For the rest of us mere mortals we use dowel and plug cutters, preferably from Lee Valley.
whittling can get you by sometimesas the expression goes, "build it, they will come"...
Good lesson, dave...sometimes we forget that our tools are all muti-taskers, regardless if they are the highest technology or the simplest hand tool...
Having said that, i'm with the "cherryville mortals" :grin: And would have reached for a plug cutter. I've also used a hole saw (no pilot bit) for bigger jobs.
So, after this clear attempt to generate some healthy envy by a most fortunate CNC owner, what you're saying is, "Anybody need some tight dimension Walnut dowels? I can make them for you!" Right? (We can only hope...) I'm sure there's a niche market for fine hardwood dowels made to order out there. I could be a customer...Today I needed two short Walnut dowels a few thousandths under 5/8". Obviously, they aren't easy to find and even if you could the cost would likely be high. So I don't have a usable lathe but I DO have a Dowel Cutting Machine. Or as it's known by its more common acronym, CNC router. :wink:
I fastened my drill press vise to the spoilboard, grabbed some cutting board scraps, took five minutes with Fusion 360, about 25 seconds per dowel, and I had what I needed!
Yeah, I know; fairly simple task. But sometimes I forget that just because it's the highest technology tool in the shop doesn't mean it can't do something rudimentary and simple and actually turns out to be the best tool for many tasks.
Btw, cutting end grain is sweet!! :grin:
David
LOL! Nope, that wasn't my intention. More than anything I was laughing at myself looking around the shop and trying to decide how I could cut these accurately. Then it dawned on my 'I have a dowel maker!'So, after this clear attempt to generate some healthy envy by a most fortunate CNC owner, what you're saying is, "Anybody need some tight dimension Walnut dowels? I can make them for you!" Right? (We can only hope...) I'm sure there's a niche market for fine hardwood dowels made to order out there. I could be a customer...
Cheaper? Yes sir, but I already have the CNC. Faster? Probably not, Stick. Setup was a couple of minutes and each dowel took less than 30 seconds and I could have cut them faster, just didn't need to.cheaper than a CNC...
probably faster too...
https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/sho...l-and-tenon-cutters/42331-veritas-dowel-maker
I have these, but the dowels are not as smoothly finished as Davids.cheaper than a CNC...
probably faster too...
https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/sho...l-and-tenon-cutters/42331-veritas-dowel-maker
Cnc owners can make cnc cut dowels OR they can make a cnc cut dowel cutting tool like that one. 🙂OR:
A thick steel plate is drilled with a series of holes, and then mounted to a wooden block. Square stock can then be forced through the holes to produce the dowels.
The only CNC required is Coffee N Cookies.
OR:
A thick steel plate is drilled with a series of holes, and then mounted to a wooden block. Square stock can then be forced through the holes to produce the dowels.
The only CNC required is Coffee N Cookies.
I seldom have need for dowels. But I have some steel, a drill press, and drill bits. So next time I need dowels, I can just drill holes thru a chunk of steel, and I am covered. For no $. I'll only make the one, I do not make stuff like that for sale, just for personal use. Anything I sell that I make is wooden.I could make 100 of those on my machine for $5 each.
different animal and your cutters are dull....I have these, but the dowels are not as smoothly finished as Davids.
https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/sho...cutters/52401-veritas-dowel-and-tenon-cutters
Herb
Sounds like an excellent idea.Theo I want 7/16" dowels, so now what? I have to go and bug David
since he has the Walnut loaded?