Abstract: A dowel is provided by obtaining a plug from the shaft (diaphysis) of various long bones. The dowel has an intra-medullary canal which can be packed with any of a variety of osteogenic materials. The dowel has a cortical surface into which an instrument attachment hole may be machined and onto which an alignment mark may be inscribed for proper orientation of the intra-medullary canal. The dowel has a chamfered insertion end and has improved biomechanical and vertebral fusion induction properties as compared to standard dowels known in the art.