LN Dowel Plate

[woodbloke]

I've been messing around with the LN Dowel Plate over the last couple of days and wondered how others use it as the holes are bigger on one side (in other words the section thru' a hole is a truncated cone) Assume I want to make a 6mm dowel. I cut the material to about 6.5mm square on the bandsaw and then use a blockplane to make it into an octagon. Are you supposed to waka :lol: it thu' the big hole first (to sort of compress the fibres) and then thu' the correct sized hole on the other side OR do you go straight into the 6mm hole and pass it thru' a couple of times? (second time just to clean up) Just interested, have found it to be a very useful bit of kit lately :wink: - Rob

 

[bugbear]

I've been messing around with the LN Dowel Plate over the last couple of days and wondered how others use it as the holes are bigger on one side (in other words the section thru' a hole is a truncated cone) Assume I want to make a 6mm dowel. I cut the material to about 6.5mm square on the bandsaw and then use a blockplane to make it into an octagon. Are you supposed to waka :lol: it thu' the big hole first (to sort of compress the fibres) and then thu' the correct sized hole on the other side OR do you go straight into the 6mm hole and pass it thru' a couple of times? (second time just to clean up) Just interested, have found it to be a very useful bit of kit lately :wink: - Rob

The taper in the hole serves the same purpose as the blade relief in a plane.

So the wood always goes in the narrow end.

BugBear

 

[Lord Nibbo]

I dont shape anything other than put a bit of a point on it. I then hammer it through any hole that is a little smaller than the wood I'm using, then again through the next hole down and then repeat until I get to the hole size I need.

I've just read your post again, The side you need uppermost is the narrow side of the hole, there is less friction, and the edge cuts better.

 

[wizer]

I have one of these but didn't have much success. May I ask what you'll be using the dowels for? I found that the resulting dowels where a bit rough and they had to be quite short to easily whack (waka) through the plate.

 

[woodbloke]

Have a look at the latest enty on the Blokeblog :wink: - Rob

 

[tnimble]

I cut the wood by splitting some offcuts (Ray Ilses has a mini froe I'm interested in and also might be very usefull for this job) into semi round dowel.

Then which a few (or many sometimes) blows force them through the plate. The L-N plate is very nice, much nicer then the plate I've used before. The side with the markings on it is the top side. The holes are tapered wider towards the bottom to releave the wood. The tp also seems t have a slight taper which seems to compress the wood.

 

[tnimble]

Have a look at the latest enty on the Blokeblog :wink: - Rob

Why not turn the holes to 8mm? Bore a starter hole to depth and wide the hole with a mini gouge. Should be dead on centre.

 

[OPJ]

WiZeR, you could try drilling a deep hole in a thicker piece of scrap to support the dowel and keep it vertical while you hit it. :wink:

I don't think it really matters too much if they're a bit 'rough' as they won't be seen anyway. Unless you have something where the grain is all over the place... I seem to struggle the most with keeping it vertical or else it comes out a funny shape. :?

 

[tnimble]

I seem to struggle the most with keeping it vertical or else it comes out a funny shape. :?

That is where the two countersunk holes on the ends of the dowel pate come in. To screw it secure above a block of wood with holes drilled just a bit wider then the dowels.

 

[wizer]

I seem to struggle the most with keeping it vertical or else it comes out a funny shape. :?

That is where the two countersunk holes on the ends of the dowel pate come in. To screw it secure above a block of wood with holes drilled just a bit wider then the dowels.

why didn't I think of that!

 

[woodbloke]

The way I use it is to position the hole being used over one of the square bench dog holes on the bench, tap the dowel thru' which then falls on the floor...got to find it then - Rob

 

[bugbear]

For semi-bulk production of dowels, I would recommend what (vintage) rake makers do; they sharpen the end of a pipe on the outside, and then support it with "wings" welded on (so it looks a little like a rocket with tail fins). This makes a proper dowel cutter, as opposed to a plate, which is more of a dowel scraper.

BugBear

 

[Harbo]

Then of course is the Woodrat method - jig with router cutter protruding into dowel hole. Roughly shaped timber pushed through rotated by electric hand drill.

I have tried it a couple of times without too much success but then I have not been in the need for many dowels.

Rod

 

[milkman]

Had some success with this at college the other week, after ooh about an hour and a lot of match wood

Make sure your dowel stock is as straight grained as possible

The progressive thing is good: work down the holes to the size you need but only by two or three. Any more and imperfections in the wood will give way and split

No octagons needed, just a pencil sharpener

When you hammer do it really hard and quick with no let up. Its almost like if you pause and give the dowel any time to realise whats happening it freaks out and splits (I don't care if thats not a very scientific view it holds true)

After some practice I was even getting 3mm dowels out, didn't need them, just wanted to see if it could be done.

[edit]Oh and there's a length limit for any given size and stock type. For the 3mm size I couldn't get much over 30-40 mm long, that was in mahogany.

 

[Wanlock Dod]

Rob,

I've heard it suggested that when using a dowel plate it is best to start with a dowel a bit bigger than the one you are after and cut it down progressively (i.e. start with an 8 mm dowel, then 7 mm, then 6 mm). No doubt a bit more work, but apparently a better dowel.

It's only fair to mention that I've never tried it myself, If I need a bit of dowel I tend to turn a piece.

Cheers,

Dod