Chips are flying...

[Todd Burch]

...with my Stanley #77 dowel maker. This thing saved me countless hours of driving all over looking for a 3/8" cherry dowel. It took more time to get it out and set it up than it did to crank out (literally) 4 dowels about 16" long with wood from the scrap pile. What fun! I think I'll leave it out for a while for visitors to the shop to use. People like an instant sense of accomplishment using it.

<img src="http://burchwoodusa.com/miscpix/Tables/trestle_dowelmaking.jpg">

Todd.

[Don Abele]

Todd, the first thing I thought about when I read this was that it looked like a pencil sharpener. That is until, out of curiousity I did a search on it and found that this thing sells for over $300!!! Still a cool tool though. And I can see a definite use for those speciality wood dowels. What is the range in dowel sizes it can make?

Be well,

Doc

[Todd Burch]

$300??? I paid $550!!! - about 7 years ago. I have 4 dies: 3/8", 1/2", 5/8" and 3/4". I think there are 3 more I don't have, but I would like to have if I could find them (I'm not looking real hard - they are probably $100 each).

Todd.

[Don Abele]

Todd, those were for used models. I didn't see anything for them new.

Be well,

Doc

[Keith Outten]

Todd,

Can you tell me if the finished dowel is machined to a very close tolerance. I purchase dowel stock from Bealle Tools because they are the only provider I can find that offer dowels that are perfectly round and machined to very close tolerences. For my wood threader the dowels must be near perfect in size to be machined by the router fixture.
Do they make 1" dies for this machine? I make wooden bolts in 1/2". 3/4" and 1" diameters.

Anyone who can provide links for the Stanley would be appreciated.

[Glenn Clabo]

Todd,
Anyone who can provide links for the Stanley would be appreciated.

Here's Joh Zimmers site Keith... http://jonzimmersantiquetools.com/tools/misclist.htm

[Todd Burch]

Don - I bought mine used too! That's OK though - I saw value in it @ $550. No regrets. I don't think this thing has been made for 40+ years.

Keith, each die has an adjustable iron held in place with a machine screw, so the diameter of the dowel can be adjusted, as the iron must be sharpened, just like any other. I didn't check the setup before making the dowels, and I was able to use a "V" letter drill (.366") for the "3/8" pilot holes. My iron was also not very sharp, so the finish was no where near as smooth as a factory made & sanded dowel, but that didn't matter for this application. I don't know if a 1" die is made for this unit.

I just checked out the above link. To order that same setup that I have from that link would cost $720!

Todd.

[Brad Schafer]

Veritas makes a dowel maker - found it on Lee Valley:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?SID=&ccurrency=2&page=42331&category=1,180,42288

i like the look of the old tool, tho.


b