What is the tool called and where can one be gotten for turning a dowel rod smaller to make a ram rod fit smaller ferrols on a muzzle loader ?

My buddy Dave uses a Dowel cutter like the one pictured here to turn shafts to smaller diameters or to make dowels out of ripped stock for arrow shafts.



It's a dowel cutter by Veritas tools. Not real cheap, but not a horribly expensive either.

How much smaller does it need to be? Do you only need to do it to one, or several?

If just one, just use sandpaper or sandpaper and a rasp. The trick is to have the strokes go lengthwise and to also use a sanding block.

Also, the dowel cutter pic doesn't show up for me, but you want to go with the grain and sanding allows that, a cutter makes its own way and does not necessarily follow any grain line.

I only have 1 to do the picture did not post ! My error ! The rod is .390 needs to be .375 X44" long I found a site that sells a tool to do the job , I will sand it as you suggest !
Thank you !

IMG]http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww300/concho42/VeritasdownJig.jpg[/IMG]
This is 1 the tools for doing ram rods
Photo bucket sucks !!!!!!

Fellows I thought I might share this with you , I got a Pool que tip trimmer , the blade in it will do the job when I make a tool for the rod to fit in .

You ARE using hickory, right? A 48" 3/8ths Hickory will bend to where the two ends touch. I buy 3-4 at a time, and when finished, soak them in kerosene for a day or so. Two inch iron pipe 54" long with each end threaded. Stick the rods in, fill with kerosene, and let soak a day. Nearly unbreakable...

Rich

I soak them in Boiled linseed and I have 2 pipes one metal the other is sch 40 PVC , never broke one yet ! where do you get yours from ?

I have an older brother that is a millwright at the old UE south of St Louis. He has 77 acres that is mostly hill country. He cuts me a little oak and walnut and hickory every now and then in December and brings them to Quigley after seasoning in his barn a year or two.

IIRC, Track sells 48" hickory rods pretty reasonable. Minimum order is five or six to make it worthwhile to ship.

Rich

quote:

IIRC, Track sells 48" hickory rods

I thank you Idaho , Please reply with better address for the ram rods , Does that IIRC Track ! Mean Track of the wolf ? Sorry I don't understand ???

Concho show up at my place and we'll take the chainsaw into the woods and cut you a couple lifetimes worth of hickory. We also have Osage Orange here which according to James V. Howe makes one of the best ramrods.

Sounds good mark , between 2 rivers do I swim or take a boat ?

I'm in Illinois between the Mississippi and Illinois rivers.

The state has a ferry boat you can ride across on.

Back in the 40's the Susquehanna River had a ferry , the place is still there called Shanks ferry the crossing was from York co to Lancaster co , I rode it many times ! it was an adventure that I looked forward to .

www.trackofthewolf.com

Buy a dozen, in mixed sizes.

Rich

Thanks Idaho ! I only need 1 and all it needs is trimmed down to fit , The rest of my muzzle stuffers have rods made of fiberglass from chimney cleaners purchased at ACE hardware .
This rifle is new and will never be shot a wall hanger , want to see it use my e-mail I will send you several pictures of it as it was built to finish .