Woodpecker's Dowel Press Anyone?

[Bill Rhodus]

Get the Lie Nielsen for the odd small dowel and buy a cheap arbor press and drill a hole in a plate for the large dowels. You can do an acceptable job this way and have a press for your shop. I recently made a large batch of 11/4 dowels for timber framing on my press without problem.

[Marc Burt]

This one misses the mark for me too. But it sure is purty!!

In fairness to woodpeckers when you're cranking these thing out almost every month they can't all be winners.

Edit: I have the LN dowel plate at well. Used it maybe 3 or 4 times in the decade I've owned it. But it does beat waiting a few days to order dowel. I know how rediculous this will sound but it never occurred to me to use my lathe! My wife always said I was a genius.

[Keith Hankins]

If I used dowels and needed a lot and needed both standard and ridged, It would be nice. They make great products and amortized over time not that expensive. I think the Lie-nielsen plate is good and cheap, but this too could have its place for some. Great respect for them. Since they only run whats ordered, I can't see the "failure" as some have said. But hey to each his own.

I hope they keep the innovation coming.

[Mark Felton]

I think it is a great product for tool collectors. I don't know of any actual woodworkers who would make much use of it.

You kind hit the nail on the head for me, Art. I've purchased several WP one-time tool products that fell into the category of tool collecting more than an actual woodworking need. But, I did at least have some reasonable expectation that I would use the tool from time to time in my woodworking. I'm not sure I could say the same for the dowel press. In addition to the $400 price tag, there's the issue of shop space. While the dowel press is not the size of a jointer or planer, it does take up space nonetheless and I'm getting to the point that space is scarce and any tool acquisition has to be good for daily use and/or multiple uses. At this point I'm planning to pass on this WP OTT.

[Eric Commarato]

you can buy a lifetime of dowels for $400. Even better, put the money toward a Domino and never use dowels again...

[Bruce Page]

$400 is a lot of money. Speaking as a one time developmental machinist, I can tell you that any quality CNC machine shop would charge you double or triple that amount, or more, to make a one-off assembly, with dies. Considering that they will probably not sell 1000's or even 100's of these I am surprised they can sell it for $400.
Woodpeckers makes collector quality hardware...

[Mark Felton]

$400 is a lot of money. Speaking as a one time developmental machinist, I can tell you that any quality CNC machine shop would charge you double or triple that amount, or more, to make a one-off assembly, with dies. Considering that they will probably not sell 1000's or even 100's of these I am surprised they can sell it for $400.
Woodpeckers makes collector quality hardware...

Point taken, Bruce. As I already own many WP tools, I have no question about the quality/precision of this OTT. I just question the value proposition (i.e., is it worth spending $400 for a tool that only creates dowels).

[Mike Henderson]

Point taken, Bruce. As I already own many WP tools, I have no question about the quality/precision of this OTT. I just question the value proposition (i.e., is it worth spending $400 for a tool that only creates dowels).

For $400 you could buy a mini lathe and a cheap set of lathe tools and make dowels as well as a lot of other things.

Mike

[Cary Falk]

(i.e., is it worth spending $XXXXX for a tool that only creates YYYYYYY).

That can be said about a lot of tools discussed on this forum. Some costing way more than $400. It is to some. Others, not so much.

[Bruce Page]

That can be said about a lot of tools discussed on this forum. Some costing way more than $400. It is to some. Others, not so much.

Exactly. My wife & I were watching an RV show the other night where a Class A was selling for 638K. She asked, who would spent that kind of money on an RV? I said I would if I were a multi millionaire!

[Vince Shriver]

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[Mike Goetzke]

Now if it could bore a hole down the center and push a piece of lead in it I'd be all over this tool .

[Andrey Kharitonkin]

Get the Lie Nielsen for the odd small dowel and buy a cheap arbor press and drill a hole in a plate for the large dowels. You can do an acceptable job this way and have a press for your shop. I recently made a large batch of 11/4 dowels for timber framing on my press without problem.

Interesting thing about Woodpecker's Dowel Press is that it can make fluted dowels... and there is an option just to order Dowel Press Die Set to use in some other press.

That makes me thinking about making a hole in the rear jaw of twin screw tail vice that I have... Though the same can be done with Veritas Dowel Former, except that fluted variant again.

But is it a good way to make a dowel to press it? In mass production it seems to be milled. Hand tool tradition is to hammer it through a hole in a plate. I know only mass produced once. Any difference in results between these three methods?

[Mike Henderson]

Interesting thing about Woodpecker's Dowel Press is that it can make fluted dowels... and there is an option just to order Dowel Press Die Set to use in some other press.

That makes me thinking about making a hole in the rear jaw of twin screw tail vice that I have... Though the same can be done with Veritas Dowel Former, except that fluted variant again.

But is it a good way to make a dowel to press it? In mass production it seems to be milled. Hand tool tradition is to hammer it through a hole in a plate. I know only mass produced once. Any difference in results between these three methods?

I haven't used a lot of dowels but I've never had any problem putting non-fluted dowels in. Just don't use too much glue. I tap them in with a soft faced hammer.

Mike

[Stew Hagerty]

I haven't used a lot of dowels but I've never had any problem putting non-fluted dowels in. Just don't use too much glue. I tap them in with a soft faced hammer.

Mike

I typically take a couple of shavings off one side of a longer piece of dowel, or hold shorter ones flat against a sander for a second or so. Either way, that one slightly flattened edge gives plenty of room for glue squeeze out.