# Reducing dowel diameter



## Marauder2003 (Apr 16, 2013)

I don't have any motorized tools. I need to reduce a 1" dowel to .95". I am not sure how to sand it uniformly. Suggestions?


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

With a very soft (2B) pencil, scribble all over it.
220 grit paper on a flat stick. Clamp one end of the dowel down
and _count_ your sanding strokes along the length of the dowel.
Just enough to see the pencil disappear. Move over, go again and count.

I'm cutting square stock down for spoon handles with spokeshaves.
I count. Do two corners of the blank at a time. 25 cuts per corner
would turn the thing into an octagon.


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

Do you have a hand drill.


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## Marauder2003 (Apr 16, 2013)

Yes. I suppose I could put a screw in one end and chuck it into a variable speed drill clamped into a vice. The other end would have a nail in it which rests in a slightly oversize hole in another piece of mounted wood. 



hwebb99 said:


> Do you have a hand drill.


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

Nah, I wpould not do that = too wobbly = eccentric.
If you only have to do it once, go by hand.

I'm doing 100+ spoons. Hand carved. No, I will not power sand anything.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Well that is almost 1/16" off. With how you are equipped I would take 60 grit sand paper and sand it by hand constantly rotating the dowel. When you get close to the desired diameter change to finer paper. 

Would it be doable to enlarge the hole it goes in instead. That might be easier.


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## Marauder2003 (Apr 16, 2013)

The hole is a fixed size. I have an aluminum tube flag pole that is 1" OD and .955 ID. The wind has been strong and the tube is just beginning to bend. I plan to glue the dowel inside the tube to add some strength.



Steve Neul said:


> Well that is almost 1/16" off. With how you are equipped I would take 60 grit sand paper and sand it by hand constantly rotating the dowel. When you get close to the desired diameter change to finer paper.
> 
> Would it be doable to enlarge the hole it goes in instead. That might be easier.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

This sounds like a long dowel.

I might look for a friend with a lathe.

What is the actual outside diameter of a piece of schedule PVC? You might find one close enough to help.

George


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

GeorgeC said:


> This sounds like a long dowel.
> 
> I might look for a friend with a lathe.
> 
> ...


I agree with using a lathe. Not only does the diameter need to be reduced it would probably be best to use a harder wood than a dowel from the store. I would probably use a tight grain northern ash or maple.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Marauder2003 said:


> The hole is a fixed size. I have an aluminum tube flag pole that is 1" OD and .955 ID. The wind has been strong and the tube is just beginning to bend. I plan to glue the dowel inside the tube to add some strength.


As others stated, a friend with a lathe should be able to do this in a few minutes.

Plan "B". Use 3/4in dowel and glue into the pole with construction adhesive like Liquid Nails. Look for one which states it will adhere to metal.


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## Woodwart (Dec 11, 2012)

Can you drill the hole it has to fit into out to 1"? Oh, never mind! I just read the preceding post.

Frankly, I would replace the aluminum pole with a steel one.


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## EWerner (Oct 14, 2010)

Drill the desired size into a metal plate then drive the dowel through the hole. This is how dowels ate made by hand anyways.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Dave Paine said:


> As others stated, a friend with a lathe should be able to do this in a few minutes.
> 
> Plan "B". Use 3/4in dowel and glue into the pole with construction adhesive like Liquid Nails. Look for one which states it will adhere to metal.


It does not have to stick to the metal. Just harden and fill the void.

George


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## STAR (Jan 1, 2008)

EWerner said:


> Drill the desired size into a metal plate then drive the dowel through the hole. This is how dowels ate made by hand anyways.


This is also my thinking. 

Pete


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Flag pole... about 6ft long?*

I wouldn't do it using a dowel that's too large. Find another solution. Use a PVC pipe that slips inside, or as suggested a 3/4" dowel, or a 3/4" square aluminum tube, or a broom handle, or an aluminum broom handle and then use liquid nails to secure it in place. Sanding a long dowel down to your dimension will take a long time to get it right. :yes:


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

EWerner said:


> Drill the desired size into a metal plate then drive the dowel through the hole. This is how dowels ate made by hand anyways.


+2.:yes:









 







.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*The OP has no power tools...*



Marauder2003 said:


> I don't have any motorized tools. I need to reduce a 1" dowel to .95". I am not sure how to sand it uniformly. Suggestions?


 


EWerner said:


> Drill the desired size into a metal plate then drive the dowel through the hole. This is how dowels ate made by hand anyways.




+2.:yes:




cabinetman said:


> +2.:yes:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


...needed to drill a hole in a metal plate.
Maybe you missed it? :blink:


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

woodnthings said:


> +2.:yes:
> 
> ...needed to drill a hole in a metal plate.
> Maybe you missed it? :blink:


Nice try. I didn't miss it. I agreed with the suggestion. Everybody should have an electric drill. I'll bet you have a bunch of them. Maybe you could line 'em up and post a picture. If you can spare one...send it to him.:laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:









 







.


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## Marauder2003 (Apr 16, 2013)

I have ordered a 2nd pole. It is a powder-coated stainless steel one. Also ordered a cast iron mount. The current one is plastic. And got some 3 1/2 " screws. The 2" ones ripped out.

This flag will stay flying no matter what! Already have a solar charged spotlight on it for the nighttime.

I don't know anyone with a lathe. I will try my makeshift lathe idea. Low RPM, of course.

Thanks for all the ideas.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*you are both right and wrong*



cabinetman said:


> Nice try. I didn't miss it. I agreed with the suggestion. Everybody should have an electric drill. I'll bet you have a bunch of them. Maybe you could line 'em up and post a picture. If you can spare one...send it to him.:laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:
> .



You're right, I do have a "bunch" of drills ...probably about 20 or so. :laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:

You're wrong about the suggestion to the OP about drilling a 0.95 hole in a steel plate using an hand held electric drill. First of all, you'd need a 0.95 drill, a very specialized size, and then you'd need either a massive drill press or a Bridgeport Mill to get the hole accurately drilled with sufficient power. The suggestion is not a realistic answer for someone with "no motorized tools".
Even a lathe wouldn't work on a dowel 6 ft long, most woodworking lathes being way too short in bed length.
The OP has a come up with a good solution and is buying a new pole. To reinforce the old pole I stand by my "suggestion" line it with a strong, round tube or rod and glue it in place.....simple, cheap and easy to do.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I thought the dowel only needed to re-enforce the kink. 18" would be enough. I thought the same thing about the .95 drill bit + I would hate to be the one trying to drive a dowel through it.


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

FYI... we have "spun" an oversized dowel in a drill clamped in a vise many times (the other end hanging loose), and with good results. The trick is to move the sandpaper methodically up and down, and checking the diameter often with calipers. start with 60 or 80 grit, when you get close jump to 150 gr or so. of course the section in the chuck doesn't get sanded unles you turn the dowel around. might want to wear gloves, as the sandpaper do get warmish.


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## jg2259 (Oct 28, 2011)

I know this won't help the OP, but for smaller length dowels that are just a bit oversized, I pop them into the microwave for 30 seconds and that seems to work for me. If not, I give it another 30 second zap.


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## Marauder2003 (Apr 16, 2013)

There is no kink yet. Just a slight bend. I figure if the tube is full of wood the tube can't kink since there is no space for the collapsing wall to move into.



Steve Neul said:


> I thought the dowel only needed to re-enforce the kink. 18" would be enough. I thought the same thing about the .95 drill bit + I would hate to be the one trying to drive a dowel through it.


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