Can I safely route a dome on the end of a 3/4" dia dowel using a 3/8" round over bit, router table, and miter gauge?  If not, what method would you use to add a dome to the end of a dowel?

Danl

how about holding it vertically with a drilled block of wood and spinning the dowl

I do not see a reason why not but I do not think it will be a perfect rounded end. Just based on routing a roundover on both edges of a board.

Should be able to do that. I'd trap the dowel between the fence and table.  That is if the dowel is long enough to be able to hold and turn it beyond the fence. A pair of feather boards, one pressing down and one pressing into the fence, might be advisable.

Edited January 5, 20206 yr by Gene Howe

Hey Danl, what's the dowel for?

I'm with John on what's it for and how many do you need.

Well, for an old country boy, I would find a sander.  While the sander is running, touch the end of the dowel to the sanding belt and rotate it quickly.  If it will fit into a drill chuck, ease it into the sanding grit while both the sander and drill are rotating.  It will be quick.  

34 minutes ago, FlGatorwood said:

Well, for an old country boy, I would find a sander.  While the sander is running, touch the end of the dowel to the sanding belt and rotate it quickly.  If it will fit into a drill chuck, ease it into the sanding grit while both the sander and drill are rotating.  It will be quick.  

I use the drill and some wood trick to make a quick dowel.  Never tried a dome but hey it works.  You can make very sharp points with a nail like this as well.

A lathe makes easy work to make a dowel or round.  If he has a lathe, he can round over the end on the tailstock.  Piece of cake.  With icing on top.  

3 hours ago, John Morris said:

Hey Danl, what's the dowel for?

I'm in the middle of making "Rita - the rocking dinosaur".  While I'm waiting on the delivery for a profile router bit, I thought I would make the handle.  I want both ends to be rounded.  The handle will be 3/4" dia x 10-1/2" long.  This project has a dead line.  I have a granddaughter having her 1st birthday in February, so I have to get-r-done.  Danl

 

I've actually thought about this as I'm going to need a bunch of 5/8" dowels for my reworked clamp rack - see the attached photo.

 

I have this idea, haven't tried it yet but I think it's going to work

 

- start off with a piece of 2x4 and drill a 5/8" through hole near the end on the wide face.

- on the bandsaw, split from the end to the hole and install a screw across the slot so it clamps the dowel

- take a piece of 3/4" plywood (I think that will provide enough depth to clear the projection of the router bit) and drill a hole large enough to provide clearance for the router bit as travels around the dowel. Attach the plywood to the piece of 2x4 with that hole centered over the 5/8" dowel hole.

- clamp that assembly in a vise so the hole is hanging over space.

- insert the dowel in the 2x4 with the upper end flush with the top of the plywood and clamp with the screw.

- Adjust the router so that the top of the radius on the cutter is flush with the bottom of the base.

- set the router in the hole, start it up and traverse around the dowel.

 

I've thought about this a lot, and don't see any reason why it wouldn't work, just not sure how clean of end it's going to cut with about 50% of the cut being against the grain. I wasn't going to cut a full dome though, thinking maybe a 1/8" or maybe a 1/4" radius so there would be a little flat in the center. As I said, going to need a bunch but it should be fairly quick - feed the piece of dowel up from the bottom until it hits a block you have sitting across the top of the plywood, tighten the screw to hold it in place and then cut the raius.

 

I could make a sketch if needed, but I think my explanation is fairly clear.

Edited January 6, 20206 yr by tomp

Try this using your router bit. Drill a hole in a square piece for the dowel to fit snug. clamp this to the fence moderately close to the bit. Place the dowel in the hole and then move fence to get dowel at the bit or at least in front of it. Twist the dowel carefully to get round by just barely touching bit. You will have to adjust fence to get optimum contact but I would start with the bit at the outside of the dowel.

For this project I'd simply sand it round, or carve it round, or file it round. 

 

46 minutes ago, FlGatorwood said:

A lathe makes easy work to make a dowel or round.  If he has a lathe, he can round over the end on the tailstock.  Piece of cake.  With icing on top.  

BAM! And that's how ya do it!

1 hour ago, John Morris said:

BAM! And that's how ya do it!

Reminds me of a famous quote from a well-known cookbook giving the recipe for Rabbit Stew; first, catch your rabbit.......

On 1/5/2020 at 9:35 PM, Gerald said:

Try this using your router bit. Drill a hole in a square piece for the dowel to fit snug. clamp this to the fence moderately close to the bit. Place the dowel in the hole and then move fence to get dowel at the bit or at least in front of it. Twist the dowel carefully to get round by just barely touching bit. You will have to adjust fence to get optimum contact but I would start with the bit at the outside of the dowel.

Worked like a champ.  I used two set-ups.  Thank you for the advice.  Danl

 

3 hours ago, Danl said:

Worked like a champ.  I used two set-ups.  Thank you for the advice.  Danl

 

 

Looks like you did a good job on them. Glad we could help.