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Turning knobs

Posts

Turning knobs

#1

Turning knobs

Jeremy Osner

>Hi everyone and Merry Christmas!

I am thinking about turning some mushroom-shaped knobs for a cabinet I'm currently building. Any advice on this? Last time I tried to turn knobs I had a hard time getting the outer end to look good -- it needs to be smooth, obviously you can't cut the full curve of it on the lathe, so what I would do is cut the curve until there was about a 1/2" spindle remaining, then saw through the spindle and sand down where I had cut. Is this the standard procedure?

Also -- if I want 4 identical knobs, is it better to turn them all at once from the same spindle or one at a time? If anyone has done this and could give me a step-by-step through it, I would really appreciate that.

Thanks,

Jeremy

Re: Turning knobs

#2

Re: Turning knobs

Tom Colligan, Peoria

>Jeremy, If you can get a hold of the last issue of Fine Woodworking, i.e.#172 or Oct/Nov '04 there's a great article on turning knobs by Phil Lowe. (It's at our level, i.e. beginners:) Tom

Re: Turning knobs

#3

Re: Turning knobs

Jeremy Osner

>Thanks Tom -- geez I knew I was going to regret letting my subscription lapse. I will try and find it at the library.

Re: Turning knobs

#4

Keith Tompkins

Re: Turning knobs

Keith Tompkins

>Hi Jeremy, one way is to turn all four at once, separated by wide parting tool cuts. A tenon can be left on each knob, after they are cut apart, the tenon can be held in a chuck, or press-fit(glued also if you want) into a waste block attached to a faceplate.

That way, the face of the knob is fully available for turning. Use a cutting action, with a sharp spindle or detail gouge, from the rim to the center in a smooth curve, little sanding will be required.

Re: Turning knobs

#5

Re: Turning knobs

Bob Edwards

>I'd start with a templet to reproduce the same shape. Remember that the finished knobs will be seperated from each other so any minor differences won't be noticable. Mount a piece 1/2 or 3/8 scrap stock to the face plate or in your chuck. True the face and with the point of the skew find the center and make a small indent. Select a drill bit just smaller than the screw size you plan to use to mount the knob. With the lathe on drill a whole at center that will accept the screw. Remove the faceplate or disk from the chuck and insert the screw from the back side using a washer. It should make its own threads in the undersize hole. Glue it in place if you like. Drill a corresponding hole in the stock to be turned and screw on to the face plate screw. Bring up the tailstock and keep it in place until you must remove it to do the face or point of the knob.

I use this method to do multiple knobs and kitchen pulls. I keep this "jig" that fits in my scroll chuck to use later.

Have a Happy

Bob Edwards, San Antonio

Re: Turning knobs

#6

Re: Turning knobs

Tony - Memphis

>Hmm, that's a good idea, thanks. I just happened to make a knob this weekend to use as a fridge magnet. I turned a tenon on my stock, then inerted the tenon into a chuck and turned the knob. After it was done, sanded, and finished, I used a parting tool to part it off, the removed the leftover and drilled a hole for the magnet cup and epoxied it in. Its off center, but it doesn't matter.

Tony