Wood dowels come in a variety of commercially available sizes that range from 1/12” up to 3” in diameter and larger. These dowels are produced on different types of equipment based on production efficiency as well as available stock of wood, allowing optimal yields. While the larger diameter dowels of 1 ¼” and up are typically made from rough sawn squares run through a single rod dowel machine such as a Hawker-Dayton, smaller diameter dowels are made on various types of molders using sawn boards and even veneer. Making round shapes from square or rectangular stock generates considerable waste, so yields are closely monitored to produce the most cost effective product.

When people hear the term wood dowels, they generally think of larger diameter dowels, such as wood handles, broom sticks, banner dowels and tool handles. Many people don’t realize that smaller diameter dowels are found in interesting and varied application, particularly in the health and food industries. Manicure sticks are typically 5/32” in diameter with ends pointed and / or beveled. Originally intended for the cosmetic industry, these dowels have found considerable application in the electronics industry as a non- conductive, heat-resistant tool for assembly and repairs. While often called orangewood sticks, these small diameter dowels are made almost exclusively from white birch.

Another important application of small diameter dowels is for wooden skewers. Wood skewers are typically produced at diameters from 1/8” – ¼” that range from a couple inches up to 10” length for large scale food processors . The end of a wood skewer is pointed to varying degrees of sharpness depending on the food it must pierce, balanced with safety considerations for the end users. Dense meats require a sharper point than chicken or vegetables do. Apple sticks have a blunt point to ensure kids and adults have a safe experience working their way through the caramel or candied coating. Some large scale producers use automated equipment during their process and packaging, requiring extremely accurate dowel diameters, so as to not jam equipment.

While bamboo has been imported during the past decade, white birch dowel reigns supreme as the wood of choice for skewers and food applications based on its smooth grain that does not splinter and it is tasteless. White birch dowels have been used in the food industry for more than a century, having early beginnings in Maine with production of small diameter dowels for the lollipop market, long before the development of rolled paper sticks used today.

Smaller diameter dowels are also popular with crafts. As you can see, when you think of “dowels” now you can think of the benefits and uses of small diameter dowels and their place in everyday life!

When one thinks of producing wood turnings, a typical image emerges. A person is standing at a lathe with a face shield or safety glasses in place, holding a long handled tool, shaping the spinning wood. While this happens in small scale operations and home workshops, production scale wood turnings have been done quite differently for decades and are evolving with modern technology.

The reality of commercial wood turnings are that they are produced on automated or semi-automated lathes.  These can produce thousands of wood parts per day, at exactly the same shape and size, with minimal human labor, equating to lower cost. These lathes operate from rough sawn squares or wood dowels being fed into the lathes and producing simple to elaborate wood turnings.

Some lathes that are used to turn wood are:

High Speed Lathes
Spool Machines and Variety Lathes
Back Knife Lathes
Mattison lathes
CNC lathes

High speed lathes

High speed lathes found in commercial wood turning facilities fall under such names.  Spool machines, variety lathes, back knife lathes, mattison lathes, and in more recent times, CNC lathes are some of the more familiar ones. The choice of the wood lathe to provide optimal quality and value depends on several factors.  Typically they are the length of the turning, the quantities required and in some cases the specific shape. Quantities of small wood turnings that can be produced in a single day can reach as high as 10,000 pieces with a well maintained lathe and proficient operator.

Spool machines and variety lathes

Spool machines and variety lathes make such products as wooden furniture knobs, shaker pegs, toy parts, wood balls, craft items, and tool handles. These lathes use a fixed tool typically costing a couple hundred dollars. This tool is produced to the specific shape of the wood turning. They require considerable time and proficiency to set-up, but once running, are extremely fast, at times generating a turning every few seconds.

Back knife lathes

Back knife lathes are ideal for long wood turnings. They are used frequently for furniture parts such as wooden legs, stretchers and spindles. Some lathes can turn products up to 48” long.  These can have applications in many other industries, such as police batons or night sticks, baseball bats, tool handles, and drumsticks. Tooling costs for these products can be quite high, running more than $ 100 per inch for the length of the turning.  Larger scale production runs in the thousands are typically required to offset tooling costs. The concept of this tool is that it steadies the wood during turning. This allows for thin wood turnings that would otherwise be difficult to make.

Mattison lathes

Mattison lathes are also used on longer wood turnings and operate quite differently from other lathes.  Here the tooling spins at a high speed while the wood rotates more slowly. They can be somewhat intimidating to operate since the extremely sharp steel tooling is spinning and evokes images of Edward Scissorhands!  These lathes are ideal for wood turnings with square sections along their length such as balusters, newel posts, table legs, and bedposts. Tooling for this can be somewhat modular. Various parts can be switched to build the profile along the length of the desired wood turning.

