While working on a project that required precision sawing, I discovered that the fiber blade guides on my bandsaw were shot. Unable to find new guides locally and unwilling to wait a week for mail-order delivery, I looked for a temporary solution in my shop. The answer was in my dowel stock.

I cut two pieces of 1⁄2 " red oak dowel, each about 2" long, slipped them into the guide holes, and tightened them to the blade. The temporary fix has become permanent —I've been using the wooden guides nearly every day for more than six months, and they show virtually no wear.