Doweling Tool - Premium Dowel Maker Tool, Versatile Dowel Plate, High-Grade A2 Steel for Woodworking, Made in USA - English 17 Holes, Multi-Size

I needed some 1/2” dowels but wanted them made with treated wood. I cut short pieces out of a treated 2x4 that were approximately 3/4” by 3/4” square -a square dowel. I used a draw knife to round it off enough to be driven with a rubber mallet through the 5/8” hole in the cutter then working down using the smaller holes until I could do the last cut using the 1/2 “ hole. I was considering buying a cheaper version of this tool but this tool seems to be of high quality. I believe it is worth the extra money. Made in USA.

High quality, precision, well-made dowel plate for accurately making dowels from wood of your choosing.

Quickly, this is a perfectly made tool for making dowel/peg that is used as a tree nail in woodworking.The cutting burr is extremely sharp and durable.The bottom has a larger exit hole about half way down the thickness of the steel, which provides ease of exit either by moving the exiting peg.The sides of the steel have a shoulder, which sits perfectly in the workbench vise jaws.The secret of getting a straight peg is to chop the blank with a chisel and find the straightest grain, otherwise the peg will not be straight.The benefit of having the holes in small increments is that there is a minimal pounding needed for the operation—that is, by starting from a slightly larger diameter, I can easily size the peg.I can’t find any disadvantages or defects… and for that I’d like to thank the whole team—from idea givers, to engineers, to machinists—thank you!!!Oh and the price is way too low for the quality of the workmanship being made right here in the USA!

This is a good dowel plate, but it requires a couple different actions in order to work well:1. Stock preparation is key. If you're after the larger sizes in the plate, you'll need your blank to be much more closely sized. If on the other hand you're after a mid-sized dowel or smaller in the plate, you can get away with simply cutting square stock that fits in the larger holes and stepping it down 6 or so times, works great.2. A stable base / platform. I built a platform out of a solid piece of 6 inch thick pine scrap I had lying around and chiseled out a mortise for the plate to sit flush, and also chiseled out a complete through mortise below the holes of the plate. If you happen to have a proper woodworkers bench with bench holes, you can simply place it over those assuming you have the plate secured.3. For me, holding the dowels with one hand while I smack them with the other substantially improved the straightness. Went from 30% quality to 85%+ simply by making this change in my technique.Would buy again.

Used this to slim down thin dowels even smaller for model train structures. Sharp and works great.

I got this mostly as a curiosity. I got some plug cutters to make plugs, and thought I'd get this as well to see how it worked.It's thicker steel than I realized. Heavy duty bit of kit. I clamped it in a vise, I didn't mount it with screws. It works! Turns out a nice dowel. Many more sizes than the plug cutter set, so that's good. It's a bit slower, so that's a tradeoff. I'm glad I got it, worth the money.

Truly impressed with the quality and overall tool. I've used it mainly with maple wood but it has performed so much better that expected. I was surprised by the weight and thickness and high recommend this for your wood working.

It works exactly how you'd expect it to. Quality product and very precise. Every time I'd step down I'd measure with calipers and the dowels are spot on. I DO wish the plate was a little bigger so the holes would be a little more spaced out. That way there would be more meat between the guide holes you drill into the block you build (if you go that route). I guess that would require more material and would drive the price up though. I still give it 5 stars because it does exactly what it's supposed to very well. More than twice as many holes as the lie-nielsen plate and it still costs less. I love Lie-nielsen products, but this offers the same precision with more options at a lower price, still being an American built product.