dowel machines

[T. Talley]

Does anyone know if the dowel machine called the Arrow Shooter that Three Rivers used to carry is still being made?  If so were can I find one?  Any input on how well it worked?

[Auggie]

Don't know if they're still being made,Had one,worked fine. All it the shaft shooter is,is a router. You can buy a router cheaper and make shafts. Do a search here and you'll see some jigs and ect.

[JEB]

Google verita dowel maker.  A friend has one and we have made hundreds of arrows out of board wood that had been cut down to 1/2" squares and run the squares through  the dowel cutter with a drill.

[stringstretcher]

The shaft shooter that 3R used to sell, is no longer made.

[kevinnator11]

Google verita dowel maker.  A friend has one and we have made hundreds of arrows out of board wood that had been cut down to 1/2" squares and run the squares through  the dowel cutter with a drill.

What do you use to hold the blank?  I use a socket with a drill adaptor but it tends to strip the blank I guess you could call it.  Then i pound a smaller size on it and that works until you need to get the socket back off.   That kind of sucks.  It does turn out nice dowels though.

[danlaw]

Are you guys talking about the 400$ dowel maker or the small 30$ ones? I bought the small 3/8" one - works ok but tears the wood a bit.

[kevinnator11]

Are you guys talking about the 400$ dowel maker or the small 30$ ones? I bought the small 3/8" one - works ok but tears the wood a bit.

I have the veritas 3/8 cheap one.  Works good once it's adjusted.  For mine I set the blade to the second hash mark on both sides and it's grabs some but with straight grain poplar boards I get a good dowel just have to sand it smooth.  I did have a bit of a hassle until I got the blade depth right.

[Cameroo]

I stumbled across this video a while ago on youtube.  I haven't tried it yet, but it seems like a pretty ingenious idea.  He made a dowel cutter from nothing more than a block of wood with a hole drilled in it, and part of a saw blade.  I imagine they would need a bit of sanding as well, but that's minor when you chuck them up in a drill.  After you watch it, you can see other similar setups in the related videos on the side bar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwDjedeJCZ0

[stringstretcher]

I think he was asking about this one, and it is no longer made or available.  And the retail on this one was right around $800.00 dollars.  It is called the Shaft Shooter

[Prarie Bowyer]

I saw a great one recently some place.  Two hole drilled to meet in a block of wood.  One the diamater matching the size of the square stock the other the final size.  Then the hole was cut, or the block was and a chissen was clamped at a slight angle... like the pencil sharpener method.  So the hole is not split at the center.  It looked awesome, simple and cheap.

[bubby]

I stumbled across this video a while ago on youtube.  I haven't tried it yet, but it seems like a pretty ingenious idea.  He made a dowel cutter from nothing more than a block of wood with a hole drilled in it, and part of a saw blade.  I imagine they would need a bit of sanding as well, but that's minor when you chuck them up in a drill.  After you watch it, you can see other similar setups in the related videos on the side bar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwDjedeJCZ0

i made one of these, works real good, just use a fine cut blade, or you can clamp a file to it, Bub

[Badger]

 You can also use a tablesaw instead of a router.

[JEB]

we are using the two piece Varita and a 1/2" socket.  No problems.  Just drill the square stock through the Varita slow and be as consistant as you can.

[danlaw]

I have the 3/8 Veritas. I wasn't so stoked on it, but I've been fooling around with the depth of the cutter (thanks Kevinator) and it's getting better. I also switched wood. I just did a bunch of hickory shafts and they turned out really really great - quick sand and done. I don't think I'll bother with any other wood with the veritas, though I think that once i make my money back I'll get a router setup so i can try lighter wood.

[kevinnator11]

I have the 3/8 Veritas. I wasn't so stoked on it, but I've been fooling around with the depth of the cutter (thanks Kevinator) and it's getting better. I also switched wood. I just did a bunch of hickory shafts and they turned out really really great - quick sand and done. I don't think I'll bother with any other wood with the veritas, though I think that once i make my money back I'll get a router setup so i can try lighter wood.

Yeah I was ready to throw the thing away until I got the depth right.  I've been using poplar.  It works great and the arrows are pretty durable.