Making dowels

[NOTTNICK]

I am about to lift a lot of flooring in my house.
It is beautiful 26mm pyranha pine in 230mm wide boards (various lengths).
The floor was laid by screwing through it and plugging (not the neatest, but it wasn't me, I've just moved in).
Anyway, I'll be lifting the boards by drilling out the dowels and removing screws. 10mm diameter currently.

Of course, when I re-lay it I shall have to re-use the system.

I will of course need to re-plug the holes with fresh dowels.

I'll have loads of spare timber, but of course it'll be 26mm thick.
Ill need dowels about 15mm long.
I could rip lengths of the boards and make dowels with a jig, but the grain will be lengthways, it'd be good to go across the grain so it matches.

I wonder if anyone can suggest a way of manufacturing (a few hundred) short dowels from the boards?

Or is this an idea that won't work?

Cheers
Nick

 

[Racers]

Plug cutter.

Make loads from the back of the boards.

Pete

 

[blackrodd]

If you mean the parana pine flooring was screwed and pelleted, or plugged, then you will need one of these,-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Disston-5211-Sc ... B0002JT064 And make you're own pellets. just fit in a drill and cut you're own, clear glue, and tap in place and carefully pare away until flat.
The cheap sets will blunt and burn easily, also dowels are the wrong grain and too long.
Don't forget the centres probably won't work, so you'll probably be filling in the original that you have to take out now and re drill and pellet anew.
HTH Regards Rodders

 

[ED65]

A plug cutter is what you need if you don't want to have end grain showing, but make sure you pick well so you can get the required >15mm height of plug.

 

[hanser]

Nick - that's the trouble with retirement. All those jobs that need doing and you can't use work as an excuse :roll:

 

[NOTTNICK]

Thanks for the advice here - I can see that a plug cutter is what I need.
Hopefully I can drill out the old plugs neatly and re-use the holes.
I've got enough spare to experiment. Might need to go a couple of mm larger.
I'll know soon.
Hanser you're so right about retirement. So many jobs, I have never been busier.
SWMBO is happy though, particularly if supper is ready too

 

[hanser]

Nick

SWMBO -so true! Where's home now? Joy's not in to ask.

Reiterating Rodder's post. Under no circumstances be tempted by Tool Station's cheapo plug cutters. You will end up taking them back!

Also, you may need to up the size of the plugs and corresponding hole if there is damage to the originals when you dig out the plugs/screws. Finally, it's a lot easier/cleaner cutting if you use the plug cutter in a drill press as opposed to a hand drill.

Good luck

 

[dickm]

For your safety and sanity, don't even think of using a plug cutter hand-held.

 

[Argus]

For your safety and sanity, don't even think of using a plug cutter hand-held.

Agreed, it wil never work; however Hitachi make a plug-cutter that has a spring-loaded armature in the centre that is intended for hand drills.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Hitachi-1 ... 1299854170

The bad news is that, as far as I can see, it is not on sale in the UK - or Europe for that matter.

 

[Giff]

A plug cutter in a 1/4" router has always worked well for me....and quick as well. Geoff

 

[blackrodd]

A plug cutter in a 1/4" router has always worked well for me....and quick as well. Geoff

As long as you can dial down the router speed, too fast and they will burn the outer edge, bad enough on oak, but much lighter parana pine will probably show a lot more easily.
Rodders

 

[toolsntat]

Just a thought
http://www.applebywoodturnings.co.uk/cr ... 00pcs.html

Andy

 

[thick_mike]

There's a lot of faff saved ^^^^^^