Replies

1. 
   JohnWW | Jun 22, 2007 05:00pm | #1

   This is probably just a memory failure, but I can't picture seeing a square drawer pull on Shaker furniture, turned knobs were the standard.  I have a pretty good library of books, could you possibly give me a book reference or post a photo of the pull you have in mind?

   John White

1. 
   dlwoodworker | Jun 22, 2007 07:29pm | #2

   I know most of everything I have seen had round pulls. I have a piece from my grandmother that she said is original. It has square pulls. The wood looks like it matches the rest of the table but one is missing.This is close to what it looks like. I will take a picture of the actual pull later.Thanks.

   
2. 
   dlwoodworker | Jun 23, 2007 04:27am | #3

   Mr. White,After returning home and looking at the piece again. I don't think it is Shaker style but more craftsman. My grandmother just about called everything Shaker. I have attached of the pull I want to create for the missing one and also another project.I am working on a way but am stuck the part the is curved into the top of the pull. I am trying to make like a ramp to hold the knob at an angle and use a router table and bit.

   
1. 
   JohnWW | Jun 26, 2007 10:03pm | #4

   The pulls are definitely Arts and Crafts style.  Oddly enough, despite the A&C focus on handwork, these style knobs almost always were, and still are, made on industrial sized machines with special tooling.

   So my first suggestion would be to just buy new knobs, they are in numerous catalogs for just a few dollars each.

   If you want to make them in the shop, here are some thoughts on how to go about it:

   The coved area should be shaped while the knob is still part of a long square piece of stock.  If you are going to make several knobs, it would pay to make up several lengths of square stock so that you only have to go through the machine set up for each step once.

   From the photo, it does look like an angled in round nosed or cove bit would create the side profile on the knobs.  I would make a jig for creating the cut on a router table.  The jig would be a boxy unit that would slide along the fence while holding the square stick upright from side to side, but at an angle of something like 20 degrees to the table from front to back.  I would angle the front face of the jig forward so the outer edge of the stick is being cut as the jig slides along the table's fence. 

   Be sure to feed against the rotation of the bit.  The face of the jig would have a fence at 90 degrees to the table surface to butt the stock up against when it is clamped on.

   The pyramid end is easily made on a table saw using a miter gauge and the blade tipped over 10 degrees or so.  Use a sharp, clean, high quality blade for the cut so that the faces won't need more that a touch of sanding to clean them up.

   John White

    

    

1. 
   dlwoodworker | Jul 02, 2007 11:10pm | #5

   Mr. White,Been on vacation so am just seeing this.I know it would be easy to go buy pulls. Just like to build them.What you suggested is about what I came up with, too.I will send you a picture when I get them done.Thank you for your time!Doug