Make Your Own Dowels. Any Size. Any Diameter. Any Wood Type.

Thanks for your video and I learned something. There needs to be a qualifier on your title "Any Diameter"; it is any diameter for which you can find a round over bit. In my application, I need a dowel to lay in a groove produced by another tool and it is slightly under sized from standard round over bits.

This is unreal! I use an off cut of a brush handle from a builders providers as a stick when walking the dog, to help with going through forests/defending against other dogs if needs be. Definitely will try this as it would be cool to say I made one - more pride and sentimental than one off the shelf. Cheers John!

I first used this method in 1998 when building oars for the 14.5’ pulling boat that I made. Each one was 8’ long, 1 ¾” diameter and had a paddle on one end. Since then, I have used this method many times. It is very important that the size of the square stock be exactly the same size as the desired finished diameter. I normally make several passes on my thickness sander to achieve the correct dimension. For smaller dowels (down to 3/32”) I use my drill press. However, that limits overall length to a maximum of 6”. Good video!

found your channel about 5 videos ago, all your videos, very well explained on all for someone like me just geting started. so I subscribed. thanks

Hi John I make dowels by forcing a square rod through a die made by drilling several holes of different sizes in a piece of angle iron. They are slightly rough but a quick rub with sandpaper fixes that. They are as good as the first one you made and take much less time. Mike

Nice idea, as my local shops only stock a few sizes of pine dowels, anything else, I have to send away for. That does look like a good quality set of router bits too.

Cool. I could have used that yesterday. I had only a 1 inch dowel and needed a 3/4. Had to do it on the lathe. What a pain. Thank you so much.

Thank John. Great idea, maybe x2 festherboards will add a bit more stability on the full rounding dowels??
But definitely the most economical way of having dowels on hand at all times.

Awesome, John! 😃
Thanks a bunch for all the tips!!!
Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

Nice one John, well explained

Great. Hugs from Brazil.

Great video and very well explained cheers John

Great video as always, John!

Here in the states we don’t use MM, we use 1/16” 1/8” 1/4” etc etc so what are those sizes in mm???

thanks

I was hoping for a non-electrical way of making dowels. This requires quite specialized electrical wood working tools... is there a low-tech way?

Pretty slick

A question nit related to video. Your intro music clip, reminds me of a California Raffael group popular back in 2007. Can’t remember name of group and vaguely remember the song. Would you mind posting the group and song? Had the groups song on iTunes but lost such over the years.Thanks!!
Would you mind doing a video on your shop lighting. Excellent coverage with no shadowing. Most woodworkers spend $$$$$$$ on shop equipment, wood but seem to devote little on shop lighting. As you are a master electrician, would appreciate your thoughts.

Where have you been I have missed your videos. ? Julien

Kerenn👍👍👍

Have you an affiliate link to those ent router bits?

Are you living in dunhill county Waterford

Sounds quite good idea to do. But being blind probably lose all my fingers. I’ll stick with my round planes, What my mate made for me. Imagine big pencil sharpeners. No shouldn’t advertise other RUclipsrs on here but look up Harry Rogers, he makes them on there., He is a part of the Kent Podgers or Greenwood workers.