# Routing Handles for cabinets



## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

A friend of mine has a CNC router for his business and he produces some very fine solid timber cabinets.
He was in the process of routing handles for one of his new designs. (Design enclosed) and I thought it would be a good exercise for all those router fans out ther to see if it was possible to tbe made with a plunge router. I certainly will be interested in trying to solve the problem as I simply love the challenge with the router. 
Get on your thinking caps and give it a go. Personally I think it is too small for consideration to be cut with the aid of the router table (I could be wrong of course) therefore it will have to be cut in the plunge mode.
Give it a try and we can report our failures or successes next week.Material size is 152mm x 42mm x 25mm (sorry for the metric sizes to all those who are still working with Imperial)

The drawing that I have submitted shows 6mm radius rounding over to all the top edges though the original design is a 12.5mm radius. Needless to say I will have a go at the larger radii once I purchase a new cutter. Subject to me coming up with a safe method of producing the item
Best of Luck 
Tom


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

template tom said:


> A friend of mine has a CNC router for his business and he produces some very fine solid timber cabinets.
> He was in the process of routing handles for one of his new designs. (Design enclosed) and I thought it would be a good exercise for all those router fans out ther to see if it was possible to tbe made with a plunge router. I certainly will be interested in trying to solve the problem as I simply love the challenge with the router.
> Get on your thinking caps and give it a go. Personally I think it is too small for consideration to be cut with the aid of the router table (I could be wrong of course) therefore it will have to be cut in the plunge mode.
> Give it a try and we can report our failures or successes next week.Material size is 152mm x 42mm x 25mm (sorry for the metric sizes to all those who are still working with Imperial)
> ...


Trying to post the final results


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

Did anyone have a go at the handles??
I've been away for a fortnight on holiday up to Cairns in far north Queensland Australia. Needed a break after my two days at our local wood show here in Perth, where I was demonstrating the use of the router. I have gone another step further and produced a smaller handle about 75mm long suitable for a small drawer. Part circular in shape. Come on get out and give it a go. I will produce some drawings when I get time to sit at the computer
Tom


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## Visteonguy (Aug 6, 2005)

*A method for producing the small handles*

Hi Tom,,,, The picture of your smaller handles look to me like they are a perfect arc,,, how about making the handles into a full circle, and then route the round over parts of the handles, and then make a fixture to hold the circular piece and then you can cut them off on your table saw,,, should finish up with what you got in your picture ???

I was thinking of making the whole piece into a circle so you got material to hold onto while you were doing the routing,, and that will take care of the chance of you rounding over the edge of the handles where you do not want it rounded over ,,, as in the 2 areas that will butt up againts the face of the draw.

I am not sure if thats what you were asking for ?


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

Visteonguy said:


> Hi Tom,,,, The picture of your smaller handles look to me like they are a perfect arc,,, how about making the handles into a full circle, and then route the round over parts of the handles, and then make a fixture to hold the circular piece and then you can cut them off on your table saw,,, should finish up with what you got in your picture ???
> 
> I was thinking of making the whole piece into a circle so you got material to hold onto while you were doing the routing,, and that will take care of the chance of you rounding over the edge of the handles where you do not want it rounded over ,,, as in the 2 areas that will butt up againts the face of the draw.
> 
> I am not sure if thats what you were asking for ?


Terry....Thanks for replying.

Yes they are a perfect arc......How is the material supported during the first cut?? the reverse side is exactly the same, so how would you rout that surface??
Remember they end up fairly small to put over a circular saw. When I presented the problem to a few of my friends they also suggested what you have just said but I had my doubts with regards to safety. Food for thought. I was going to set this uo so that my clients that are vision impaired could rout them. 
Tom


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## Visteonguy (Aug 6, 2005)

*handles*

Hi Tom,,,, if I am understanding these handles right ,,, after going back and reading your description of it,,, 75 mm long,,, or just shade under 3 inches long,,, so I am guessing, since it is not cut exactly in half,, that if it was made in a complete circle,, it would be some where in the neiborhood of about a 4 inch diameter circle ? And it looks like there is a flat piece of wood in the middle of the handle with the 2 edges rounded over ?

I wish I could just draw what I am thinking about here,,, it would save a ton of typing and probably convey my idea faster,,,,

Well here goes,, hope for the best,,,,

Assuming what I have said so far,, is right,, then if you made a fixture that would have a 4 inch hole in it,, like a clamp that you could drop in the set of handles that you have made into a circle,,,,,, and make the fixture to the same hight that the handles finish out to,,, so when you have the round blank clamped in your fixture,, make the fixture with a flat surface extending out maybe 3,4 or more inches so you have a good flat surface that would support your router with a round over bit and you could run the router around the inside of your handle blank,, to make the inside rounded over,,, and then take it out and flip it over and reclamp it and round over the other inside,,
Now maybe,, you could round over the outside on your router table,,,but you would have to be careful,,, or fabricate another fixture that you could clamp the round blank into so you will better control it instead of just holding onto the blank,,

To cut them off the blank,,, use a sled type of fixture that would utilze the slot in the table saw,,, and just make a nest on the sled so you can clamp the round blank on to and it will hang over the side of the sled and be cut off as the sled passes the blade. If you make that nest,, you can just put the part in the nest that you just cut off and since its back against the nest and clamped in,, simply push the sled past the blade again and you should have exactly the same size of part you made on the first cut and It should be held safetly in the nest with little chance of lopping off a finger,,,,

let me know if I got my message across and if not maybe I can draw up my idea quickly and take a digital picture of the fixtures I was thinking about and try and post it ,,, maybe it will show up ok,,,, 

anyway, let me know what ya think,, Tom..


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

Terry
You started off by producing a circcular piece first. Which is the way I produce wheels for toys. Then cutting on the circular saw may be ok as long as you have it held secure. Here is a starter the handle has to be attached to the drawer front therefore it will require two screws to secure it. That is where we first begin and I must say at this stage you must have some knowledge of the use of template guides to complete the shape. It is all completed with the router in the plunge mode.and no other tools whatsoever once the blank is produced to size.
I am still working on the drawings and once they are complete I will forward a copy if you send me an email I will email it to you
Tom


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

Not a great deal of interest in my postings Maybe you are thinking it cannot be done (Small handle) well yes it is possible.
Tom


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

I have enclosed a couple of pics of the jig to make the handles also showing one of the templates used I took the photographs yesterday at my session with the blind. Jim in the picture produced 12 of them during the day. Jim has a little vision not completely blind. and I was very pleased with his attempt at the project.
Tom


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Tom,

Great looking jig and projects! Always impressed with your postings!


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