# Dowels - finding the center



## arhdrums

I bought some hickory dowels for making percussion mallets, and I'm wondering if there are any tips or tools to finding the center. I'm finding that I'm a little off each time, so when I go to use the roughing gouge, the product doesn't look too good.

Am I better off just buying turning stock?


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## john lucas

Did you check to see if the dowels are actually round. Many times dowels are slightly oval and sometimes bowed along their length. 
To find the center there are a lot of center finders on the market.


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## slatron25

You can make your own center finding tool. The instructions can be found here.


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## AZ Termite

If you put too much pressure when you are putting the dowel between the centers it will bow making it look like it is out of center. Just a thought.


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## Handyman

This is a inexpensive tool can be be bought just about any hardware store or lumber yard. The center part of this square is what you use to find the center of anything round or square. Cost about $8.00 at Harbor Freight or a little more at sears or places like that.


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## john lucas

Or you can get one that works extremely smooth, is dead on accurate, and will last a lifetime.
http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMPXNO=2222505&PMT4NO=56735713


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## arhdrums

Great, thank you so much, everyone!


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## dollis

Combination Square did you happen to see that the MSC item was $244.82 ea


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## john lucas

That's why I posted the one from MSC. I wanted to see what a really good square cost. I have an old Craftsman Machinist square and recently purchased a small 3" Starret square. it is definitely better than my Craftsman and my Craftsman is much better than most of the ones sold by the wood companies. So if you want the best you gotta pay.


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## dollis

IF you want to save $200.00 try
http://store.mannyswoodworkersplace.com/3023012.html = 45.95
Or $220.00 at
http://www.toolking.com/products/3130181.aspx?googlebase=30181 = 13.99


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## jporter5333

Dang, and I thought the one at Grizzly was high for 27.00


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## bradnailer

I've got a plastic deal that's square on one side and angled on the other. The angled side is used for finding centers on round stuff. I got it a the home center and I'm pretty sure I didn't pay much over $5 for it.


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## don9of11

You can get a center at Harbor Freight for about $10. Thats what I did, it works pretty good.

Don


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## KenRM

*Cheaper......and easier*

Cut a small block of 3/4" MDF just a little larger than your dowel. Drill a hole about center, the size of a panel pin, right thru. Drill a second hole the size of the dowel (using a Brad bit) about 1/4" deep using the first small hole to locate.
Place the hole over the dowel end and tap the panel pin from the other side.
Not only have you marked the dowel center, but you have also centerpunched it. :smile:
One of the other nine ways of doing it,
Ken


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## WDChew

Drill a hole the same size as the dowel in a piece of scrap with a forstner bit, insert the dowel in the hole and press the center point of the forstner bit into the other side of the hole. It will mark the dowel center.


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## StuartK

Glad to learn about the centering squares, but the Ken_RM and WDChews replies are the kind of elegantly simple, accurate solutions I really like. Thank you.


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