These are my current dowel makers. One is 1/4" diameter and the other is 3/8" diameter. There are numerous ways to make dowels and I'll be discussing this in my "Making Dowels" blog which is a work in progress.
I had already made the 3/8" one which is the top one in the photo above. I just made the 1/4" one.
I started by making the 1/4" cutter plate. It's made from a chunk of 1/8" thick x 1" wide flat bar from HD x 3-1/2" long.
This view is the input side, the entry. Cutting hole is on center with two mounting holes This is the output side, the back
I then took a chunk of Maple, roughly 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" x 8" long and recessed it to accept the cutter plate. The plate is then screwed into place.
Next I make some stock. I cut my stock on the table saw. I make is slightly larger then 1/4" at 9/32". Note: Do not make stock much bigger then what you want the finished dowel to be.
This is my plane stop specifically designed to hold the stock. It is a "V groove" and the tee end fits over your bench or table saw. The 9/32" stock is then laid in the "V Groove". Then the corners are knocked off with my block plane to prepare running it through the cutter plate. You want it basically to look like an octagonal piece. Be careful not to plane too much off.
Here the process begins. I chuck the prepared 9/32" stock in my drill and run it through.
This is what it consistently measures at all up and down its length just after running it through the cutting plate. At 0.2495" I think it's pretty good!
This is a "check" using one of the dies out of my dowel center finder jig. It is a very accurate 0.250" diameter.
Thanks for looking!
Feel free to comment, ask questions and "thumbs up👍" if you like it!
Pretty fast and handy way to make dowels when needed. Do you have any idea what a maximum size would be, if such a thing exists? I'm thinking of balusters in a dog crate, or hand railing, etc?
Oldtool Pretty fast and handy way to make dowels when needed. Do you have any idea what a maximum size would be, if such a thing exists? I'm thinking of balusters in a dog crate, or hand railing, etc?
Good question. The largest size I've done this with is 1/2" cutting hole. I can't see why it wouldn't work doing larger hole sizes. It's worth a try. I think anything over half inch would warrant thicker stock like 1/4" or 3/8".
RyanGi Do you try to drill in the offset dimples to create an angled cutting surface? Something more in shear?
Using my drill press, I drill all holes perpendicular to the cutting plate's surface. The cutting recesses form an arc that produces a burr. In effect it is a shearing cut.
Which comes first, the main hole or the dimples? I can see an angled cut, if it overhangs enough, might produce a nice shear angle. Of course the perpendicular is probably more than good 'nuff.
I've tried the single hole bashing method and as you mention in your blog, kinda rough. This looks like a great way (simple) to get good results. I'll have to try it and see if case hardening can make for a really long lived tool!
Read through your blog, some good stuff in there :) Surprised you've not got a lathe in there as a method.
Another method to add to your Making Dowels series is rounding planes, which is my usual go to method. I keep toying with the idea of making a variable diameter one, like a stail engine, but lockable at different diameters.
SplinterGroup ........ I'll have to try it and see if case hardening can make for a really long lived tool
SplinterGroup.... the steel flat bar is cheap stuff from HD that I used for this and wouldn't be a grade that would harden and temper properly. However a nice piece of tool steel flat bar or 1095 would be nice to harden and temper and yield a very strong cutting edge. Worth trying if you can get it. In thinking about it, perhaps an old plane blade or saw blade would give good results.
There something fun and joyful about the old process but smelly and dirty fur sure. Cherry red and oil quench.. then straw and oil quench again. Lots of fun!... at least for me.
