I drilled my holes really big for fresh wood. I bought oak dowels from Lowes (cheap and strong) and I used epoxy instead of resin since epoxy was build for bonding wood to wood. Make sure that when you have to pound your dowels in so they are as tight as a......... for small holes I just drilled em out and countersunk to fresh wood and injected with resin. Also remember you want a slow cure with your resin and check the experation date on it.