Dowel Plate

[Jerry Thompson]

To make one's own dowel plate can a hole(s) just be drilled in a steel plate then the shaped wood driven through it? Does the hole have to be sharpend?

[george wilson]

It is better if the holes are tapered inside them,so just the front edge cuts the dowel. I have seen dowel plates with just straight drilled holes,but they don't make the nicest dowels. It is better if the holes are also reamed smooth,or the dowels will have striations on them. But,if the dowels are accurately sized,the striations could hold glue better.

[Steve Thomas]

Yes, you can. Make your own.
I have for many years.
I posted a video of its use on you tube some time back.
I'll see if I can add the link.

[Steve Thomas]

Try this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1GeA-6551Y&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Zach Dillinger]

My dowel plate is just a few holes drilled through a mild steel plate. It works fine and was free (made from scrap). I'm sure a reamed hole or one with a counterbore on the back would work better. I did run the top face of my plate over my sharpening stones to try to make a nice flat (i.e. sharp) edge on the hole.

[Bryan Schwerer]

Hi Steve,

Great video. I made one myself and it doesn't work as well as yours. Can you remember what size you started with and what size you ended up with.
What size did you step down your holes with. I stepped down from 1/2" to 1/8" by 1/16". It works acceptably down to 5/16", then I get most of my failures going down to 1/4" (which due to poor planning is the size I need). I wish I had gone down to 1/32" between 5/16 and 1/4. The smaller sizes are just absurd.

[Steve Thomas]

Hi Bryan,
I drilled a holed for every bit that i had.
6mm (1/4") to 13mm (1/2") in 0.5mm increments.
It's 6mm steel.

I might have to try what george suggests re the back side and make it better... but it's already pretty good

[george wilson]

We had an old shingle maker in Wmbg. many years ago. His dowel plate was just a piece of mild steel with drilled holes. It made crude dowels for holding down 18th.C. type shingles. Not really suitable for higher grade woodworking. Of course,he was punching cypress through it,which is very soft.

If I wanted a dowel plate,I'd make it from 01 steel,taper the holes,and harden and temper it. The tapered holes should stop being tapered about 1/8" or less from their tops,so you can re grind the top of the plate for sharpening without making the holes larger. Dowels must be split from the wood so their grain is straight,else you may get damaged dowels.

[David Weaver]

Could a mild steel plate be reamed by hand and then case hardened with kasenit or something? Or would it get too brittle around the holes.

Just a hypothetical question I guess, I already have the LN plane and don't really use it.

[george wilson]

Kasenit is no longer available. Cherry red is another product that does the same thing. These products only harden to a little depth,but that would be enough if you hardened the insides of the holes. The cutting edge would be hard,and that is all that is necessary.

[David Weaver]

I wonder why. Dixie gun works looks like they still have a little, but I'll bet they'll be out soon, too.

I still have a full can of kasenit, though, that someone told me would be useful and I have yet to use on anything.

I'd assume most people won't be able to heat steel hot enough to use a case hardening compound, anyway, I guess.