Izzy Swan shared the woodworking tip featured in this video.
Izzy demonstrates a simple, old-school dowel-making jig that can be made quickly in a modest shop and used to produce clean, tight-fitting dowels.
The process focuses on a drilled guide, a chamfered lead, and careful chisel work to turn pre-milled stock into usable dowels in minutes.
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Overview
The jig is a low-tech, fast solution for making custom-sized dowels without buying multiples from a supplier.
It’s especially handy when a project calls for non-standard diameters or a batch of matching dowels that need to be consistent.
Making the Jig
Construction is straightforward: a sturdy block of wood with a through-hole sized for the dowel and a chamfered entry to guide the stock.
The chamfer can be formed with a countersink bit, a router bit with a bearing, or even a knife or rotary tool for a quick, clean lead-in.
Using the Jig
Preparation matters—stock should be milled nearly to the final diameter before being pushed through the guide.
With a sharp chisel held at a steep angle and a steady, controlled feed, the jig peels the stock into a round dowel while leaving a smooth surface.
Small adjustments to the chisel position or jig alignment let the user fine-tune dowel diameter, and a steady push produces the cleanest results with minimal tearing.
Key Tips
- Keep the chisel razor-sharp to slice cleanly and reduce tear-out during the turning process.
- Mill your blanks close to the final size before using the jig so the chisel only needs to remove a little material.
- Create a chamfer at the entry to help the blank seat and begin rounding without snagging.
- Start cutting gently and progressively—work into the cut rather than forcing full-depth removals on the first pass.
- Maintain a steady, straight feed through the jig; small hesitations can leave facets that require sanding.
Adaptations and Why It Matters
The technique scales for a range of diameters and can be adapted to different chisels, drill-press setups, or clamp methods depending on available tools.
It’s a useful shop trick for anyone who values custom joinery, wants to save on hardware, or needs a batch of matching dowels without buying pre-made stock.
Because the jig is quick to build and easy to tweak, it’s a practical addition to both beginner and seasoned shops looking for flexible, low-cost solutions.
Conclusion
This dowel-making method gives woodworkers a simple, repeatable way to make tight-fitting dowels with minimal equipment and time investment.
The approach highlights how small jigs and good technique can expand shop capabilities and reduce dependence on store-bought parts.
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