Hello Gang,
I would like to cut some dowel rods in half for a project. How can this be done? Using a V-Block? How do I clamp the dowel in the V-Block to keep it from turning? Thanks for the help
Joe
Hello Gang,
I would like to cut some dowel rods in half for a project. How can this be done? Using a V-Block? How do I clamp the dowel in the V-Block to keep it from turning? Thanks for the help
Joe
what size?
If they are sufficiently large so kerf loss is not a major consideration I suppose a pair of V-blocks held together with screws or dabs of glue would hold them firmly enough to run through the table or bandsaw.
Or... Maybe a bit of glue on each end of the dowel in a v-block would work so you could run the dowel through the planer. That does double your dowel wastage.
Just guessing.
Drill a hole in 2 blocks of wood to fit the dowel and glue onto each end. Cut with table saw and then cut off blocks.
No PHD, but I have a DD 214
vblock, hot glue is the easiest. If you don't have a hot glue gun you can try some 100 grit sandpaper on the vblock. Handsaw works best for me.
Make a square block for the front and rear of the dowel, make the square equal in dimension to the rods diameter, attach using dowel pins and glue, then cut the dowel rods in half, bandsaw would be my preference though TS would work, and then cut off the half squares from each end. You could also clamp them to a v block, use a dado or regular blade and a cross cut sled or miter gauge to create a flat at each end, say 1/4" deep, then glue a piece of 1/4" MDF or such to this to establish a foot, cut these off after splitting the dowels,
Maybe I'm missing something here, but wouldn't it be easier to take flat stock, make two passes on a router table with the appropiate round over bit, then cut off the semi circle on the table saw?
Jim: Bingo!
I'm with Jim
CW Miller
Whispering Wood Creations
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Joe, I ran into this same problem a while back, and here is what I did and it worked great.
I took the dowel and edge glued it to a piece of pine or plywood scrap same length as the
dowel . After the glue had dried for a while, I ran the piece through the band saw with the flat edge against the rip fence set at the proper distance to cut the dowel in half length wise, I popped the glued half off the scrap board it was glued to....and I was done.
Everyone is assuming he wants to rip it.
I would pin it to some flat stock with a 23ga pinner and rip in in half on the bandsaw.. Right through the pins..
Well, he didn't ask the best way to make half rounds, he asked how to split dowel rods. Maybe he already has the dowel rod in some species? You sure are right it would be easier and safer, probably quicker to bullnose some wide stock and rip these off, but where is the challenge in that?
If you do not want to hot glue it then I suggest double sided carpet tape to hold it in place. This would be if you are using a band saw If you are going length wise I suggest the affore mentioned router table with a rounding over bit then rip the round over part on the table saw. Good luck