# Need help finding center on long dowel



## mrusch (Dec 1, 2009)

I'm starting a Santa carving project on a 4' tall 6in radius basswood dowel. To make the carving uniform, I need to draw center lines vertically along the 4' length of the dowel. Looking for suggestions on easiest way to very accurately scribe a line down a length of large dowel.
Thanks!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Yup*

Lay the dowel flat on the bench lengthwise and block/wedge it in place to keep it from rolling. Use a 6" tall wooden block with a small notch to rest your pencil in and travel down the length of the block on the smooth benchtop without shifting the height of the pencil. 
That will give you a line parallel to the length of the dowel at the centerline. :thumbsup: bill
Another way would be to bubble level the centerline line on each end out to the diameter and connect the marks with a straight edge.


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## kenl (May 13, 2009)

*Like an Estes Rocket*

When my son and I built Estes Rockets a line was needed down the rocket tube. We just leaned the tube against a door jamb and ran the pencil down the door stop on the jamb. Worked fine on 4" tubes, never made any as big as 6".


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## b00kemdano (Feb 10, 2009)

Just thinking out loud here, I've never done it, but... thumbtack a chalk line to each center, then snap however many lines you need.

(man, I hope that works!  )


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## BHOFM (Oct 14, 2008)

Got a table saw? Lay in in the miter grove and slide it
back a forth a couple time. Should leave a nice mark.

Tried it on a piece of one inch and it worked fine.


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## Texas Sawduster (Apr 27, 2009)

*Nice !!!!*



BHOFM said:


> Got a table saw? Lay in in the miter grove and slide it
> back a forth a couple time. Should leave a nice mark.
> 
> Tried it on a piece of one inch and it worked fine.


 
Nice trick there. :thumbsup:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Might not work on 12" round*

It may tend to roll a bit. Worth a try however. :thumbsup: bill


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

I've never heard of anything a foot in diameter called a DOWEL before. Far out !


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## Streamwinner (Nov 25, 2008)

Depending on how exact you need to get, you could build a jig. Two flat panels 8" x 12" joined by a 12" board at right angles (so that both planes are parallel). Put a nail or pencil at 6" on the 12" board. Lay the dowel down and use the jig to straddle the dowel and scribe a line. The panels will keep the jig perpendicular to the surface of the cylinder (as the jig slides along the surface that the dowel is laying on).


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## Streamwinner (Nov 25, 2008)

Something like this:


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## Streamwinner (Nov 25, 2008)

^^^ You could also build half of that jig if you laid the cylinder on the floor and held it against a wall. Then you could us a portion of a panel to slide "flat" across the wall, with a perpendicular arm having a pencil at 6". Or, if you have a one of those vertical stands for your paper towels, use that!


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## sofalinux (May 28, 2009)

Maybe I'm missing something but...


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## b00kemdano (Feb 10, 2009)

phinds said:


> I've never heard of anything a foot in diameter called a DOWEL before. Far out !


 
Lol! I thought the same thing. :laughing:

I wonder how this turned out?


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