VTAndy
>Thanks for these responses. I'll try to make my own, but just for fun, when I'm at a home store (I need to pick up a few other things anyhow) I'm going to take a look through the dowels just to see what it would be like to pick and choose.

My next question is: what do I start with? Just a 4/4 with very straight grain, which I then split, then use a spokeshave to get it down to size (or alternatively, the LN dowel plate)?
I'm building the bench out of poplar, so should I use the poplar scraps to make the pegs, or should I choose something harder (like ash or oak)?

Thanks again,
Andy