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Dowel Forming Plate - BrokenOlMarine - 02-02-2018
I posted a question here a few weeks ago, about making a dowel forming plate. I got a lot of helpful information, and was going to make my own, and in search of materials contacted a blacksmith friend to ask if he had a scrap of material he'd sell me. I explained what I wanted and he said he'd make the plate and get it to me, between shoeing horses, making goat milking stands and all the other stuff, if I wasn't in a rush. Sweet.
Weeks later, it shows up.
Here is the plate, nice and heavy, it lays on the bench and doesn't move as I pound on it. Great.
[attachment=7823]
It arrived just in time to make spaulted maple dowels for a box I am making, I'll use them for reinforcement on the sides.
So, I tested it out, making 3/8ths dowels.
[attachment=7824]
Worked like a champ, but... isn't there always a but?
3/8ths were too wide for the box.So, I figured I'd drive them thru the next size down.
too big a jump in size. So, I chose the drill bit halfway between 3/8ths and 5/16ths and drilled an extra hole.Round the tip
[attachment=7825]
Drive away...
[attachment=7826]
Tah Dah, repeat for the next hole down and you have 5/16ths dowels
[attachment=7827]
Here is the box in progress. Domed top, spaulted maple and walnut
with Walnut sides. I have been doing as much as I can with hand tools,
and I love using the Lee Valley Spoke Shaves.
[attachment=7828]
I have glued the top into position, and shaped it. Once I am ready, I'll cut it loose, with about 3/4" of the side attached.
This will allow for something creative inside the top.
[attachment=7829]
The stains on the front of the box are from the clamps. I forgot to put wax paper under the clamp's rubber feet.
Sux to be senile. Ah, they'll sand away when I start to prep the box for finishing. If not, Miss Tina will have some really fancy kindling for the next barrel fire for trash. 
Welcome to my world. Memory going, can't stand for long periods, butt hurts when I sit on the shop stool for a long time.
But...
It's not 1,000 degrees with an evil laugh ringing in my ear when I wake in the mornings... so I'm good. 
RE: Dowel Forming Plate - Cooler - 02-02-2018
I was thinking that you'd make this out of an old saw blade. When it got dull, you'd make another hole. Even out of a joist hanger.
Issue I have with the heavy plate is that eventually the edge will get dull and the only way to sharpen it is to grind or file across the flat. And that looks like a lot of work.
You can clamp a sawzall blade to that plate with a hole drilled in it and that would be a disposable blade.
But clearly you have proved the concept. So now it is just a matter of refining it.
One of these nice wide blades would work fine. This is made from good steel, but it is not too hard that you can't drill through it.
![[Image: 09-14METAL-2.jpg?1444806721]](https://cdn3.volusion.com/lhxtj.wyfgm/v/vspfiles/photos/09-14METAL-2.jpg?1444806721)
RE: Dowel Forming Plate - BrokenOlMarine - 02-02-2018
(02-02-2018, 12:05 PM)Cooler Wrote: I was thinking that you'd make this out of an old saw blade. When it got dull, you'd make another hole. Even out of a joist hanger.
Issue I have with the heavy plate is that eventually the edge will get dull and the only way to sharpen it is to grind or file across the flat. And that looks like a lot of work.
You can clamp a sawzall blade to that plate with a hole drilled in it and that would be a disposable blade.
But clearly you have proved the concept. So now it is just a matter of refining it.
One of these nice wide blades would work fine. This is made from good steel, but it is not too hard that you can't drill through it.
Thanks, I'll keep that in mind and if I start having problems, I have a couple of old Sawsall blades in the drawer.
RE: Dowel Forming Plate - JimReed@Tallahassee - 02-02-2018
So you think you are having trouble with the issues of aging? Let me tell you something. Wait, what were we talking about? Who are you?
RE: Dowel Forming Plate - Scoony - 02-03-2018
I would think that the saw blades would be too thin to be very effective. I used a 3/16" thick piece of annealed tool steel, and simply drilled the holes. Even without heat treating, that will punch out dowels with no problem.
RE: Dowel Forming Plate - museumguy - 02-04-2018
Ok, I have to admit, I'm not much of a handtool guy. Give me something with a cord or a battery attached and I'm all in. However, I really enjoy reading this forum and dream of perfecting my handtool skills. Now, if I need to make some 5/16" or 3/8" dowels, I'd use a router table and a roundover bit (I've done this many times in the past). My question is, when making "standard" size dowels, is a dowel plate better than the method I use? I understand that if an odd size dowel is needed, a dowel plate has no equal. Just curious.
RE: Dowel Forming Plate - hbmcc - 02-04-2018
(02-04-2018, 09:11 AM)museumguy Wrote: Ok, I have to admit, I'm not much of a handtool guy. Give me something with a cord or a battery attached and I'm all in. However, I really enjoy reading this forum and dream of perfecting my handtool skills. Now, if I need to make some 5/16" or 3/8" dowels, I'd use a router table and a roundover bit (I've done this many times in the past). My question is, when making "standard" size dowels, is a dowel plate better than the method I use? I understand that if an odd size dowel is needed, a dowel plate has no equal. Just curious.
For those who banish electrons, a dowel plate is a necessity. Along with an axe, or Bowie knife. And, cc saw. And, mallet to hit the pegs. Then there is the pesky final end that won't go through the plate, so another smaller dowel is required. After that, you need a knife to semi-point the end of the dog-t**d looking thing created, to get it into its mortise. Glue optional, as the textured tube--maybe, Jimmy Dean sausage link is a better analogy because land mines are flat when we see them--will grip the mortise harder than the dog on the other end of your sausage.
That's the joy and pleasure of puffy shirt wood working. But, you probably already have the other accessories for making your own. I just never have the right size dowel I want. And, I tell myself a dowel plate would be really convenient.
RE: Dowel Forming Plate - Bob Lang - 02-04-2018
(02-04-2018, 11:16 AM)hbmcc Wrote: For those who banish electrons, a dowel plate is a necessity. Along with an axe, or Bowie knife. And, cc saw. And, mallet to hit the pegs. Then there is the pesky final end that won't go through the plate, so another smaller dowel is required. After that, you need a knife to semi-point the end of the dog-t**d looking thing created, to get it into its mortise. Glue optional, as the textured tube--maybe, Jimmy Dean sausage link is a better analogy because land mines are flat when we see them--will grip the mortise harder than the dog on the other end of your sausage.
That's the joy and pleasure of puffy shirt wood working. But, you probably already have the other accessories for making your own. I just never have the right size dowel I want. And, I tell myself a dowel plate would be really convenient.
Try both methods and see which is quicker/better/more fun.
RE: Dowel Forming Plate - Jim Waldron - 02-04-2018
(02-04-2018, 12:58 PM)Bob Lang Wrote: Try both methods and see which is quicker/better/more fun.
You put up with screaming routers for a lot of years, Bob. Are you having more fun now-a-days? Can we expect a few pictures without your formerly dour expression?
And can we expect you to impart a bit more experience and expertise around here, now that you've joined in? Your posts are far too few and far between.
RE: Dowel Forming Plate - Stwood_ - 02-04-2018
So how thick is your new plate? 3/8" or so?
Will it be chrome plated?
