hey guys, I've been thinking of ordering this dowel tool,<br><br><IMG alt="" hspace=0 src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a76/MikeWindus/stuff/dowelcutter.jpg" align=baseline border=0><br><br>I know some of you guys have given it a try and I was wondering, the smallest one they have is designed to cut 3/8 dowels. Are they adjustable enough to cut small diameter shafts like 11/32?<br>
<P>I guess I'll just have to get one and give it a try and see how it works. I'll let you guys know what I come up with.</P>
<P>I think I remember that the harder woods don't finish as smooth, but I can't remember where I read a review of them. I've intended to order one for a while but haven't.</P>
<P>Well, I got one on order and it should be here in a day or so. I'll give it a good testing and see how it does. I have some cedar, fir, oak, osage and hickory to put through it. Maybe I'll try some pine as well just for kicks. I'll test for adjustability and the finish.</P>
The tool came in today and I couldn't wait to get to work. I put it on an old maple board and made a few quick guide blocks.<br><br><IMG id=fullSizedImage style="WIDTH: 665px" alt="1.jpg mounted to board picture by MikeWindus" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a76/MikeWindus/lee%20valley%20tool/1.jpg?t=1200793021" _extended="true"><br><br><br>I had a 3/8 drive I made for a different tool a while back, I figured it would work for this too. It's a 3/8" ratchet extension with the end turned down to 3/8" to fit in my drill.<br><br><IMG id=fullSizedImage style="WIDTH: 665px" alt="2.jpg home made driver picture by MikeWindus" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a76/MikeWindus/lee%20valley%20tool/2.jpg?t=1200793141" _extended="true"><br><br><br>I had a bunch of red cedar cut up into 7/16 square stock, so I planed down one end to a 3/8 square and stuck it in the drive tool. I wasn't thinking too well I guess, the first piece came out sweet. Nice and smooth, and straight. Only problem was it was just a bit over 3/8" diameter. I tried to adjust the blade as per instructions and I just couldn't get that finish again. I want to try some harder material and work on the adjustment on this thing, but I don't think it will adjust much smaller than 3/8". If it is adjust down too far it closes the throat and the chips clog up.<br><br>
<P>Spider, out of all the jigs i have for arrow making thats my favorite go to jig, I have mine adjusted just a hair under 3/8, as good as I can get it. I still spin mine and sand them spinning afterward. I haven't sharpened my blade yet and have run several hundred shafts through it. Mostly firs, cedars and spruce but some maple and ash as well. About due for a sharpening not sure how thats gonna go. Steve</P>
Hey guys, I was wondering if I could get you to post a link or give me some info on getting one of those please? Thanks Buck
I cut some aspen and cedar so far. They seemed kinda fuzzy but it doesn't matter, like you said Badger, I'm going to have to sand them any way. I was hoping to be able to get it a bit closer to 11/32 though. Well, I've found that it really doesn't adjust very far from what it was intended to cut. I also found that 1/2" squares work better than 3/8 squares, but I bet 7/16 would work also. I have to make another driver for it and I got lucky and found that I had 3, 1/2" drive extensions in the toolbox. I'll try maple and oak next, and some hickory also. I bet I even have a piece of osage to push through this thing as well. Then my big test, Douglas Fir.<BR><BR><BR><BR>Buck, here's a link to this tool at Lee Valley. I was pretty impressed with the delivery time. I ordered it Wednesday night and got it Saturday afternoon. They have a drive unit you can order from them if you don't have the tools to make your own. You can also turn one end by hand for about an inch and then chuck that end in a drill.<BR><BR><A href="http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&cat=1,180,42288,52401&p=52401" target=_blank target=_blank>http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&cat=1,180,42288,52401&p=52401</A><BR>
<P>Following with interest. Could you grind away some of the main body of the tool to give more chip clearance and adjust the blade down? Or is there a problem with wobbling if the dowl is too much smaller than the outfeed hole? </P>
If you look at the 1st picture of my set up you'll see some chips at the bottom center of the blade. I used a file and cut a small chamfer along that edge for a little extra chip clearance. It didn't help much. It seems that the way the tool is designed, if the blade is lowered too much it puts the edge below the centerline of the stock and not only does it tear a little more at this soft wood, the trailing corner of the blade cuts into the wood and leaves a groove around the dowel. <BR><BR>I was thinking that I might be able to put the tool on a milling machine and skim .030 off of the blade bed but I wanted to stick to an adjustment that the the average Joe can do without haveing a machineshop at his disposal.<BR><BR>I was thinking this morning, a quich fix would be to shim the top edge of the blade out. I'll dig up a piece of .020 shim stock and slip it under the back edge of the blade, that will push the cutting edge into the stock and open a little more room for chip clearance.<BR><BR>The next problem will be the outfeed hole. Right now it's .395 diameter. I have to find an easy fix for this. The inside sleeve of a grommet might do it, If the outside diameter is .375 or a little bigger and the wall thickness is .015 it would work. I think I have some of those at home somewhere. If it works, I'll epoxy it in place.<BR>