Woodpecker's Dowel Press Anyone?

[Mark Felton]

How many of you are planning to lay out $400 :eek: for the latest Woodpecker's One-Time Tool, a dowel press?

http://www.woodpeck.com/dowel-press.html

I'm a big fan of Woodpecker's products (my shop has a very reddish hue), but $400 is strong and I'm wondering if any other SMC members are planning to get in on this tool. It's a very clever concept and I'm sure it would last for generations. Does that justify the price tag?

[Brad Barnhart]

not me! I own two lathes, & make any size dowel I need, & however many. $400 seems mighty pricey!:confused:

[Ben Rivel]

I was wondering when a thread here would start. They are going fast and strong on the other forums and Facebook.

Consensus seems to be the Lee Valley / Veritas dowel maker is a much better option

AND

$400 is a lot of money for an apple peeler.

AND

Get a lathe if youre making that many dowels.

[Mike Hollingsworth]

Consensus seems to be the Lee Valley / Veritas dowel maker is a much better option


I sold mine on eBay.
I couldn't get it to work.

[Mike Henderson]

Lie Nielsen has a dowel plate (https://www.lie-nielsen.com/product/dowel-plate-standard) that you hammer a piece of wood through to make dowels ($55). But if I needed a dowel that was not too long, I'd do it on my lathe.

I have the LN dowel plate and don't think I've ever used it. It's just not that often that you need to make a dowel. Mostly when you want a dowel of some specific wood and can't buy it.

Mike

[lowell holmes]

Lie Nielsen has a dowel plate (https://www.lie-nielsen.com/product/dowel-plate-standard) that you hammer a piece of wood through to make dowels ($55). But if I needed a dowel that was not too long, I'd do it on my lathe.

I have the LN dowel plate and don't think I've ever used it. It's just not that often that you need to make a dowel. Mostly when you want a dowel of some specific wood and can't buy it.

Mike

I have one and do use it. Prior to getting it, I had drilled holes in a steel plate and used it for a making dowels. These dowels are used in joints, you can't see them.

[Mark Felton]

I was wondering when a thread here would start. They are going fast and strong on the other forums and Facebook.



Can you point me to the other discussions? I've purchased so many Woodpecker's One-Time tools that I almost placed my order for this one by default. But the $400 price tag caused me to pause and evaluate whether I would get $400 worth of value from it (I know, the answer seems blindingly obvious!). I'm just wondering if there is someone somewhere that can offer ample justification for such a purchase. What has the tone of the other forums been on this topic?

[Ben Rivel]

Can you point me to the other discussions? I've purchased so many Woodpecker's One-Time tools that I almost placed my order for this one by default. But the $400 price tag caused me to pause and evaluate whether I would get $400 worth of value from it (I know, the answer seems blindingly obvious!). I'm just wondering if there is someone somewhere that can offer ample justification for such a purchase. What has the tone of the other forums been on this topic?
Looks mostly like everyone thinks its a joke and big fail on Woodpeckers part in my observation.

The others are on Facebook from The Woodwhisperer Guild members which you have to be a member to see.

[Mark Felton]

Thanks, Ben!

[Andrew Hughes]

A dowel that's not rived from some nice straight grain and hammered thru a dowel plate is no good for draw bore.
There is nothing more frustrating then having a dowel break before you get thru the other side.

Aj

[Izzy Camire]

It looks to me like the maximum length dowel with this would only be about a foot long. I am missing something?

[Matt Day]

I'll keep my Stanley 77 thank you!

[Art Mann]

I think it is a great product for tool collectors. I don't know of any actual woodworkers who would make much use of it. Unless I need a particular species (very rare), I just buy them.

[Cary Falk]

I have quite a few Woodpecker layout tools. A lot of things dust don't do it for me. The dowel maker does not do it for me. I can buy a lot of dowels for $400. I have lathe that I can make them of and a router table/shaper that I could use a roundover bit to make one also. To be fair to Woodpecker, the Lee Valley one mentioned is the same price.

[Stew Hagerty]

A dowel that's not rived from some nice straight grain and hammered thru a dowel plate is no good for draw bore.
There is nothing more frustrating then having a dowel break before you get thru the other side.

Aj

Exactly, and the Veritas tool produces cut rather than riven dowels. The Woodpeckers tool makes riven dowels by pressing the wood through a die plate instead of pounding it through. Besides, as Cary Falk said, they are about the same price anyway.
That said, I have Veritas' other dowel maker... Their Dowel Former. I like it better than a plate, and it's WAAAYYY less expensive that either of the other two options!

