Well-Rounded Dowel Ends

Furniture designer Mike Lenarz sent us this well-rounded tip. To make dowel ends round for handles or other projecting parts, drill a hole the same diameter as the dowel in a thick board. Clamp the board on your router table with the hole centered on the router bit’s center point. Slide the dowel into the hole and raise the bit so it will shape the bottom half of the dowel end. (Use a half-round bit that’s half the dowel’s diameter.)

Turn on the router and slowly but firmly push the dowel into the bit while rotating the dowel clockwise (from your point of view) with both hands. You’ll round your dowels to perfection!

Build this outdoor bench with dowel construction.