| Project by MT_Stringer | posted 01-09-2014 06:19 AM | 65626 views | 24 times favorited | 21 comments |  |
 |
There I was working on my table saw sled. I needed some knobs, but had none…so the MacGyver in me said “make some”. I pulled out my jig hardware parts and started to figure out what all I would need and how to make the knobs.
They aren’t perfectly symmetrical, but they work just fine.
I used some 1/2 inch baltic birch that I had on hand. The only thing I had to buy was some 1/4×20 x 2 inch bolts.
I made a template using Photoshop Elements.
To end up with a compete knob, I had to sorta reverse engineer it. I started by using a 1 inch hole saw to cut out the spacers. I decided to do that first while the plywood was still in a complete piece. Then I used a Forstner bit to create a countersink for the bolt head. Then I drilled out the hand reliefs with a 1 spade bit. Next I cut out the holes with a 2 inch hole saw. Actually, this part of the operation went fairly quick.
I chucked each spacer and then each knob in the drill press using a 1/4 inch bolt that has the head cut off. Each piece got a good sanding.
Then it was just a matter of doing the assembly work. I discovered that my impact driver made it really easy to insert the “t” nuts by simply spinning the bolt to draw down the nut into the spacer.
All four fit perfectly. I am really happy with the outcome. All I need now is a can of professional black spray paint and this is a done deal! :-)
Hope you like.
Mike
-- Handcrafted by Mike Henderson - Channelview, Texas
21 comments so far
DaveGlx
home | projects | blog
365 posts in 3415 days
#1 posted 01-09-2014 09:45 AM
Very good idea. Well done.
-- Dave -
bd187
home | projects | blog
33 posts in 2835 days
#2 posted 01-09-2014 11:19 AM
Awesome.
-- Never bite the hand that feeds you, but always watch the hand that's cooking.
Roger
home | projects | blog
21047 posts in 3775 days
#3 posted 01-09-2014 01:28 PM
I like hand-made like these. Good ones
-- Roger from KY. Work/Play/Travel Safe. Keep your dust collector fed. [email protected]
Bluepine38
home | projects | blog
3388 posts in 4056 days
#4 posted 01-09-2014 02:56 PM
Quick and easy, and they provide a great grip that makes them easy to use. Thank you for sharing.
-- As ever, Gus-the 80 yr young apprentice carpenter
Bonifacio
home | projects | blog
3 posts in 2570 days
#5 posted 01-09-2014 07:02 PM
Nice job McGyver!
I’ll be needing some for a future project so I’ll try this out. Thanks
-- Bonifacio, New Mexico
Northwest29
home | projects | blog
1706 posts in 3461 days
#6 posted 01-09-2014 07:38 PM
Great job! Thanks for sharing the process – couldn’t have come at a better time for me as my current project needs a couple of knobs and it’s a table saw sled.
-- Ron, "Curiosity is a terrible thing to waste."
Randy_ATX
home | projects | blog
881 posts in 3413 days
#7 posted 01-09-2014 08:42 PM
Good timing – thanks for sharing.
-- Randy -- Austin, TX by way of Northwest (Woodville), OH
madts
home | projects | blog
1950 posts in 3311 days
#8 posted 01-09-2014 11:06 PM
Nicely done Chief.
-- Thor and Odin are still the greatest of Gods.
PASs
home | projects | blog
603 posts in 4069 days
#9 posted 01-10-2014 12:12 AM
FAVORITE!
-- Pete, "It isn't broken, you just aren't using it right."
Patrick's work shop
home | projects | blog
141 posts in 2579 days
#10 posted 01-10-2014 01:53 AM
Those are sweet. I think I will have to make some
-- Patrick's work shop
MT_Stringer
home | projects | blog
3183 posts in 4202 days
#11 posted 01-10-2014 03:04 AM
Thanks everyone for your comments. By all means, get to makin em.
-- Handcrafted by Mike Henderson - Channelview, Texas
Frank Smith
home | projects | blog
101 posts in 2879 days
#12 posted 01-10-2014 03:35 AM
Some of my best thinking happens when I reach a convolution that I will figure out how to do something with whatever I have on hand. I really like this kind of work.
Woodwrecker
home | projects | blog
4240 posts in 4547 days
#13 posted 01-10-2014 05:02 AM
Good job Mike !
thevees
home | projects | blog
83 posts in 2968 days
#14 posted 01-11-2014 01:29 AM
Great job.
-- Tony, Glendale, Az., http://www.WoodworkerTony.com
Dodis
home | projects | blog
15 posts in 2883 days
#15 posted 01-27-2014 06:51 PM
Hey, those look familiar! Not claiming ownership, but I did the same thing a while back. Didn’t post it here, in fact I don’t think I had found Lumberjocks when I posted them. Anyway, they work great, and the sizes can be adjusted as needed.
Link to my post at Router Forums.
Go to page 3 of the thread for more layouts…
From another Mikey...
-- Mike "Dodis', TxCity, Texas Gulf Coast
View all comments »
showing 1 through 15 of 21 comments
Have your say...