besides using a lathe, what are some suggestions or exsisting hand tools that can produce accurate dowels?

January 6, 2010 by admin · 2 Comments
Filed under: Hobbies & Crafts 
power tools
tropicalorange asked:

im trying to handcraft some earings (plugs) and for the time being i dont want to use any power tools. does anyone have any advice on how to get a precise rounded piece of wood? ive been using compases, rulers, squares, files, sandpaper, all sorts of things and the results have been frusterating.

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Comments

2 Responses to “besides using a lathe, what are some suggestions or exsisting hand tools that can produce accurate dowels?”
  1. Willeke says:
    January 8, 2010 at 4:26 am

    You can make a human power driven lathe: (picture at the top left.)

    Or just use a knife.
    Start with a branch which is slightly thicker than your plug needs to be, whittle it down to size.
    Roll it over a surface with coloured dust, until it gets dirty all over you are not completely round yet.
    But mostly products of hand crafts are not completely uniform, and if the shape is a little out, often the fit is good enough. Willeke

  2. Robert S says:
    January 11, 2010 at 9:14 am

    Before I bought my little Micro-Mark lathe… I used to use a DRAW-KNIFE, SPOKE-SHAVE, and plane to create dowels:

    Take off the corners, again and again until it is round ! It takes a light-touch, patience, and practice. I did it in Pine, Oak, Ash, and Mahogony

    Here is a link to what a draw-knife is:
    Here is a link to what a spoke-shave is: Robert S

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