I read somewhere about using a table saw and miter gauge to cut down the diameter of a dowel. From what I remember, you set the blade height to half the diameter that you want and roll it over the blade.

Question is, how safe is this. If I had a lathe I would do it that way.

Thanks

Harry

I don't know what size dowels your sizing, but your table saw teeth would just barely be protruding above the table top and the dowel woulde be rotated slowly. The method isn't going to have any presission, in my opinion.

 

1 1/2 dowel down to 3/4"

It can be done but like you said, WHY?



Your better of taking a 3/4 x 3/4 stick and run it through a router table or clamp it in a vise and run a quarter round bit over it on all 4 sides.



Or put it through a bandsaw with the fence set at 3/4 in from the blade.



Even using a plane to shave it down might be better.

 

The reason for doing this is to make 1" wide notches on each end to fit in a bracket. This is a modification to the paper towel holder that Larry Jenkins posted on Wood.

The other way I might do it is to add drawer knobs to the end of a 3/4" dowel.

Ok, set your blade height at 3/8th in. above table top and use your miter guage and go ahead and make your cuts.

 

Just keep running it through and rotate it, run it through and rotate, etc. until you get it.

 

Sometimes I'm horrible at explaining as I don't know your skill level or how comfortable you would be rotating the piece while cutting.  I also have my miter guage set up to do cuts like that and am pretty comfortable doing that cut.

 

So I'm opting on the side of safety and telling you to just keep running it through until you get it.

Thanks

I think that's what I read somewhere   The dowel will be around 15" long to start.

As Ralph would say--I'll keep my hands 6" away from the blade!  (at least)

dragon1 said:

Ok, set your blade height at 3/8th in. above table top and use your miter guage and go ahead and make your cuts.

 

Just keep running it through and rotate it, run it through and rotate, etc. until you get it.

 

Sometimes I'm horrible at explaining as I don't know your skill level or how comfortable you would be rotating the piece while cutting.  I also have my miter guage set up to do cuts like that and am pretty comfortable doing that cut.

 

So I'm opting on the side of safety and telling you to just keep running it through until you get it.

 Short of going out and BUYING  a tenon cutter like the ones used in log furniture, one could make a saw cut around the dowel.    Then a little chisel (gouge?) work, with a spokeshave clean up.   

 

Set up a beltsander in the vise.  Set it to stay on.   Hold the dowel to the side of the sander.   Slowly spin the dowel (by hand) to get the tenon size that you have marked on the ebd of the dowel.  Best results for this would be to hold the dowel in the area behind the front roller, and the platten.    Again, pre-cut the end for a nice clean cut. 

 

 

Bandsaw:    Make a few cuts until you have a nice square tenon on each end.