What is it called

[DrPhill]

Many moons ago a friend who was a carpenter helped me put some shelving in. To hide the screw heads we made little bits of 'dowel' from the timber we were using. To do this we used a special bit in the drill which cut out a circle but left the middle untouched. This cylindrical middle bit was the 'dowel' that we plugged the drill holes with.

Does that make sense?

What was this special drill bit called? I think I may have need of one again. I had thought that it was called an 'end grain dowel borer', but my memory may be suspect because nothing answering that description shows up on a Google search.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

 

[Dodge]

Plug cutters

 

[=Adam=]

As above they are plug cutters!

I use a half inch one and bore out the hole with a half inch flat bit to get a lovely snug fit!

Hope this helps.


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=51.669087,-4.055726

 

[Steve Maskery]

Yes, plug cutters. But there are plug cutters and there are plug cutters.
Look out for TAPERED plug cutters. Veritas do good ones, but I think they are only Imperial.
When you insert them, try to line up the grain pattern. It makes them even more discreet.
S

 

[DrPhill]

Thanks all, that is exactly it. I guess from the number and speed of replies that that was an easy quiz this week .

Plenty of hits now on Google, and explanations.

Bye for now

 

[Eric The Viking]

There are cylindrical ones with a slot (I think these make cylindrical plugs), and "pronged" ones (the only sort I possess), that make tapered plugs.

I don't know about the cylindrical ones, but I've seen notes that the pronged ones (that cut tapered plugs) should only be used in a drill press - not hand-held. Someone will, no doubt say they use the latter hand-held all the time, but I strongly recommend you don't.

Please don't ask why...

E.

 

[DrPhill]

There are cylindrical ones with a slot (I think these make cylindrical plugs), and "pronged" ones (the only sort I possess), that make tapered plugs.

I don't know about the cylindrical ones, but I've seen notes that the pronged ones (that cut tapered plugs) should only be used in a drill press - not hand-held. Someone will, no doubt say they use the latter hand-held all the time, but I strongly recommend you don't.

Please don't ask why...

E.

Warning heeded; I have a slightly wobbly stand for my drill, but that is probably better than my even more wobbly hand. I have been promised a better one (pillar drill, not hand) from a clearance - it will need to wend its way from the mid-south, though so could be too late for this project.

 

[Jonzjob]

I have a set of these and they have been very good, plus a 15mm tapered cutter too. I had to do 70 odd plugs for our stair case, no problems.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-8- ... rod840922/

The general idea of the parallel jobbies is that you can cut down the grain and form about 1" dowels..

 

[Phil Pascoe]

When you fit the plug try to fit it with the grain, not just to suit the grain pattern- if you have to plane it it's extremely irritating to find the grain in the plug is opposite the grain in your wood. If you're using wild grained stuff, split a little off the top of the plug from the side and you will see more easily which way the grain runs, then you know from which angle to trim it flush, otherwise you are liable to chip a piece out below the surface- which will seriously annoy you.

 

[DrPhill]

Thanks for all the advice too. My friend probably took all this into account but it either did not register or did not stick in my mind. I do recall that he used a hand drill to cut the plugs though - but on another occasion I watched him hand saw laminate for a kitchen surface and the join was perfect!