On my planes that have exhibited frictional burning of the wing dowels (and that IS what caused it!), I always just found some brass tubing that was a slip fit over the dowels, and like the one post said, counter sunk them into the leading edge of the wing a good .25 to .5 inch before glueing them over the dowel. Obviously, I then had to open up the holes ever so slightly in the bulkhead that receives the dowels, but that has always stopped the problem for me. Don't know if it is a case of the brass being harder/smoother that stops the friction, or that it can conduct any heat generated away fron the pressure point. What ever it is, it does the trick! Oh, and as to how to counter sink the tubing over the original dowel into the wing? I just took a length of the brass tube and using a triangle file, worked on the end or the tube to make a toothed "core barrel" type drill bit out of it. With this piece chucked into a drill (low speed please!) I can carefully slide it down over the wing dowel and cut a very clean and neat hole AROUND the dowl that will then accept the brass sleve perfectly!

Lee