Help Choosing a Dowel Plate

[Ron Kanter]

I would like to get a dowel plate to make plugs for various projects. Not really expecting to make dowel for joinery.

Lie Nielsen and Lee Valley both make devices that look good. LV's would be less expensive and has free shipping at this time.
I'm looking for your experience and thoughts. What's been your experience?
Thanks,
Ron

[Kent A Bathurst]

My LN works great - very solid. Dunno anything about the LV version.

A key part of my setup is my Grandfather's old mini-sledge - probably 2# or so.....you can tire your arm out making dowels - at least, out of white oak. Get some mass behind the whack, is my advice.

Just quik-clamp the plate over a bench dog-hole, open a cabinet drawer below it to catch the dowels, and go to town.

[Noah Wagener]

i have banged wood through black plumbing pipe and gotten ok dowels. I think David Charlesworth wrote about this. I think he said people bevel the edges too but i got real bad tearout doing that. Maybe with real straight grain. A 90 degree more scraping cut worked better for me.

[Tom M King]

I've had holes drilled in the legs of my Powermatic 62 contractors saw for that purpose since the early '80s. I got a good laugh when I saw special plates sold for the purpose. All you need is a piece of metal with some clean holes in it.

[Hilton Ralphs]

Aside from making your own plate because sure as nuts, some minimalist will chip in with this advice.

I have the LV version and there's two things I like about their design over the LN version. Firstly you get mix and match between Metric and Standard (haha this is what LN refers to it as). So you may want a 3/8" for making pocket hole plugs but 8mm for something else.

The other point is that I like the way the LV version is supported, either above a dog hole in your bench or with some sort of bridge. The LN version 'may' flex in the middle over time but I can't be sure having not owned one.

AFAIK, neither make those grooved dowels used in dowelling jigs.

[Jim Koepke]

The LV model works okay for me. It doesn't get used a lot, but it is easier than making dowels on the lathe.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

I made my own. Both LV and LN plates are attractive to me.

[Kent A Bathurst]

The LN version 'may' flex in the middle over time but I can't be sure having not owned one.

Anyone can screw up any tool, I guess, but the last thing I would do is use the LN to clear-span between the ends.

As I noted earlier, I set the target dowel dia over a dog hole, and quik-clamp it in place - it doesn't want to move sideways, so you might not even need the clamp.

I have 3" thick oak benchtop fully supporting that plate - I'm pretty sure I'm not going to flex it, Hilton.

[Jim Belair]

AFAIK, neither make those grooved dowels used in dowelling jigs.

St James Bay Tool version will do this http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Dowel-forming-sizeing-and-grooving-plate-/391056910792?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5b0ccee9c8

[Jim Koepke]

Here is another way to put grooves on dowels:

306990

It was made by drilling a hole through a piece of scrap. The piece was then ripped lengthwise and a wood screw inserted. The screw can be raised or lowered to affect the depth of grooving.

It is also possible to make one without ripping the work piece and just drive a small dowel through to be grooved.

This piece has also been used for a kind of miter box for cutting dowels to length.

jtk

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Thanks to one of the best eBay scores ever, I got this complete set: http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=42331&cat=1,180,42288 You would be hard pressed to find a beter way to make dowels, and actually I need to be in the shop right now making some for my latest project- thanks for reminding me! BUT- this is way overkill, and I assume the one you are referring to is this one: http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=52401&cat=1,180,42288,52401 I have not used this one, but it works on the same principle as mine. Based on what you said, this seems like what you need- i.e. you're not going to use it enough to support spending the $$$ for the other one.

I am not a fan of the LN dowel plate. It's better suited just for making pegs for dowel pinning or other mostly-hidden joinery. The LV one makes smooth, clean dowels.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Malcolm -

YOu are correct - the LN is for joinery pegs/plugs/etc. Not the correct tool for longer dowels.

THat first LV tool is pretty cool, eh? Don't have a need, but looks great!

[Ron Kanter]

I'm not looking to make long dowels either.
The Lee Valley setup that I am considering is the round "dowel former" that individual size fformers fit into.
This one http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=70555&cat=1,42524

[Kent A Bathurst]

Ron - as noted earlier, I only have experience with the LN plate, and it works great. Having said that, I would have no qualms with a product from LV. I don't think you can go wrong - it isn't a huge investment either way, so don't overdrive your headlights, eh? ;)

Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chances..............

EDIT: LOML will be making her annual pilgrimage to the Philly flower show in a few weeks. I won't be tagging along. If I were, I'd let you test drive my plate for the price of a brisket sandwich and a beer [I liked the old beer garden better than the modern one] at the Reading Terminal Market........... :D

[Jim Koepke]

The Lee Valley setup that I am considering is the round "dowel former" that individual size fformers fit into.
This one http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...55&cat=1,42524

That is the one I have. My only regret is not ordering the two sizes that do not come with the set of four.

jtk

[Hilton Ralphs]

That is the one I have. My only regret is not ordering the two sizes that do not come with the set of four.


Come on Jim, you only need to find another $21 worth of goodies and then the shipping is free.

[Maurice Ungaro]

i have banged wood through black plumbing pipe and gotten ok dowels. I think David Charlesworth wrote about this. I think he said people bevel the edges too but i got real bad tearout doing that. Maybe with real straight grain. A 90 degree more scraping cut worked better for me.

Best way to reduce/eliminate tear out, and to make structural dowels is to split the wood to a close size, then drive them through the dowel plate.

[paul cottingham]

I have a LN dowel plate, and like it. I would probably go with the LV setup if I were to do it again. I only use a small number of sizes, and the LV seems like it might be less prone to flex.
I hard mounted my LN in a wide, shallow mortise in my bench, and it works well.
I think the most important thing to think about is how you are going to rive stock for dowels. Riven stock is much stronger than cut stock, and Makes much better dowels, especially for draw boring.

[Ron Kanter]

Although nobody here suggested plug cutters, over on Woodnet a few people made that suggestion.
Given that I am more of a plug guy than a dowel guy, I am now thinking maybe I should get a set of good plug cutters instead of a dowel plate. I have a couple of cheap Amana plug cutters, but they produce inconsistent results.
Thinking of either the Veritas® Tapered Snug-Plug® Cutters
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=32320&cat=1,180,42288
or W.L. Fuller plug cuttters from Tools for Woodworking
https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/EE-355-PC3.XX
Did I just hijack my own thread
http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowconfused.gif

[Kent A Bathurst]

No - you did not hijack your own thread, you just finally came clean as to what in the heck it is you really need. ;)

That's OK - the occasional wild goose chase does no harm.

I have Fullers - no problems. I don't know about the LV, but would bet they are up-to-snuff in terms of de rigueur LV quality.

Don't let the wnet guys know you actually paid 6 bucks here - they will fillet you. :p

[lowell holmes]

I have two Lee Valley plug cutters. They are top drawer.

However, in my mind, a plug is not a dowel.