345688

[Bill Rhodus]

Get the Lie Nielsen for the odd small dowel and buy a cheap arbor press and drill a hole in a plate for the large dowels. You can do an acceptable job this way and have a press for your shop. I recently made a large batch of 11/4 dowels for timber framing on my press without problem.

[Marc Burt]

This one misses the mark for me too. But it sure is purty!!

In fairness to woodpeckers when you're cranking these thing out almost every month they can't all be winners.

Edit: I have the LN dowel plate at well. Used it maybe 3 or 4 times in the decade I've owned it. But it does beat waiting a few days to order dowel. I know how rediculous this will sound but it never occurred to me to use my lathe! My wife always said I was a genius.

[Keith Hankins]

If I used dowels and needed a lot and needed both standard and ridged, It would be nice. They make great products and amortized over time not that expensive. I think the Lie-nielsen plate is good and cheap, but this too could have its place for some. Great respect for them. Since they only run whats ordered, I can't see the "failure" as some have said. But hey to each his own.

I hope they keep the innovation coming.

[Mark Felton]

I think it is a great product for tool collectors. I don't know of any actual woodworkers who would make much use of it.

You kind hit the nail on the head for me, Art. I've purchased several WP one-time tool products that fell into the category of tool collecting more than an actual woodworking need. But, I did at least have some reasonable expectation that I would use the tool from time to time in my woodworking. I'm not sure I could say the same for the dowel press. In addition to the $400 price tag, there's the issue of shop space. While the dowel press is not the size of a jointer or planer, it does take up space nonetheless and I'm getting to the point that space is scarce and any tool acquisition has to be good for daily use and/or multiple uses. At this point I'm planning to pass on this WP OTT.

[Eric Commarato]

you can buy a lifetime of dowels for $400. Even better, put the money toward a Domino and never use dowels again...

[Bruce Page]

$400 is a lot of money. Speaking as a one time developmental machinist, I can tell you that any quality CNC machine shop would charge you double or triple that amount, or more, to make a one-off assembly, with dies. Considering that they will probably not sell 1000's or even 100's of these I am surprised they can sell it for $400.
Woodpeckers makes collector quality hardware...

[Mark Felton]

$400 is a lot of money. Speaking as a one time developmental machinist, I can tell you that any quality CNC machine shop would charge you double or triple that amount, or more, to make a one-off assembly, with dies. Considering that they will probably not sell 1000's or even 100's of these I am surprised they can sell it for $400.
Woodpeckers makes collector quality hardware...

Point taken, Bruce. As I already own many WP tools, I have no question about the quality/precision of this OTT. I just question the value proposition (i.e., is it worth spending $400 for a tool that only creates dowels).

[Mike Henderson]

Point taken, Bruce. As I already own many WP tools, I have no question about the quality/precision of this OTT. I just question the value proposition (i.e., is it worth spending $400 for a tool that only creates dowels).
For $400 you could buy a mini lathe and a cheap set of lathe tools and make dowels as well as a lot of other things.

Mike

[Cary Falk]

(i.e., is it worth spending $XXXXX for a tool that only creates YYYYYYY).

That can be said about a lot of tools discussed on this forum. Some costing way more than $400. It is to some. Others, not so much.

[Bruce Page]

That can be said about a lot of tools discussed on this forum. Some costing way more than $400. It is to some. Others, not so much.

Exactly. My wife & I were watching an RV show the other night where a Class A was selling for 638K. She asked, who would spent that kind of money on an RV? I said I would if I were a multi millionaire!

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[Mike Goetzke]

Now if it could bore a hole down the center and push a piece of lead in it I'd be all over this tool :D.

[Andrey Kharitonkin]

Get the Lie Nielsen for the odd small dowel and buy a cheap arbor press and drill a hole in a plate for the large dowels. You can do an acceptable job this way and have a press for your shop. I recently made a large batch of 11/4 dowels for timber framing on my press without problem.

Interesting thing about Woodpecker's Dowel Press is that it can make fluted dowels... and there is an option just to order Dowel Press Die Set to use in some other press.

That makes me thinking about making a hole in the rear jaw of twin screw tail vice that I have... Though the same can be done with Veritas Dowel Former, except that fluted variant again.

But is it a good way to make a dowel to press it? In mass production it seems to be milled. Hand tool tradition is to hammer it through a hole in a plate. I know only mass produced once. Any difference in results between these three methods?

[Mike Henderson]

Interesting thing about Woodpecker's Dowel Press is that it can make fluted dowels... and there is an option just to order Dowel Press Die Set to use in some other press.

