# Reducing size of dowels



## Smile_n_Nod (Jan 20, 2011)

I am building a little project that requires 3/8" dowels to be stuck into 3/8" holes. Only problem is that the dowels are a little too big. I can wrap some sandpaper around the ends of of the dowels and start twisting the night away, but that doesn't produce a set of uniform, truly round dowels. Are there any techniques for accurately reducing the diameter of a dowel?


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## Racer2007 (Jan 13, 2011)

I think I would use a drill bit 1/32" or 1/64" larger for the holes since you need the glue space anyway.


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

Here is a link to a commercial dowel plate to illustrate cr1's post (I'm not recommending spending $50 to solve the problem)

http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?grp=1239


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

Over drill the hole by 1/64", you need the space for the glue anyway..


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## wb8nbs (Jan 11, 2011)

I've done similar shaping (on larger pieces) on a drill press. Bore a hole in a scrap piece the diameter of the dowel, slightly loose fit, sand end of dowel if necessary. Place the scrap on the press table. Chuck up the dowel in the drill press, lower until the bottom is in the scrap piece hole. Lock the chuck at that depth. Put clamps on the scrap block. Now turn on the drill press at slowest speed. Hold block plane against dowel at a slight angle and if it's good and sharp it will shave off a few thousandths.

I used this technique to make knobs out of Apple tree branches. It helped to make a tool rest for the plane by bolting in a long carriage bolt vertically through the drill press table slots. Wish I had room for a real wood lathe.


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## redryder (Nov 28, 2009)

You mention that your 3/8" dowels are too big for your 3/8" holes. I have noticed that dowels at any and all stores are not the same exact size. ie 3/8". I took all of my forstner bits and drilled each size into a block of wood. If I need a dowel, I take the block of wood to the lumber yard or box store and insert thier dowels into my block of wood at the size I need. I now am assured that when I get home, the dowel I have purchased will fit the forstner bit and hole I will use. You would think all the dowel sizes would be the same but with the different species of wood, they are not….........


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## bubinga (Feb 5, 2011)

Carefully clamp down a portable drill, chuck up the dowel in the drill, run the drill ,carefully sand a little the full length ,and check the fit, sand and check ,etc. this will go quickly
If you make it to small ,you will have to sand again,,kidding !!!!


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## LeeBarker (Aug 6, 2010)

All good suggestions, and I especially value cr1's insights about peening. I've done that, but not with a steel dowel in the hole, just nudged some cutting edges into the hole. It actually can end up slotting the dowel, which is not a bad thing.

Another thought is about the moisture content of the dowels affecting their diameter. If you are in a humid place, try putting a few in the Amana Radarange and see if drying them a bit reduces them.

Kindly,

Lee


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## mechanicalengineer (Sep 27, 2010)

It's a lot easier and faster to drill a hole the size of a dowel than too reduce the size of the dowel to fit the hole.


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## SteveMI (May 19, 2009)

I got turned on to MLCS Tenon Cutters by somebody a while back on LJ.
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/orderstatus/html/smarthtml/pages/plgtenon.html

Nice thing is that you can cut the dowels from cutoffs of the same wood as the rest of the project. It really makes blending them in easy.

I use the 3/8" all the time and they fit nice and snug in 3/8" forstner hole.

Steve.


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

Two valid ideas -

Get a cheap toaster oven for your shop. Put your dowels into the toaster oven for about 30 minutes at about 150 degrees. This will really dry them out and cause them to shrink just a little. They will insert easier and the glue will cause them to expand back to their normal size.

I have found that the pre-cut dowel pins work much better than standard dowels that you cut to your desired length. Their sides are fluted which helps them insert better and the accuracy of their diameter is much better.


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## HardWood (Jun 22, 2010)

Toaster oven? Now that is a pretty neat theory, however, I say put the dowels in the freezer (it is much faster). The dowels should shrink enough to fit into the holes and will expand as they warm up. Just a theory, but I have tried this before with a piece of solid oak flooring to insert a replacement flooring plank in an awkward location and it worked perfectly.

WARNING: As the frozen dowel expands, the pressure may cause the other parts to crack depending on the thickness of the material and the proximity of the dowel holes to the edge of the workpiece.

I reduced some dowels a few days ago using a process similar to what 'bubinga' was describing. That worked well.


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## Nomad62 (Apr 20, 2010)

I would put the dowel in a drill press and spin it, allowing you to use two hands to carefully hold the sandpaper against the dowel. Test fit every now and then til it's right.


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## Smile_n_Nod (Jan 20, 2011)

Thanks everyone. Chucking the dowel in my drill press did the trick.


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## MrWoodworker (Apr 18, 2011)

Dowel in the drill/press works nice if you aren't doing to many and they aren't overly long. Long ones will be a bit tough to manage with deflection and all.

+1 to HardWood's warning about expansion cracks


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