A Cross Dowel is a cylindrically shaped metal nut (i.e., a metal dowel) that is used in conjunctions with our Furniture Connector Bolts to join two pieces of wood. Like other metal nuts, it has an inside threaded hole, although the hole is unusual in that it passes through the sides of the dowel.

In a cross dowel application, the two pieces of wood are aligned and a bolt hole is drilled through one piece of wood and into the other. A dowel hole is drill laterally across the bolt hole and the cross dowel is inserted into it. The end of the cross dowel is slotted so that a screwdriver can be inserted, thus providing a means for rotating the dowel so its threaded shaft aligns with the bolt hole. The Furniture Connector Bolt is then inserted into the bolt hole and screwed into the cross dowel until the wood pieces are held tightly together.

Information courtesy of Wikipedia.org