# 1.5" Dowel Without Lath



## vursenbach (Apr 11, 2012)

I need to make a 1.5" dowel but don't have my own lathe. Is there an easy way to make a dowel that is accurate the entire length without a lath with a 1.5" diameter? I've seen some videos of small thin dowels made with a jig and a drill. I just don't know if it is possible with that large of a dowel.

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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

vursenbach said:


> I need to make a 1.5" dowel but don't have my own lathe. Is there an easy way to make a dowel that is accurate the entire length without a lath with a 1.5" diameter? I've seen some videos of small thin dowels made with a jig and a drill. I just don't know if it is possible with that large of a dowel.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Wood Forum


How long does this need to be? And what material?


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

You can make an octagon from square stock (with a plane of course) then round it a bit more and then use a rounding plane. Looks like a thread box but cut round dowel.


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## fire65 (Apr 27, 2013)

1.5" square stock and a round over bit would get pretty close.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Lowes caries one in poplar, woodcraft in oak and maple.. All 48 inch long. Quick google search shows virtually any material available .


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## vursenbach (Apr 11, 2012)

ryan50hrl said:


> How long does this need to be? And what material?


18"-24" Either oak or walnut. I want to build my own leg vise, bench vise, and bookbinding sewing machine. I need to figure this out before I buy a 1.5" die and tap.

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## Itchytoe (Dec 17, 2011)

One of our members, Kenbo, has a thread that I have bookmarked about his dowel jig for his router. Something like this may work well for you if you need more than 1. If you only need 1, like ryan said, you can likely find them online in whatever material you want.

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f27/dowel-making-jig-router-table-39249/


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## vursenbach (Apr 11, 2012)

firemedic said:


> You can make an octagon from square stock (with a plane of course) then round it a bit more and then use a rounding plane. Looks like a thread box but cut round dowel.


I like this idea. A rounding plane? So is there an easy way to make one?

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## vursenbach (Apr 11, 2012)

I saw a couple at Woodworker's Supply but they are almost $50 each.

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## vursenbach (Apr 11, 2012)

fire65 said:


> 1.5" square stock and a round over bit would get pretty close.


That would be a large round over bit.

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## vursenbach (Apr 11, 2012)

ryan50hrl said:


> Lowes caries one in poplar, woodcraft in oak and maple.. All 48 inch long. Quick google search shows virtually any material available .


Cost? Yea, not good.

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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*try to picture this*

Make a lathe... where the router is the cutting means and you rotate the work by cranking it from one end. The router can be gradually moved along the work as it becomes more round. You will need a pin on one end and a crank on the other. 

Someone has figured it out:


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

woodnthings said:


> Make a lathe... where the router is the cutting means and you rotate the work by cranking it from one end. The router can be gradually moved along the work as it becomes more round. You will need a pin on one end and a crank on the other.
> 
> Someone has figured it out:
> Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUA3lryix64
> ...


hats off to woodnthings

#2 is brilliant - dont look any further. It could be fine tuned a bit but works well as it is


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

vursenbach said:


> I need to make a 1.5" dowel but don't have my own lathe. Is there an easy way to make a dowel that is accurate the entire length without a lath with a 1.5" diameter? I've seen some videos of small thin dowels made with a jig and a drill. I just don't know if it is possible with that large of a dowel.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Wood Forum


" make a dowel that is accurate the entire length"

Just how accurate? And in what dimension(s) is the accuracy required?

George


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

If it doesn't have to be perfectly round, I've done it with a large round over bit in the router just making 4 passes. You have to make the dowel about 6" longer than what you need because the router tends to snipe toward the ends.


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

vursenbach said:


> That would be a large round over bit.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Wood Forum


3/4" roundover bit, not too expensive, and you get to keep it. we make them often. will require some sanding at the cut intersections, and supreme accuracy is difficult. BUT, i think you will find that purchasing dowels is a crap shoot for diameter accuracy as well. 

make a few and use the best.


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## vursenbach (Apr 11, 2012)

DaveTTC said:


> hats off to woodnthings
> 
> #2 is brilliant - dont look any further. It could be fine tuned a bit but works well as it is


Agreed. However, I like both options.

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## GROOVY (Apr 27, 2008)

#2 or kenbo's


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## vursenbach (Apr 11, 2012)

GROOVY said:


> #2 or kenbo's


Cool, and yet I still think it's a good idea for smaller dowels and yet the other one I think would work great for large round stock or tapered legs. For a 1.5" dowel, I think I could go both ways but Kenbo's way might be the best for me since I don't need to make many and would be able to reuse it when I need another. Again, cool.

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