The difference between Dowel and Spline

When used as nouns, dowel means a pin, or block, of wood or metal, fitting into holes in the abutting portions of two pieces, and being partly in one piece and partly in the other, to keep them in their proper relative position, whereas spline means long thin piece of metal or wood.

When used as verbs, dowel means to fasten together with dowels, whereas spline means to smooth (a curve or surface) by means of a spline.


check bellow for the other definitions of Dowel and Spline

  1. Dowel as a noun:

    A pin, or block, of wood or metal, fitting into holes in the abutting portions of two pieces, and being partly in one piece and partly in the other, to keep them in their proper relative position.

  2. Dowel as a noun:

    A wooden rod, as one to make short pins from.

  3. Dowel as a noun (construction):

    A piece of wood or similar material fitted into a surface not suitable for fastening so that other pieces may fastened to it.

  1. Dowel as a verb (transitive):

    To fasten together with dowels.

  2. Dowel as a verb (transitive):

    To furnish with dowels.

    Examples:

    "A cooper dowels pieces for the head of a cask."

  1. Spline as a noun:

    Long thin piece of metal or wood.

  2. Spline as a noun:

    A rectangular piece that fits grooves like key seats in a hub and a shaft, so that while the one may slide endwise on the other, both must revolve together.

  3. Spline as a noun:

    A flexible strip of metal or other material, that may be bent into a curve and used in a similar manner to a ruler to draw smooth curves between points.

  4. Spline as a noun (mathematics, computing):

    Any of a number of smooth curves used to join points.

  5. Spline as a noun (woodworking):

    A strip of wood or other material inserted into grooves in each of two pieces of wood to provide additional surface for gluing.

  1. Spline as a verb (mathematics, computing):

    To smooth (a curve or surface) by means of a spline.

  2. Spline as a verb (engineering):

    To fit with a spline.

  3. Spline as a verb (engineering):

    To fasten to or together with a spline.