Reply by Bill

It sounds like the router bits are the way to go for the inexpensive route. The late gives you the opportunity to make almost any size dowel you want, but more skill, time and cost involved. Then there is Obi’s poor man’s lathe that he mentioned in another posting (clamp stock in drill, turn on and sand down).

This is the kind of thing Lumberjocks is for, sharing methods and tools to help each other out. Great topic.

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com