Dowel making machine

imbuia | Posted in Power Tools and Machinery on August 23, 2005 04:59am

Years ago I lived in Puerto Rico and worked at nice resort hotel that had a well equipped woodworking shop. The shop had a dowel making machine which consisted of an egg beater hand (drill) rotator device mounted on a horizontal bed and a pencil sharpener type mandrel that you ran a long square piece of stock through to mill it round. I made countless dowels with it for making furniture. I have never run across one since then and wonder if it is available anywhere. It was a great tool that I would love to put my hands on again. Anyone ever seen one or know where I could locate one?

Jim in Woodstock, VT

Replies

SawdustSteve | Aug 23, 2005 05:22am | #1
Hi Jim... Stanley tools made a dowel making machine.
It is their '# 77 Dowel and Rod Turning Machine.' It made 9 sizes of dowels from 1/4" to 3/4" by 16ths and came with a 3/8" cutter. It was manufacturted from 1911 to 1969. Check with some of the antique tool dealers and see if you can get one. Collector prices are a bit crazy, with ASKING prices starting at about $200. If stanley made one, most likely there was one from Seargent and Sears. There may even be other manufacturers that I don't know about.
SawdustSteve

chills1994 | Aug 23, 2005 05:31am | #2
Try this: 19921.8

It might be cheaper and produce better results than the hand cranked version you're looking for.
KeithNewton | Aug 23, 2005 03:27pm | #5
Steve, it would be much cheaper to make them with a half round bead cutter for a table-router or shaper cut from two sides. I haven't made them in a long time, but it seems like I got better results if I stopped the first cut a little short of the end at least on the first side. This way when you start on the other side, the newly released dowel won't chatter so bad when you are starting out.

jackiechan | Aug 23, 2005 05:37am | #3
Lee Valley makes a doweling kit.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=42331&cat=1,180,42288

Dan Kornfeld, Owner/President - Odyssey Wood Design, Inc.
Schulz | Aug 23, 2005 05:50am | #4
Lee Valley makes one - http://www.leevalley.com - look under the woodworking index under "drilling" subcategory.

Definitely not cheap, but most of their stuff is well made and their customer service is excellent. At the price for the set ($265) you might be better off finding an antique Stanley.

Steve