it in use too.
http://www.generaltools.com/Products/Pro-Doweling-Kit__840.aspx

[HuntnCarve]

I have one just like it that I bought at Sears a couple decades ago.  Found it was okay, but not as accurate as a self centering doweling jig.  So it's sitting in a cabinet somewhere in my shop.  Professor Jim covered the basics of doweling pretty good!

[pitw]

A quick search & those are going for $28-$35 Barry. Not that you're selling it.

If anyone want's it they can have the dang thing .  I got better stuff to heat up a spot for .

[Hawks Feather]

Yep, I would have the same post at HuntnCarve.  I used mine quite a bit and then got a better model that works even better.  Jim has a nice review, but I would add that the first dowels were made without the glue grooves cut in them.  At that time the woodworking magazines were recommending taking a coarse hacksaw blade and making scrapes in the dowel to make it better.  Then the spiral and straight cut dowels came along.  Such improvements. 

Jerry

[pitw]

  I kinda/sorta thought it was making dowels   .

[bambam]

I could see where that thing could come in handy. An improperly aligned hole could really put a strain on your dowel. 

[Hawks Feather]

I could see where that thing could come in handy. An improperly aligned hole could really put a strain on your dowel. 

Hey, you weren't talking about - oh, never mind.

Jerry

[bambam]

Ever use a biscuit joiner ? Gotta keep a good grip on them babies too. 

[pitw]

Ever use a biscuit joiner ?   

Next time I join a couple biscuits I'll mail you the results

[securpro]

Sausage makes a good biscuit joiner  even better with an egg on it 

[Yotehntr]

Ever use a biscuit joiner ?   

Next time I join a couple biscuits I'll mail you the results

      Your a riot Barry... I was thinking all through this that I went to "biscuit" joints a long time ago...  the biscuits are compressed and swell with the glue... I've joined oak boards with 'em.... broke the board and it didn't break at the joint... really a big improvement on the dowels... I still have some of the old inserts from when I was using dowels though.