Not everyone does what I do so you might not ever need something like these. Had them forever and the company with their name on the box is still in business but changed their sales items and no wood working tools. Brookstone out of NH.

  Miles craft now has them. 
Seems like my caving needs stacked wood before I carve things and lining up the dowel holes helps so I can still take things apart for staining and finishing.

48 minutes ago, Smallpatch said:

changed their sales items and no wood working tools. Brookstone out of NH.

Wow...long forgot about Brookstone. I bought some items from them back in the 70's but can't recall what. I think one item was an Irwin 900 (wood) screw thread starter?

 

I have a couple sets of the dowel hole centers. Bought one at a yard sale. The other (Century Tools) were close out items at one of our independent Farm Supply stores...mine are hollow body versus solid like yours. I do use them occasionally. 

I have a set of the hollow ones also.

I think I have used them a couple of times.

Lee Valley has them too.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=44995&cat=1,180,42288

 

HErb

They are handy. Made a little board to hold them with the sizes marked.

I've had a set (three sizes) since high school. We were taught to use dowels to strengthen joints. No biscuit thingies or pocket holes back then!

John

12 minutes ago, HARO50 said:

I've had a set (three sizes) since high school. We were taught to use dowels to strengthen joints. No biscuit thingies or pocket holes back then!

John

No there wasn't John. Back in the day, millions of pieces of furniture were produced using dowels. A whole lot of that is still around...joints may have loosened but that is mainly from the deterioration of the hide glue from that era plus plain old wear and tear. Had it not been for the dowels, it would have become firewood. Same is true with dovetails & M&T joints.

I have a biscuit cutter, but prefer and still use dowels, not so much for strength of joint ,but to locate two parts and keep them from sliding or creeping when glued and clamped.

Herb

Biscuits was invented the year I bought my first new car which was a 2 door hardtop 56 V8 chevy...

1 hour ago, Smallpatch said:

Biscuits was invented the year I bought my first new car which was a 2 door hardtop 56 V8 chevy...

Thats good to know, the only biscuit I knew about then was buttermilk and I loved them, that was my first year of college,and I drove a 1938 Buick Special 4 dr.sedan.

Herb

On 11/3/2018 at 3:10 PM, Smallpatch said:

Biscuits was invented the year I bought my first new car which was a 2 door hardtop 56 V8 chevy...

What a car. If I had one of those I would think I died and gone to heaven.  LOL

On 11/3/2018 at 10:06 AM, Smallpatch said:

Not everyone does what I do so you might not ever need something like these. Had them forever and the company with their name on the box

Well Patch, since you showed me yours, to be be fair, I'll show you mine.

 

In the left box, the three sets are 1/4", 5/16" & 3/8". I thought they were aluminum but they are steel. They are Century Drill & Tool Brand I bought them when our local family operated Farm Supply Store was closing their Century line out and replacing with Irwin Tools. I didn't give much for them for by this time, most of what was left was 90% off. During the close-out transition, I bought a lot of single taps, dies, drill bits, router bits, etc. Some at 25% off, others reduced to 50% or 75% off and finally, I hauled out most of what remained at 90% off. That included the bit stop collars, right center; the black oxide collars on left center, I've had for years. They came with a 7pc spur bit set.

 

The set on the right side is IIT (Illinois Industrial Tool); an import tool line; Pretty sure I bought at a yard sale; might have been used once. The dowel centers are steel, black oxide coated and solid body.

It came with the 3/8" brad point bit and stop collar plus a few 3/8" dowels. The other dowel stock I picked up at either yard sales or some close-outs, plus I have an inventory of 1/4"-3/8" dowels stashed elsewhere.

Dowel hole centers are a dime a dozen. I think I paid $0.50 for the last set I bought at the flea market. They are available from several vendors and aren't that unique or expensive. I rarely use them, but when you need to line up a hole in an adjacent piece of stock they are easy, quick and accurate.

On 11/3/2018 at 5:36 PM, Dadio said:

I drove a 1938 Buick Special 4 dr.sedan.

I had a 1937...

I like doweling. I still favor it over the Domino because I'm cheap...

 

Here is a question....

 

We hear of old dowels being lose with old glues. Are we seeing new dowels with new glues being lose?