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I have tried making wooden knobs both by turning them on the lathe as well as using a plug cutter and I am not super happy with either. both methods have worked to some degree (the plug cutter is certainly the easiest of the two) but getting a nice finished surface on them has proven difficult. what methods are you guys using?

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~shad peters

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petersinstruments/
http://petersinstruments.blogspot.com/
http://petersinstruments.com/

I use my lathe. Yes, it's fussy, but you can turn a "dowel" and then cross cut it into as many knob blanks as you need. I only used one knob on my archtop. After turning a knob blank out of walnut, I cut the blank at desired height, put it in a small vise and then used a thin dovetail saw to saw a kerf about 1/3 of the way from perimeter to center. Then glued in a piece of maple veneer. Then sanded the whole thing smooth and chamfered the top edge. The maple strip gives me a nice, subtle indicator line on the top and side of the knob. Tru Oil finish on the knob. I did all this just because I could, and because I'd made everything else that wasn't metal on the guitar (and some of the metal work, too). But it would probably be more expedient to just buy a wooden knob.

Patrick

Might depend on the wood you are using for your knobs.... all I've ever used is ebony for knobs, and it machines easily, and sands smooth.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

the only knobs I have ever turned were from walnut burl which might have been a big cause of my issues, plus I dont have the greatest turning chisels. Needless to say I go a good deal of tear-out. I have used the plug cutter for cocobolo which works great, but trying to then get a nice finished surface with something so small and hard to hold becomes problematic.

_________________
~shad peters

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petersinstruments/
http://petersinstruments.blogspot.com/
http://petersinstruments.com/

I like them smaller than storebought, so I've made a number by sawing a reasonable circle, counter bore relief to the underside & drilling/installing a blind 3/16" shaft (T'rod material) in the center. Mount in a drillpress & using a dremel on the spinning knob, rough carve. Smooth with files/sandpaper.

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Dave
Milton, ON

Yo, Dave, I'm glad you described that. Perfect for one knob, and I can see how, with a fairly simple holding fixture for your Dremel, you could sand a short run of them virtually identically. Thanks.
Patrick

that could actually be a pretty good method for cleaning up the ones I cut with the plug cutter. I might have to give that a try.

_________________
~shad peters

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petersinstruments/
http://petersinstruments.blogspot.com/
http://petersinstruments.com/

Wow Filippo, that's awesome!!!

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John Thiessen
http://www.iszacguitars.com

Very cool! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks filippo! I remember seeing that in the thread for your first electric build. I have used that method of centering and drilling for the shaft several times since then and it works great! it has saved me a lot time for sure.

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~shad peters

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petersinstruments/
http://petersinstruments.blogspot.com/
http://petersinstruments.com/

Filippo, you illustrated it so much better than I described it, but, yes, that's essentially what I was trying to explain. Except you are using much nicer wood...and shooting better photos than I ever do. I'll offer this option to everyone reading: Doing the cutoffs as Filippo demonstrates--but on a bandsaw with a fine toothed blade--saves a little waste of you're getting out a bunch of them. But of course you'll need to do a little more sanding to smooth the cross cut, so maybe it's a trade off. I also like your shell dot inlays very much, Filippo.

These are very elegant knobs. Very nicely done!

Patrick

Filippo is an awesome possum.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Filippo!