That makes me thinking about making a hole in the rear jaw of twin screw tail vice that I have... Though the same can be done with Veritas Dowel Former, except that fluted variant again.

But is it a good way to make a dowel to press it? In mass production it seems to be milled. Hand tool tradition is to hammer it through a hole in a plate. I know only mass produced once. Any difference in results between these three methods?
I haven't used a lot of dowels but I've never had any problem putting non-fluted dowels in. Just don't use too much glue. I tap them in with a soft faced hammer.

Mike

[Stew Hagerty]

I haven't used a lot of dowels but I've never had any problem putting non-fluted dowels in. Just don't use too much glue. I tap them in with a soft faced hammer.

Mike
I typically take a couple of shavings off one side of a longer piece of dowel, or hold shorter ones flat against a sander for a second or so. Either way, that one slightly flattened edge gives plenty of room for glue squeeze out.

[Mark Felton]

Here's a review of the Dowel Press done by Workshop Addict. It does a good job or recognizing the benefits and drawbacks of this latest OTT.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC4b9NzYVXQ

[Chris Padilla]

Are dowels used very much? Who uses a lot of dowels? I have a bunch I bought 20 years ago. I'm not sure I've opened the bag yet....

But as some stated, Woodpeckers builds and designs very fine products and I've loved everything I've ever gotten from them.

[lowell holmes]

IMO, my Lie Nielsen dowel plate is only good for making dowels 4" or less in length. It does a credible job in that range.

Having it means I no longer have to go to the BORG or Lowes when I need a dowel that I don't have.

I keep a mayonnaise jar with an assortment of dowels.

[Mason Truelove]

just kinda pricey for the 400 bucks. But i think quality is good also.

[Ole Anderson]

Pretty tool, high quality, but it is not on my list.

Curious: for those suggesting making dowels on a lathe (and not having one in my shop, please excuse my ignorance here) how do you get a consistent diameter on a skinny and flexible 3/8" dowel? If it were metal you might use a steady rest to eliminate the flex and with the fixed cutter, no problem. But don't you generally use a WW lathe with handheld tools?

[Cary Falk]

I think it would be easier to make on a router table with a roundover bit then a lathe. On the router table you leave the ends square to keep the stock from rotating.

[Mike Henderson]

Pretty tool, high quality, but it is not on my list.

Curious: for those suggesting making dowels on a lathe (and not having one in my shop, please excuse my ignorance here) how do you get a consistent diameter on a skinny and flexible 3/8" dowel? If it were metal you might use a steady rest to eliminate the flex and with the fixed cutter, no problem. But don't you generally use a WW lathe with handheld tools?

This is assuming that you're not trying to make something like a 1/4" dowel 3 feet long.

Assuming that you're going to make a dowel that's a couple of inches long, I'd chuck up the wood, rough it round, and then make a small cut on each end to the size (maybe just a bit bigger, for safety). There are lathe tools that you can use to make those cuts and you'd use a set of calipers to feel the size.

Then cut out the wood between your two sizing cuts. Use an accurate caliper (like a dial caliper) and take it down to size. If you're really close, use sandpaper to get it to the final size. Probably takes longer to describe it than to do it.

Mike

[If you did want to make a 1/4" dowel 3 feet long, there are "steady rests" supports you can make to hold the work as you cut it. It would be slow and difficult to do one 3 feet long but it could be done.]

[Andrey Kharitonkin]

Got the Dowel Press Die Set from Woodpeckers last week. Unfortunately, instead of Metric version I've got Imperial. Did anybody by any chance received Metric instead of Imperial? :)

It does also look different a bit than in advertisement, mat black instead of shiny metal:
364261

Maybe I was the only one to order them in Metric, hehe.

[Bill Dufour]

For that price I would buy a dowel plate, or the replacement dowel cutters for this tool, and a hydraulic press or a arbor press. That way I would have a useful tool and a dowel maker. I have not used dowels since High school where we had a power doweling drill machine. It has been biscuits and screws since school was over for me.
Bill

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[julian abram]

I wouldn't use $400 worth of dowels in a lifetime. Dowel press would be a solution without a problem for me.

[Steve Demuth]

For $400 you could get a decent mini or if you look for a while, good used midi-lathe, and make all the dowels you want, plus drawer pulls, spindles and the like. For short species specific structural dowels, just get a Lee Valley dowel former. I have 3/4" hole in the face of my bench vice, so I can use the vice to push stock through a dowel former/plate.