In search of 3/16″ dowels

Hambone | Posted in Joinery on July 8, 2004 03:16am

Hi there, does anyone have a source for 3/16″ fluted gluing dowels? I’m not excited about fluting my own or using 1/4″ dowels for a fairly small project.

Thanks, Andy

Replies

notDusty | Jul 08, 2004 05:51am | #1
            Andy ,

      You could buy lengths of 3/16" dowel rods . cut them to size and cut flutes in the edges with the edge of a belt on a belt sander. Unless you need like thousands of them .

                           good luck                          dusty
RickL | Jul 08, 2004 04:46pm | #2
http://www.chicagodowel.com/dowel_pins.html

Don't know if they sell to the hobby guys but they have it all. Learn to search google and check the regular wood catalogs.

Hambone | Jul 08, 2004 05:47pm | #5
Thanks Rick, that's exactly what I need. I'm not a hobby guy, I build custom stairs. This is for a Greene and Greene-style stair and entryway with some details that are smaller scale than what we usually do, our dowel supply only went to 1/4". For some reason my Google search didn't turn these guys up. Thanks again!

-Andy

scooter1 | Jul 08, 2004 07:40pm | #6
I have a cast iron plate in which are a series of drilled holes. One can easily reduce the size of a dowel by merely placing the oversize dowel on to a slight smaller hole, and giving it a whack with a hammer.

I actually like to reduce the size of any dowel, and rarely use quarter inch dowels in quarter inch holes, because the dowels have swelled up and with glue to the sides of the hole and dowel, if I clamp the pieces, the area cracks. So I use this jig a lot for doweling projects.

My plate has about 10-12 holes on it and I use it very frequently.Regards,

Boris

"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934

ASK | Jul 09, 2004 04:29pm | #8
Borisyeltsin,

I have one of those. Got it from my father-in-law years ago. I haven't seen one in any catalogues lately. You know if any one makes them any more?

I use mine occasionally.

ASK

jazzdogg | Jul 09, 2004 07:28pm | #9
Doweling plates are available through Lie-Nielsen.-Jazzdogg-

Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
scooter1 | Jul 09, 2004 07:54pm | #10
I made my own in about 10 minutes with a drill press and some scrap metal behind my garage. Its not very pretty.Regards,

Boris

"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
lwj2 | Sep 06, 2004 03:19am | #11
Boris wrote:

I made my own in about 10 minutes with a drill press and some scrap metal behind my garage. Its not very pretty.

***************

I did the same, Boris, but used a scrap cutter from a flea market plane I'd purchased just for the totes.

After drilling it, I took 220 grit W/D silicon paper and some machine oil and polished it to set an edge on the holes. Works great.

Leon Jester, Roanoke VA
scooter1 | Sep 07, 2004 07:32pm | #12
Wow. Your's is nicer than mine. Mine is not going to the fair.

Regards,

Boris

"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
lwj2 | Sep 08, 2004 02:37am | #13
Was the fastest way I could think of to get rid of the burrs.

Halfway decent steel, too, for a crap plane. Made for Grant's years ago, blade probably is O-1, I'd guess. Used it first to make butternut dowels for a bed I built, sort of a cross between Craftsman and A&C.

Leon Jester

Roanoke VA

RickL | Jul 08, 2004 08:14pm | #7
Andy

Start using http://www.woodweb.com Site for the pro's with lots of links!

Edited 7/8/2004 8:56 pm ET by rick3ddd

desertrat | Jul 08, 2004 05:04pm | #3
Try going to the grocery store or Wally World and get some bamboo skewers. They're about 1/8" and work great.
Jamie_Buxton | Jul 08, 2004 05:21pm | #4
You could use 5 mm dowels. Hoffman sells them fluted and cut for doweling operation. http://www.hoffman-usa.com