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How to Build a Dowel Organizer
Learn how to build a dowel organizer for your shop; watch a video that shows how to use scraps of PVC pipe to make a nifty organizer.
Print these instructions Tools you will need
Dowel Organizer - Collection of Dowels Tips - Dowel Organizer - PVC Pipe cut in different lengths and sizes Tips - Dowel Organizer - Trace inside of PVC on board
A large collection of dowels can present an issue when it comes to storing and organizing dowels of different lengths and diameters. This dowel organizer will allow for orderly storage and won't take up much floor space. Start by cutting standard PVC drain pipe to several different lengths in a variety of diameters. (Pictured are inch-and-a-half, three-inch and four-inch.) Using a scrap piece of PVC pipe as a template, trace the inside of the pipe onto a piece of plywood. Do this for each section of pipe you want to use.
     
Tips - Dowel Organizer - Cut out bottom of dowel holders with band saw Tips - Dowel Organizer - Drill holes in bottom of PVC Tips - Dowel Organizer - Drill screws into base of PVC to affix the bottoms
Cut out the outlines using a band saw with a narrow blade, or a handheld jigsaw. Drill three holes, spaced evenly around the perimeter of each pipe section, about a half inch or so from the bottom. For a helpful way to secure round objects like PVC pipe when drilling, visit my tip on drilling holes in round objects. Countersink the holes so the screw heads will be flush with the outer surface of the pipe. Push the plywood bottoms into the ends of the pipe, tap them flush, then insert the screws to secure them in place.
     
Tips - Dowel Organizer - Arrange PVC sections on board Tips - Dowel Organizer - Trace outline of PVC on boards Tips - Dowel Organizer - Drill hole in center of traced circles
Arrange the PVC pipes on a plywood base. Trace the outlines of each section of pipe. Drill a hole through the center of each circle and countersink each of these holes on the bottom side of the board.
     
Tips - Dowel Organizer - Line up the PVC against the circles on the board Tips - Dowel Organizer - Secure base of PVC tubes to board with screws Tips - Dowel Organizer - Completed organizer
Clamp the base in a vice and starting with the bottom-most sections of pipe, press the bases against the circles you traced. Attach each section of pipe by driving a screw up through the base and into the bottom. The completed organizer should accomodate your entire dowel collection with space to grow. More importantly, you'll be able to find the right dowel when you need it.
     
     

Other Workshop Improvement Projects You Can Do Yourself
How to build a tool storage frame  
How to make a pegboard workshop  
How to build a custom workbench  
How to make over a basement workshop  

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