Lie-Nielsen Dowel Plates

If you want to make exact-sized dowels from any wood you choose, a Lie-Nielsen Dowel Plate is the best tool.
It’s also handy to get a precise tenon on chair spindles. The Lie Nielsen plates are1/4″ x 5-5/8″ x 1½” surface ground A2 tool steel. The holes are machined with 6-degree clearance taper on the underside, the holes are straight for the first .025″; so this tool can be sharpened many times without increasing the size – but at 60 Rockwell it probably won’t ever need sharpening.
The Imperial Dowel plate makes 1/8″, 3/16″, 1/4″, 5/16″, 3/8″, 1/2″ & 5/8″ dowels.
The Metric Dowel Plate makes 3mm, 4mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm & 16mm dowels.
Start with a round piece of wood (or something whittled or shaved close to round) ; chamfer the leading end and off you go. There are mounting holes for a No.10 screw.