Official Luthiers Forum!

I've been out of the loop for quite a while... I thought when I return I'd better bring something to share.... So...
Yeah, I've been building a Tele style electric. I made knobs today...

I started with 1' cubes cut from the off-cuts from the body (Cypress and Leopard Wood) Then drilled 1/2' holes most of the way though them and epoxied dowels into the holes...



After hogging away the corners a little on a belt sander, I chucked them in the drill press and sanded them while they spun...



80 grit made them nice and round... then 180 grit...



I cut them off... drilled and countersunk them... and applied some teak oil. (The just finished body hasn't been sanded yet)


I think the 1/2' dowels reinforce the knobs nicely because much of it stays in the knob after they're drilled for the pot shafts.
Its a pretty basic way to do this... and real quick and easy.

Alright, does anyone else want to share their knobs... and how you make 'em

long

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"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” -Heraclitus of Ephesus

Nice tute, Bob...I'll be making some to more personalize my past efforts.

Thanks for posting!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Welcome back Bob my friend. This is a great toot on knob making!

Very nice, Bob! I've made a couple sets in the past on the lathe.

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger

Hey, Bob, that's pretty neat. Would you show (or describe) what kind of fixture you used to hold the knobs while you were drilling them for the shafts? Thanks.
Patrick

Thats a great way to make knobs, dunno why I didn't think of that when I was putting together mine. I could;d have used the drillpress at school, I don't have one

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Connor Cook,
N.S.W Australia

Another option - that does not require a drill press, but rather a drill gun...

1. cut your rough blanks..
2. drill the appropriate sized whole approximately on center (the closer the better)
3. Drill and tap the set screw whole
4. Using a short set screw, engage the knob to the end of a shaft, or even the drill bit used to drill the whole (where the set screw would perpendicularly engage the flute)
5. Mount it in a hand drill gun, or anything that spins
6. Spin it against a shure-form tool first, and then clean up with sand paper...

Works great..
Stephen

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www.ziegenfussguitars.com

I've done several using the drillpress, mainly because storebought seem 'way too oversized for my tastes. I countersink, then drill the rough "puck" FIRST, insert 3/16" rod ( trussrod offcut) and then shape on DP.

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Dave
Milton, ON