Expert: Jamie Yocono - 3/30/2007

Question
Is there a tool that can make a dowel end on at square baluster?  Something that furniture manufacturers might use to make chair stretchers or rungs?  Then instead of having to cut a square mortise for the rung, you could just drill an appropriate size hole.

Answer
Hi John,

There are quite a few different tools that will cut a dowel on the end of a spindle. I've used several, I'll try to explain the differences and give you an opinion.

Some artists make "timber" furniture, utilizing twigs and branches for their components. The type of dowel cutter they use is sort of like a giant pencil sharpener, which come in a variety of sizes. Here is a link to those sort of cutters:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=45539&cat=1,180,42288

A different kind of tenon cutter is more industrial, and can cut tenons up to 3" long. I have a couple sets of these cutters, they're beefy and work reasonably well. They came in a set of 5, in standard sizes of 3/8, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4 and 1 inch in diameter. Here is a link to those type of cutters:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11409&filter=tenon%20cutters

Look at some of the woodworking supply stores, and do a search for tenon cutters, you'll find MANY different types. The thing is- some are better than others, and some are easier to use than others. Some cut long tenons (3") and some cut only short stubby tenons. So you sort of have to know what you need.

This is my opinion, but while the "pencil sharpener" type cutters are easiest to use, they make a dowel that has a curved or arched bottom in relation to the tenon. This type of cut works great for twig furniture, but probably not so good for a baluster. The longer cutters at Rocker Woodworking are the strongest, and (I think) do the best job. But I have only used them in a drill press, and it's a little difficult to drill the end of a board in a drill press. So you'll need to devise some way of clamping your board so it's perfectly plumb to the chuck. If not, your tenon will be off center. I've played with this a few different ways and it's not easy, but it can be done.

Another thought is to use a completely free floating dowel, simply drilling a hole on both pieces to be mated, and then connect them by adding the dowel to hold them together. In fact Festool just came out with a really sweet machine, it looks like a biscuit cutter, but in fact cuts an oblong hole. Of course, they sell the free floating "tenons"... it's a slick but expensive machine. For someone like a chair maker, it could revolutionize the way they build their chairs. Check out www.Festool.com to see this machine, I think it's called a Domino Joiner. Sweet.

OK, good luck, I hope this helps. Please feel free to write back if you have any further questions after reading this. And if this answer was helpful... please take a minute and rate my service. Thanks!

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com