So I watched Christopher Schwarz's video on draw-boring, a technique I want to use on an upcoming project. I especially liked the part where he made his own dowels with a dowel plate. I thought, "wow, even *I* could hammer a piece of wood through a hole in a steel plate. Then I can use the kind of wood I want and have it match the rest of the project." So I ordered one, the same Lie-Nielsen model Chris used.
It came in the mail today, my first LN purchase. I ripped open the package excitedly and ran down to the shop to make some dowels. Split off a little piece of cedar, knocked the corners down, sharpened it a little, and banged it through the 1/4" hole. Hmm, not too straight. Or smooth. Or round.
Well, it's my first try, I think. I do it again. Same thing. Again. Even worse.
Hmm. I try a different hammer. Then a mallet. And a sledge. Nothing too spectacular, although I got a beaut of a blood blister on my thumb now too (don't ask).
I think, well cedar is a pretty soft wood. Let's try oak - what Chris used in the video - to see if that comes out any better. Nope.
Am I supposed to be using greener wood? Should I have lapped the plate first? Any dowel plate gurus care to share the secret? All I can tell you is that I don't think I am forcing a too-big piece through the 1/4" hole - I pick the biggest hole it will just barely not fit through and progress down from that. Usually it was just the next largest hole up from 1/4". I'm using pretty straight-grained pieces too, with the grain running the length of the dowel-to-be (or not-to-be).
Thanks in advance!
Mike