Dowels for Pull Toys

[harpone]

I am just starting to make some pull toys for great grandchildren and need some 1/4" dowels. What I have seen locally in big box and craft stores looks questionable for toy axles. Online various species (pine, birch. oak, etc) are being sold in that size. What woods would be good choices?

 

[Mike Davis]

I bought oak dowels from Big Blue box store and they were much better quality than the softwood dowels.

 

[Dave Richards]

I would make my own from the same species used for the rest of the parts.

 

[Tom from Clayton]

I always drill an appropriate size hole in a piece of plywood and take it to whatever big box or hardware store I go to and make sure the dowel is a tight fit in the hole. It's amazing how many 1/4 inch dowels (or whatever size) are not really 1/4 inch.

 

[harpone]

I would make my own from the same species used for the rest of the parts.

How do you make your own dowels??

 

[harpone]

I always drill an appropriate size hole in a piece of plywood and take it to whatever big box or hardware store I go to and make sure the dowel is a tight fit in the hole. It's amazing how many 1/4 inch dowels (or whatever size) are not really 1/4 inch.

Great suggestion.

 

[ScottM]

Caseyswood.com

 

[Dave Richards]

How do you make your own dowels??

I use the router and a cordless drill. I did a thing a long time ago on the process. You can see here: https://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=54083&highlight=dowels+router

Since the dowels are turned to diameter instead of being compressed when they are mashed through a die, they tend to remain rounder over time.

 

[harpone]

What router bit do you use?

I use the router and a cordless drill. I did a thing a long time ago on the process. You can see here: https://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=54083&highlight=dowels+router

Since the dowels are turned to diameter instead of being compressed when they are mashed through a die, they tend to remain rounder over time.

 

[Dave Richards]

I use an upcut spiral bit to pull the chips up out of the hole although I've also use a plain straight cutter, too. The plain straight cutter works better if you make a channel for waste clearance below the bit on the side where the dowel stock enters. I just make these "jigs" when and as I need them from some piece of scrap laying around and usually don't bother to to get too elaborate with it.

 

[harpone]

Thanks. I think you have given me enough info to get me started on making some dowels.

I use an upcut spiral bit to pull the chips up out of the hole although I've also use a plain straight cutter, too. The plain straight cutter works better if you make a channel for waste clearance below the bit on the side where the dowel stock enters. I just make these "jigs" when and as I need them from some piece of scrap laying around and usually don't bother to to get too elaborate with it.