I'm sure someone has thought of this before, but I just thought of a perfect, cheap, alternative to wooden dowel rods - wooden chopsticks!!! Even the plastic ones would be good. I just bought 40 chopsticks for about $4, wooden dowel rods would cost me $4,50 for 12 plus shipping! They are good and strong, so all I need to do is hacksaw them to the right size - gonna try it today

Sounds like a good idea!! Sometimes you can find the thin dowels in craft shops and hardware/lumber stores. They're fairly cheap in the hardware/lumber stores.

Good luck with them and watch your fingers with that saw!!!

I've been using chopsticks insteatd of dowels for a long time. And I've been wondering why it hasn't been mentioned anywhere. 

.......  Sometimes you can find the thin dowels in craft shops and hardware/lumber stores. They're fairly cheap in the hardware/lumber stores.......

We have all at some time along the way used those from a hardware store but they are not food safe :(  Who knows where they have been and what has crawled on/over them.  That's why using plastic drink straws in a much better option.  Plus no saw needed - every day scissors work best :)

Meh. 

A wide bore straw is stronger, cheaper, easier to source, & easier to cut.  Also, less likely to slip, can't splinter/crush, and really easy to sanitize [if necessary].