I don’t own a set of dowel formers, so I make the occasional set of dowels and pins by hammering a slightly oversize workpiece through a drill gauge. My gauge is made from 1⁄16-in.-thick steel, so it stands up well to the task. If you don’t have a drill gauge like mine, you can drill holes of the desired diameters in a steel plate of similar thickness. To make a dowel, start with a square stick that’s roughly 1⁄8 in. larger than the desired diameter and about 1 in. longer than the final length. Use a chisel or block plane to taper one end to fit into the hole, and then tap it through with steady hammer blows. Trim the ends to create a perfect dowel.

—Charles Mak,
Calgary, Alta., Canada

Drawing by Dan Thorton