Veritas dowel maker

[Dennis Droege]

Has anyone had any experience with the Veritas dowel maker? I have been making dowels with my little shop made gadget (hole drilled in hardwood with a plane blade attached), but using it involves not only squaring the stock, but planing/cutting it into a hex and tapering the end. So I'm looking around for an improvement. Thanks for any help.

[Stephen Rosenthal]

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/dowel-and-tenon-cutters/42331-veritas-dowel-maker

If this is what you’re referring to, it’s incredible. I don’t make enough dowels to own it, but I’ve used a friend’s who has made hundreds of dowels and says he “wouldn’t be without it.” But unless you plan on making a lot of dowels, the Lie-Nielsen dowel plate is a lot more affordable, albeit more labor intensive. .

[Todd Trebuna]

I use a dowel plate clamped in my face vise. It's drawback is on dowels longer than 6 inches. I can't produce a straight one. For items smaller than that, it does great and definitely not as cool or as reliable as the Veritas, but as often as I need to make dowels, it works for me. I can also buy alot of dowels for 200 dollars too.

[Dennis Droege]

My motive for the first post was to find out if anyone had actually used one, and what they thought about it.

[Steve Hubbard]

Dennis, I own the Veritas Dowel and Tenon Cutter in 3/8 and 1/2 inch versions. The Dowel Maker in Stephen's post looks like an upscale version of what I own. I bought mine to make dowels out of Paduak and Hard Maple for a workbench. They are simple and easy to use, great success on my first attempt. Nice product for making dowels out of wood species that are difficult to obtain in commercially available dowels. I have used it for more projects than expected.

[John Gornall]

If only Veritas would make a 1/4" dowel cutter

They do have a nice dowel plate

https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/hand-tools/dowel-and-tenon-cutters/101492-inserts-for-veritas-dowel-former

[Dennis Droege]

Thanks, Steve. I'm interested in making 3/8" dowels that don't exceed 3/8". I've discovered that the dowels I buy vary in diameter. I really appreciate your getting back to me.

[Dennis Droege]

If I read the literature correctly, the dowel maker Steve's talking about does make 1/4" dowels.

[John Gornall]

The dowel maker offers an optional 1/4" insert

They don't make the tenon. dowel cutters in 1/4"size