I'm an aspiring woodworker who decided to make a hardwood patio table (perhaps more than I could stomach?). I started with the screws but didn't have the sense of completeness I was looking for. Then I found Miller's dowel. These dowels were used for all kinds of connections to the legs and top of this patio table. I want to keep it my little secret. The finished product makes me look like an expert, but they are so easy to use. Watch the video on YouTube. It is really that easy. You'll need a decent amount of clamps, a drill, glue and a good dowel saw. It doesn't take skills to look great (trust me, I don't have any). It's also very fast once you get the hang of it.