Operation:

* Make sure you add a point to the stock you will be making a dowel rod from. Make sure all clamps are on before you start. Hammer on a socket that is slightly smaller than the stock ** Use a socket adapter with your drill and attach to the socket attached to the wood. While operating the drill, don't worry about going super slow but don't go as fast as the drill can go. Use a medium speed. When all is done, turn off the saw before pulling the dowel out. Don't follow the idiot in the video, he didn't realize it was damaging to the newly created dowel to pull it out while it was running. D'oh!

* It is absolutely important for you to prepare the wood that you will be putting through this jig. You'll need to use a sander or a crapload of sand paper to form a point on the end of your intended rod. You should know this already if you've watched the video, which I highly recommend as it shows you how long the point should be. This point is important because it helps pilot the beginning of the rod to where it needs to go for the rounding to happen. Be sure the point is centered and not lopsided or you will have a lopsided dowel where one side will be flat.

Tip length

** Also, there have been many methods for attaching a drill to the end of wood. Some round it off the same way we did to form the tip, but I find that way to be inaccurate, allowing a wobble to misform the dowel. Instead, I'd recommend using sockets, carefully hammering them on to the opposite side of the tip we formed. Once the socket is on we'll use a socket adapter and attach it to the drill. When you're done making the dowel, you'll take a lag bolt or anything narrow and pull the socket off and knock it till the dowel comes out. Simple and far less likely to break or to leave an inaccurately cut dowel.

Attaching a socket.

What's actually happening here?

Very little, if any wood is actually being cut by the tip of the blade. Rather, the teeth on the side are sheering away everything but the round part that enters the hole. Since carbide teeth stick out on the side of the blade, it's those part of the teeth that are actually doing all the cutting. I would even venture to guess that we've found a different way to cut with the blade, if only slightly.

The nice advantage this brings is you can use a larger piece of wood and get a much smaller rod on the other end. So let's say you have a scrap of wood that is not entirely straight, this jig, with a little practice, can straighten it out easily.

BONUS: The video also gives a bonus I'd like to expand upon. You could place a board parallel to the 'Window Wall', on the opposite side as the dowel rod is (to the left of the 'Window Wall') and string the rod through it. This will eliminate shaking and help to straighten your drilling out. It's not crucial but it does give two points of reference for the rod. In order to do this, just grab another rectangular board that's the same size as the 'Dowel Plate' and tape them together before drilling your dowel hole through. Viola!

Adding a second reference for the dowel.

Cautions:

Be sure all clamps are on at all times. This is not a joke. The entire jig works very well and is extremely safe, but not having 4 clamps on (2 against the fence, 1 holding the bottom flat to the table, 1 holding the 'Dowel plate(s)' against the 'Window Plate'

Be sure to use a spring clamp to keep the miter saw button compressed. Do not try to hold it down as you drill. Do not have someone else hold it down.

As you are pushing the stock into the hole, don't go any further than about 5" away from the blade. It could go fast and you don't want to take a chance that you'll run your sockets into the blade.

Troubleshooting

If you have any problems, please leave them in the comments below and I will respond.

It's not cutting and just spinning inside the hole:

Check to make sure the tip has been sanded back enough that the tip is actually in the hole.

Check that the blade is protruding ABOVE the width of the 'Dowel Plate', that is, that it's not buried inside of it. The sides of the blade teeth must be higher than the actual plate so that it can grind the extra off.

Check to make sure that the blade is, indeed, a blade with carbide teeth. No other blade will work. Most to probably all miter blades are carbide so it shouldn't be a problem.

Check to see if it's an older miter blade with missing teeth

The dowel I'm trying to make is getting chewed up and is not coming out the right size.

Your dowel hole overlaps where the blade arch was cut. It is absolutely crucial to make sure that your bit does NOT extend into the hole.

The 'Dowel Plate' hole has been deformed due to excessive heat or wear. Try making another plate.

There is smoke and the hole is black