CNC lathes

CNC lathes are extremely versatile and are ideal for relatively small runs of one to a few hundred turnings. Tooling is not required , but rather it is programmed, which is typically leads to modest costs. Ideally if designers can submit CAD files, this can be readily converted into the desired wood turning. CNC lathes are advancing in speed and versatility and are ideal for the smaller volume runs of short as well as longer length turnings.

To see some sample of different types of wood turnings, we invite you to visit our picture gallery.

How are round wooden dowels made? They are typically made in two different processes to maximize the yield from the raw material.  In the case of smaller diameters of 1” and less, they are typically made on a molder.  Boards are molded  with a set of knives cutting a half round on the top of the board and another set cutting half round on the bottom.  With careful set-up of the molder, a several inch wide board can “extrude” multiple round dowels at once form that single board.  Set-up of the molder is key to insure accurate diameter and true roundness of the dowels.

A second process of making dowels is via a single rod machine / dowel machine such as a Hawker brand which has been in use for over 100  years.  This process involves feeding a square into the machine and a rotating knife spinning around the square creates the round dowel.  This work best for larger diameter dowel, where defect free raw material is more difficult to access and improves yields. Dowels produced in this manner are typically not as smooth as molding, though sanding cleans them up nicely.

To see a sampling of some of our dowels and their applications, click here to view our gallery.

Have you ever heard the words “Baluster, Balustrade and Banister” and wondered what do they all mean? Are they the same thing or are they different things? Are these just the same word said different ways?  Well here is a simple explanation of the differences. 

To view some examples of balusters, click here to view our gallery.

Baluster

A baluster is a vertical piece between a railing and other wood or the floor that adds support and safety; a short and decorative post or pillar that supports a top rail. The term baluster actually comes from the Italian word for pomegranate flowers, balaustra, which was chosen because these architectural features sometimes mimic them. Balusters can be made of wood, iron, stone and other materials. The term baluster is interchangeable with the word spindle.

Balustrade

A balustrade is comprised of an assembled top rail, balusters or spindles and often a bottom rail, posts, post caps, and decorative finials. It is a composite made up of individual parts, such as the balusters and a railing/handrail. It can be used indoors or outdoors, for staircases and balconies, as well as decorative structures.

Banister (Bannister)

The banister is actually used as a name for a staircase baluster, although it is commonly referring to the handrail of the structure.

What is a Baluster?

A baluster is the vertical component of a stairwell, balcony or deck. Although balusters can be seen as decorative, they also provide security and safety. The term “wooden spindles” is interchangeable with the term “balusters”. The handrail and foot rail are attached to columns, or more commonly newel posts, to secure into position. In large scale production, these wooden balusters are turned on a back-knife or Mattison lathes.  More complicated and custom balusters can be made on CNC and duplicating lathes.

Exterior wooden balusters/spindles are needed on entry stairs and also are used around porch rails.  These too can be simple, though they often are more ornate in for curb appeal.

What is a good interior paint grade wood for balusters?

Paint grade typically suggests the cheapest wood, since you will be covering it.  Many think pine to be  a good choice, though clear pine is more expensive than many hardwoods and the knots and pitch  lines start to show within a few months to a few years, regardless of surface preparation and priming.  Poplar is probably the most common paint grade wood for interiors, since it is cost effective, machines well and  takes a finish nicely.  In high traffic areas, soft maple might be a good choice as it is about 40% harder than poplar.

Sprucing Up a Staircase or Porch

You can quickly enhance and change your style with new balusters. You may want to add more curb appeal to your home, modernize an old house, or replicate an old staircase. We specialize in Remodeling, Reproductions, Repair and New Construction.  

Installing stair balusters

There are many sources online with tutorials on how to DIY and how to install your own staircase parts, including baluster replacement. Just specify exactly what you are looking to do and read up before attempting to try it yourself. 

Wooden porches are a way to add curb appeal to your home.  You can also add new custom wooden porch posts, columns or balusters to an entryway.

Wooden porch posts can be made to match the style of the project and enhance newels, balusters and railings. These turned posts can be made in a variety of wood species depending on durability, price and finish.

What are the best exterior grade woods for my porch columns and balusters?

There are several options on exterior paint grade woods to use, though a few stand out as some of the best. African Mahogany and Spanish Cedar are excellent choices based on durability and hardness. While the wood is more expensive than other choices, it is typically not that much more when you consider labor to produce and install, especially if it avoids constant replacement. Old Growth Cypress, Redwood and Red Cedar were great choices. The issue is that old growth is no longer available and the second/third generation trees available today are not quite as durable.

One of the biggest factors in any wood chosen is to prevent moisture from penetrating and staying in the wood, fostering decay by fungus and then insects. Part of this occurs in the design/building process.  The balance is in keeping a good coat of finish on the product to block moisture. Also, there should always be a barrier between the wood and concrete.

Since 1911, H. A. Stiles has remained a source for beautiful and functional wooden porches, porch posts and other staircase parts.  Consider looking into these elements of design for reproductions, replacing old posts and for new construction.