Dowels for Dummies

Re: Dowels for Dummies

John Lucas

>Ron

Beleve it or not it works. I built one about 10 years ago to make some dowels. I found a way to make them with my router that was faster. I don't know what happened to the device because I know I don't have it any longer. I probably put it in one of the tool auctions we have at various clubs.

About the same time I built a jig that is similar to turn tapers on the end of spindles. I remember giving that to a friend who wanted to make chairs.

Re: Dowels for Dummies

Ron in Drums PA

>I've made dowels on my router table, four passes and I'm done.

The book was by Ragnar Gustavsson and Ollie Olson, did you ever hear of them?

One thing they mentioned in the book is that bowls should be 1-3/8" thick when finished. Interesting book none the less.

Re: Dowels for Dummies

Barry Irby

>My lathe has about 24" between centers. I turned a dowel nine feet long by passing the stock through the shaft, through the chuck and through the tail stock. Had to set up a couple of eye bolts on each end to eliminate the "whip". Took it to the turning club just to prove I did it. It was an interesting challenge, but I would want tot do it for a living. I did it with a skew, should have had that gadget.

Re: Dowels for Dummies

John Lucas

>Ron

I did it using my router table. I made a jig that had a hole big enough for a 3/8" square dowel on one side and 1/4" hole on the other. You feed the square dowel through and drive it with a hand drill. The router bit comes up from the table and rounds the dowel as it spins.

Re: Dowels for Dummies

John Lucas

>Barry

I saw a device in one of my books that works sort of like you did but automatically. You feed the wood through the headstock and the attachment turns it round as it's fed through. Similar to the one Ron had pictured.

Re: Dowels for Dummies *LINK*

John K Jordan

>I've seen these in several places. Instructions on how to make one are on page 85 of the book "Making Screw Threads in Wood" by Fred Holder. He calls it a "rounder".

Another type of dowel jig using a router is described in the link below, courtesy of Highland Hardware.

JKJ in East TN


A Dowel Making Jig

Re: Dowels for Dummies

John Lucas

>John

That's the very jig I built. I've been subscribing to Woodsmith since the very first issue so that is probably where I got it from. It works extremely well. I started making my own dowels when I was doing segmented work and building clocks. I found out that store bought dowels were oval and would show the glue joint if you drilled a hole and stuck them in. By making my own dowels out of known dry wood I got perfectly round dowels to go in a round hole. Much cleaner looking.

Sure, NOW you tell me.

Barry Irby

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