The user EasyyPlayer announced in April 2022 in his comment to the original design, that he plans to redesign it, also rectangular instead of round dowels. But he never did it. So I also tried to design such a version, and here it is :-)
Also with this version, the goal is to fit all 8 dowels in the larger compartment. For giving it to another person without showing the solution, one of the dowels can be stored in the small compartment and the other parts filled in the large one without any order!

I think, this version is a bit more simple to solve as the original, because the round dowels often turn unexpectedly, what the rectangular won't do.

Maybe You also want to see my other version of Dowel Puzzle:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6358071

UPDATE on 12/17/2023:
I uploaded a new version,
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6382636
where only one solution should be possible. The current version, and also the original version have more than one solution ;-)