45-degree chamfer on 1.5 dia. dowel

[bmuir1616]

What's the best way (what tool and how) to put a 45-degree chamfer on a large, 1.5-inch diameter dowel?
Sander?
Router table?

Thanks,
Bill

[cabinetman]

If you are referring to the end of the dowel, I would install a chamfer router bit in a router table. Use a stop that the dowel sits against at the bit, and rotate the dowel.
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[LarryG]

Sander?
Router table?

If you have a disc sander with a miter gauge, you can set the gauge to 45deg and lay the dowel against it as you feed the dowel's end into the disc. Control the width of the chamfer by stopping the lateral feed when you get the chamfer as you want it. Then rotate the dowel against the miter gauge, being careful not to allow it to move laterally any further, as that will make increase the width of the chamfer.

If you have a router table, you can use a 45deg chamfer bit and a technique generally similar to the above. Use a miter gauge, coping sled, or a board clamped to the table, positioned 90deg to the fence, to hold the dowel against as you slowly feed it laterally into the bit. Again, rotate the dowel carefully to chamfer it all the way around. As at the sander, when you get the chamfer like you want it you will need to be careful to stop all lateral movement as you rotate the dowel, because you won't have a stop to keep it from creeping further and further into the bit. (You could use the router table's fence as a lateral stop when you begin the cut, but as soon as you start rotating the dowel, you will be cutting away the very material that butts against the stop.)

This is one of those operations that's actually harder to describe than do.

[pelligrini]

I much prefer using a sander. I tried a 45 degree router bit once and it was not something I enjoyed. I got a bunch of tearout and I felt like the dowel was going to bind and go flying when I tried to rotate it.

I have used a handheld belt sander (I didn't have a stationary disk or belt) in a holding jig to do some chamfers. I'd set the belt at 45 degrees to my work table. I already had a few v-shaped holders for dowels and round items. I would set a stop block at the end of the dowel so I wouldn't have to guage the depth of cut manually. I'd first set the stop a bit longer then my desired finish, it was easier to sand it in increments. I'd place the dowel against the stop and move the dowel down into the moving belt. Once I got it flat in my holder I'd rotate it making sure I also kept the end against the stop block. I'd move the block closer for the next increment and do the same sanding procedure.

[Knottscott]

I prefer a sander.

[LarryG]

I much prefer using a sander.

I didn't say so, but I do too. Tearout can indeed be a problem using a router bit, especially with a tough wood that's prone to splintering.

+1 on setting a stop at the other end, assuming the dowel isn't so long as to make that impractical. For some reason I was assuming a longish dowel; not sure why I thought that.

[cabinetman]

With doing a chamfer on a router table, you do not want a fence or a stop block for the other end. As in sanding or routing, a stop block will trap the dowel, making for a possibility of catching.

Using a chamfer bit with a bearing would only require a guide that the dowel would sit against lengthwise. The end of the dowel would center on the bearing. No fence is needed. The height of the bit would determine the size of the chamfer. The dowel can be fed into the bearing slowly, and rotated against the guide.

A guide on both sides of the dowel could be used if skewing is a problem. I don't usually find that necessary.
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[Uncle Cracker]

Take a small block of wood and bore a hole in it to accept the dowel, allowing for enough slop to turn the dowel. then cut the block at a 45-degree angle, and clamp it to your disk sander table. Feed the dowel into the block slowly while turning it. Done deal...

[cwsmith]

From my limited perspective, I guess it depends on exactly how accurate you want the chamfer. For a "quicky", I'd use my benchtop belt/disc sander; setting up the miter for 45-degrees and then rotating the dowel against the disc.

For a more precise chamfer, I would go with Cabinetman's procedure.

CWS

[LCHIEN]

Take a small block of wood and bore a hole in it to accept the dowel, allowing for enough slop to turn the dowel. then cut the block at a 45-degree angle, and clamp it to your disk sander table. Feed the dowel into the block slowly while turning it. Done deal...

for a small dowel that will work. This one being 1.5" probably clamp a couple of blocks to the table to guide it into the disk sander. Lay your hand over it as you rotate it to keep it down.

For a consistent depth, mark a ring around the dowel, stop when you get to that point.

Doing these on a router seems kinds scary to me.

[Mr__Bill]

You could always use a table saw.

Set the blade at 45, put a mark around the dowel and a corresponding mark on the miter gauge. Keep making cuts and rotating the dowel for each cut keeping the alignment marks aligned. Finish by sanding by hand with a hard sanding block.


Bill

[cabinetman]

More thoughts (if the power goes off).

You could use a carving knife and sanding block.
You could use a block plane and sandpaper.
You could use a rasp and sandpaper.
You could use a block sander.
You could use a scraper.
.

[jdon]

... or there must be a way you can use a barometer!