Ripping Dowels Off-Center Techniques/Tricks?

[alanealane]

I recently had to rip 3/4" diameter maple dowel for the fabric covering dept. of the biplane manufacturer I work for. I came up with a pseudo jig/finger-saver to produce two semi round strips of wood from each dowel (approx 12 inches long).
The problem was using the tablesaw to rip offset from the centerline of the dowel. This makes the dowel tend to rotate during the cut and burn against the blade body. Also the resulting removal of material left the dowel basically hanging in thin air and would regularly be slammed down to the saw surface by the blade. 
I basically used 40 grit adhesive sandpaper on a block of wood between the dowel and the fence to prevent the tendency to rotate. A featherboard and crude hold down kept the dowel against the sandpaper and saw top. 
The dowel was ripped about 95% along it's length and the saw shut off to prevent the cutoff piece being kicked back. I finished the cut with a Japanese pullsaw and sanded the piece smooth.

Even using a sawstop doesn't make this any less uneasy of an operation.
Any ideas for a more secure way to rip dowels off-center would be much appreciated! 

[ed kerns]

I recently had to rip 3/4" diameter maple dowel for the fabric covering dept. of the biplane manufacturer I work for. I came up with a pseudo jig/finger-saver to produce two semi round strips of wood from each dowel (approx 12 inches long).
The problem was using the tablesaw to rip offset from the centerline of the dowel. This makes the dowel tend to rotate during the cut and burn against the blade body. Also the resulting removal of material left the dowel basically hanging in thin air and would regularly be slammed down to the saw surface by the blade. 
I basically used 40 grit adhesive sandpaper on a block of wood between the dowel and the fence to prevent the tendency to rotate. A featherboard and crude hold down kept the dowel against the sandpaper and saw top. 
The dowel was ripped about 95% along it's length and the saw shut off to prevent the cutoff piece being kicked back. I finished the cut with a Japanese pullsaw and sanded the piece smooth.

Even using a sawstop doesn't make this any less uneasy of an operation.
Any ideas for a more secure way to rip dowels off-center would be much appreciated! 

Just as a general thought, I'd think a sled, some hot glue and a jointer would be pretty efficient. Of course that would mean wasting the 'cut off' portion of the dowel, but it should be accurate, safe and repeatable.

[Wild Turkey]

Bandsaw???


How about using a staple gun to staple each side to the jig -- which would solve both kickback and rotation problem.

[MichaelMouse]

I recently had to rip 3/4" diameter maple dowel for the fabric covering dept. of the biplane manufacturer I work for. I came up with a pseudo jig/finger-saver to produce two semi round strips of wood from each dowel (approx 12 inches long).

Use maple boards bullnosed with a router or shaper, then rip your "split dowels" from them, discarding when you get to ~3/4" slat.  Seems that would be a lot safer.

[R Clark]

Use maple boards bullnosed with a router or shaper, then rip your "split dowels" from them, discarding when you get to ~3/4" slat.  Seems that would be a lot safer.

This is what I would suggest.  I wondered if I was missing something in the description of the desired task.  Matter of fact, I did it this way just last week making some half-rounds for a friend's kitchen remodel project. 

I suppose there are ways to hold on to a dowel with tablesaw ripping operation.  But if one is looking for half-rounds, then a bullnose operation with a router table follow by a quick rip on the tablesaw seems easiest.

[Timberwolf]

This is what I would suggest.  I wondered if I was missing something in the description of the desired task.  Matter of fact, I did it this way just last week making some half-rounds for a friend's kitchen remodel project. 

I suppose there are ways to hold on to a dowel with tablesaw ripping operation.  But if one is looking for half-rounds, then a bullnose operation with a router table follow by a quick rip on the tablesaw seems easiest.

......................
Hotglue the dowel to a flat strip of wood as long as the dowel {it could be spot-glued}......Set the fence and rip right through the board and dowel. Could be ripped on a bandsaw {best} or tablesaw..

[Cooler]

Stack several 3" x  3" squares of  3/4" thick sheet goods  (plywood, MDF or particle board) and drill the same size hole as the dowel.    Then slide the dowel through each square and mount the squares to a base of 3/4" thick sheet goods.  

With the dowel in place slice through the middle of the dowels leaving the top of the squares intact.  I is best to drill the holes towards the bottoms of the squares.  You will expose less blade and the jig will be more sturdy.  

After cutting the first dowel, slip it out and slide in additional ones.  They  will be loose so you will have to add a bit of hot glue or it might kickback.  Even with the hot glue be cautious about kickback.  Make sure you stand aside and that there is a safe backstop.

Addendum:

Re-thinking this, the dowel could be a kick back issue even on the first pass.  I would recommend that the squares at each end of the dowel be attached to the dowel itself by either a nail or screw angled in on both sides of the cut. The nail or screw would be removed after the cut to release the dowel.  That should eliminate the kick back issue and still make the fixture reusable.  Just make sure that the  nails or screws (two required, one for each half of the dowel) do not extend to the path of the  saw blade.

[alanealane]

Wow lots of ideas here! Much appreciated!

[alanealane]

Your ideas make me think this taper jig might work (sans the taper 
)

Photo credit: WOODCRAFT

[AUswimKC]

Sounds really easy to get whatever shape you want with a v-shape holder and a block plane