Results 1 to 14 of 14

Thread: Making a Dowel Plate Question

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    California
    Posts
    595

    Making a Dowel Plate Question

    I am planning to make a dowel plate to size a few dowels. I am not sure what type of steel to buy for the plate. I want it soft enough to be able to drill the holes but also want the steel to be as durable as possible. When I look at ¼ inch steel it seems like there are a lot of options but my experience with metal is minimal. Suggestions? Thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Austin Texas
    Posts
    1,957
    1/4" Mild Steel will work fine. The stuff they sell in smaller pieces in one of the Borgs will work.
    David

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    California
    Posts
    595
    Is Mild Steel purchased as "Low Carbon Steel"?

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Mark R Webster View Post
    Is Mild Steel purchased as "Low Carbon Steel"?
    Yep, generally they mean the same thing.

    Mike
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Longview WA
    Posts
    27,347
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Mark R Webster View Post
    Is Mild Steel purchased as "Low Carbon Steel"?
    To the best of my knowledge yes. If you can relieve the edges a bit on the underside it will help. One has to have a bit of skill with a round file for this.

    Also if you have drill bits that are just a hair bigger than your final size it helps to run your stock through a bigger size before running it through the final size desired.

    You may want to ask Dr. Google > making a dowel plate < before you get started.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    California
    Posts
    595
    Thanks Mike!!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Dublin, CA
    Posts
    4,119
    A mild steel like 1018 will work, with the caveat that it will never be anything more than just that: Mild steel.

    If I were building a dowel plate I would start from normalized O1 instead. It's almost as easy to drill as mild steel, at a Brinell hardness of ~190 vs ~130 for 1018. Either will drill fine with standard HSS bits. If you then leave it as-is you've got a very nice, soft-ish (but not quite as soft as mild steel) plate. Where O1 has a huge advantage is that you can later heat treat it (or send it out to be heat treated), to make it much more durable.

    You can get normalized O1 bar stock for reasonable prices on Amazon. The last time I bought the "Small Parts" branded stuff there it turned out to be made by Starrett.

    EDIT: Typical HSS bits have a Brinell hardness >700, hence my remark that the difference between mild steel and normalized O1 isn't all that consequential for drilling. Hardened O1 is about Brinell 720 before tempering, and is typically tempered to ~630 (Rc59) for use in tools. Good luck drilling that with anything other than a carbide bit...
    Last edited by Patrick Chase; 01-21-2018 at 11:28 PM.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    California
    Posts
    595
    Thanks Patrick! Very helpful

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Dickinson, Texas
    Posts
    7,655
    Blog Entries
    1
    I made one, but if you're interested, there are several on the auction site.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    California
    Posts
    595
    auction site = Ebay?

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Austin Texas
    Posts
    1,957
    In accordance with forum rules, I believe we are not supposed to discuss that world that is far, far away.
    David

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    twomiles from the "peak of Ohio
    Posts
    12,120
    Hmmmm, maybe drill from the "back-side" with a larger drill bit, until the drill's point just starts through. Flip over, and drill with the size drill bit you want to dowel the be. Continue until you have a decent range of sizes.

    Use a 1/2" bit, then finish up the through hole with a 1/4" bit. And so on....

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    5,582
    Quote Originally Posted by Mark R Webster View Post
    I am planning to make a dowel plate to size a few dowels. I am not sure what type of steel to buy for the plate. I want it soft enough to be able to drill the holes but also want the steel to be as durable as possible. When I look at ¼ inch steel it seems like there are a lot of options but my experience with metal is minimal. Suggestions? Thanks
    For just a few dowels I doubt it matters much which steel you use. Of course, I'm assuming a few means not many rather than hundreds or more and that you are somewhat close in size to the finished diameter and that you are trying to cut any dowels from highly abrasive or hard woods. It will help to have the steel backed up with something so you don't bend it though, like a bench dog hole.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    California
    Posts
    595
    Ahhhhhhhhh

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •