I used to own a plate for making dowels that made fluted dowels instead
of smooth dowels. I have not seen it offered anywhere and cannot
remember where I purchased it before. Unlike the Lie-Nielsen Dowel
Sizing Plate which makes smooth round dowels, the plate I am thinking of
would cut flutes as the wood was pounded through the plate.

Does anyone know where a plate for making various sized fluted dowels is
offered for sale?

John

I don't know where to buy one, but I made my own.

Start with a 1/4" steel plate.
Then you'll need 2 drill bits. Let's say you want 3/8" fluted dowels.
You'll need a 3/8" bit and another that is undersize by twice the desired
depth of the flutes. If you want 1/32" deep flutes then you need a 5/16" bit.

Drill the plate all the way through with the smaller bit. Then drill in the same
hole with the larger bit, but stop short of going all the way through.

Use needle files to enlarge the bottom of the hole to the larger diameter, or
just a tad larger, leaving fingers to form the flutes.

Pound your dowel blanks in from the top side.

Depending on how much use the plate will get you may want to harden it.

HTH.

Art


"John Laurence Poole" wrote in message
. com...
I used to own a plate for making dowels that made fluted dowels instead
of smooth dowels. I have not seen it offered anywhere and cannot
remember where I purchased it before. Unlike the Lie-Nielsen Dowel
Sizing Plate which makes smooth round dowels, the plate I am thinking of
would cut flutes as the wood was pounded through the plate.

Does anyone know where a plate for making various sized fluted dowels is
offered for sale?

John

Of course... how easy it is to think in terms of buying rather than
exercising one's ingenuity a bit and probably making something more
versatile. Thank you!

Wood Butcher wrote:
I don't know where to buy one, but I made my own.

Start with a 1/4" steel plate.
Then you'll need 2 drill bits. Let's say you want 3/8" fluted dowels.
You'll need a 3/8" bit and another that is undersize by twice the desired
depth of the flutes. If you want 1/32" deep flutes then you need a 5/16" bit.

Drill the plate all the way through with the smaller bit. Then drill in the same
hole with the larger bit, but stop short of going all the way through.

Use needle files to enlarge the bottom of the hole to the larger diameter, or
just a tad larger, leaving fingers to form the flutes.

Pound your dowel blanks in from the top side.

Depending on how much use the plate will get you may want to harden it.

HTH.

Art


"John Laurence Poole" wrote in message
. com...

I used to own a plate for making dowels that made fluted dowels instead
of smooth dowels. I have not seen it offered anywhere and cannot
remember where I purchased it before. Unlike the Lie-Nielsen Dowel
Sizing Plate which makes smooth round dowels, the plate I am thinking of
would cut flutes as the wood was pounded through the plate.

Does anyone know where a plate for making various sized fluted dowels is
offered for sale?

John

Use a pair of slip-joint pliers to make compression flutes in your dowels,
commercial or domestic. Caries glue, allows air burp, and the moisture pops
'em back tight. Good deal all 'round.

"John Laurence Poole" wrote in message
. com...


Does anyone know where a plate for making various sized fluted dowels is
offered for sale?

John

Or, you can make one from a standard dowel plate by threading one or more holes
in from the side, and putting in setscrews with sharp points. Back them out
when you don't want flutes. One or two flutes are enough to release the
glue/air pressure.

John Martin