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Thread: Source for hardwood dowels?

  1. #1
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    Source for hardwood dowels?

    Not dowel pins, but true-to-size hardwood dowels that aren't twisted like a corkscrew. I don't need a lot but I would like to find a source that has decent quality. Nothing near me except Home Depot and even the local lumberyard has mystery wood junk. Any ideas? I'm certainly open to online sources if they can guarantee quality.
    Jon Endres
    Killing Trees Since 1983

  2. #2
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    I make my own using a round over bit of the appropriate radius on my table mounted router. I set the fence so it exactly flush with the top of the curve and make four passes, always rotating a square edge toward the fence by rotating the stock counter clockwise relative to the direction of feed. I can make dowels of any hardwood to any length I need.

    I've made hickory, maple, poplar, cherry, black walnut, and red oak dowels.
    Last edited by Lee Schierer; 12-27-2021 at 3:33 PM.
    Lee Schierer
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  3. #3
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    Here's a source. I have made my own on the wood lathe too. I usually get mine at Menards but I know you don't have that option there.

    https://woodworker.com/search.html?s...d&SEARCHMODE=2

  4. #4
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    McMaster carries them https://www.mcmaster.com/dowels/ - I've been very happy with them when i've ordered them (admittedly not a lot, but Maple for a couple projects).

  5. #5

  6. #6
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    I've gotten very precise, straight grained dowel from Lee Valley. Definitely not the home center variety. I've bought maple & white oak, but they have a couple of other woods as well.

  7. #7

    Source for Hardwood Dowels

    I've only purchased from them once, but I was pleased with the quality of the assortment I ordered: https://www.midwestdowel.com

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Endres View Post
    Not dowel pins, but true-to-size hardwood dowels that aren't twisted like a corkscrew. I don't need a lot but I would like to find a source that has decent quality. Nothing near me except Home Depot and even the local lumberyard has mystery wood junk. Any ideas? I'm certainly open to online sources if they can guarantee quality.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bradley Gray View Post
    I've also ordered from Cincinnati Dowel. Good service. I needed Ash dowel which isn't found at the neighborhood sources. About 10% of the dowels had end grain runout though. And another 10% were "soft" due to large earlywood growth which may or may not be an issue depending on use. I was using it for pins in draw bore joints.
    Brian

    "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger or more complicated...it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - E.F. Schumacher

  9. #9
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    Useful thread--I'd been trying to pick through the stock at my local woodcraft with mixed success.

    I did see this one jig on youtube:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCZo9SYX1hA

    Matt

  10. #10
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    Beall has always advertised the accuracy of his dowels for making wood bolts. https://www.bealltool.com/products/threading/dowels.php

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Charles Ruberto View Post
    I've only purchased from them once, but I was pleased with the quality of the assortment I ordered: https://www.midwestdowel.com
    Thanks for that link Charles. Their prices seem to be a bit better than Cincinnati Dowel.
    Last edited by Brian Tymchak; 12-28-2021 at 8:38 AM. Reason: Typo
    Brian

    "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger or more complicated...it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - E.F. Schumacher

  12. #12
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    California Dowel and Turnings in Buena Park (Los Angeles metro) is a great place but wrong location for you unfortunately. Nice people too.

    The owner told me of a customer who came back with several dowels and complained they were 0.002" too thick.
    He said he had to stop himself saying "why thank you for that compliment" to the guy.

  13. #13
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    The link to Beal Tools that Richard provided above is a good one if you want round hardwood dowels in a variety of species. The Beal dowels are sold mostly to people who buy them for wood threading in the Beal Jig so the dowels have to be straight and round.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Keith Outten View Post
    The link to Beal Tools that Richard provided above is a good one if you want round hardwood dowels in a variety of species. The Beal dowels are sold mostly to people who buy them for wood threading in the Beal Jig so the dowels have to be straight and round.
    There is a note on the Beal site that they are discontinuing dowel sales after they sell off their existing stock.
    Brian

    "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger or more complicated...it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - E.F. Schumacher

  15. #15
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    Cambridge Vermont
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    I've never needed a lot of dowels so I just go to Rockler and pick through their supply.

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