mailee
Established Member
If like me you are too tight to spend money on dowel you can make this jig and save a fortune.
As you can see it consists of a baseplate with hardwood blocks to allow the timber to pass through.
A large diameter hole is cut into the entry block to allow the size of your square timber to pass.
Both the exit hole and the support block hole are drilled to the diameter of the dowel you require.
In the centre of the baseplate between the first two blocks a hole is drilled to take a straight cutter just off centre of the holes.
I made a small square drive to feed the timber into the jig with my cordless screwdriver but you can use any method that suits yourself. In use the base board is secured to the router table top with the cutter through the hole in the baseplate. With a little trial and error you can pivot the base plate until the cutter takes off the amount you require for your dowel. Once set clamp down the other end of the base to the table top and start feeding the timber through the cutter keeping a constant speed on the screwdriver.
As you can see from the picture the dowel emerges from the other end and will just require a light sanding to finish. Once you get the hang of it you can feed the timber through quite quickly making many dowels and saving a fortune. :wink:
As you can see it consists of a baseplate with hardwood blocks to allow the timber to pass through.
A large diameter hole is cut into the entry block to allow the size of your square timber to pass.
Both the exit hole and the support block hole are drilled to the diameter of the dowel you require.
In the centre of the baseplate between the first two blocks a hole is drilled to take a straight cutter just off centre of the holes.
I made a small square drive to feed the timber into the jig with my cordless screwdriver but you can use any method that suits yourself. In use the base board is secured to the router table top with the cutter through the hole in the baseplate. With a little trial and error you can pivot the base plate until the cutter takes off the amount you require for your dowel. Once set clamp down the other end of the base to the table top and start feeding the timber through the cutter keeping a constant speed on the screwdriver.
As you can see from the picture the dowel emerges from the other end and will just require a light sanding to finish. Once you get the hang of it you can feed the timber through quite quickly making many dowels and saving a fortune. :wink:
