# Making Jig Knobs...



## dask (Dec 24, 2011)

Took apart a fan that wasnt working and kept some of the parts...
The screw like plastic knob on the left side was part of it, so I used it as a template to mark
and cut some DIY jig knobs. I then cut out some round dowels from a piece of wood with a hole saw and 1/4 bit installed...sanded them both... I then ran 1/4-20 rod thru both of the pieces of wood to keep them stable then glued them together.
To some of the seasoned veterans this might be corny but for someone starting out in woodworking, hopefully this helps or gives you some ideas!

Next step...finish the rest of them since this was the prototype and cover them with polyurethane...on this process if anyone has a suggestion I would appreciate it.

After making this one I doubt if I will ever buy another knob again :yes4:

Dask

Edit: The cutouts on the edge were done with a fostner bit and so was the hole in the middle of the knob.
If someone wants detailed pics I can take them and post them also.


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## GRLevel3 (Apr 4, 2012)

dask,

I for one would like all the info you have on this as I will add it to my list of how to do,

It was like 4 weeks ago I need to get some of these knobs or make some I did not find anything that I could use to get my brain around or to understand what was going on at that time, any help would be great,

GRLevel3 or Poppa Rob


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi dask

Plastic dip-it works well you can also get in the spray can..

Amazon.com: Plastic Dip Intl. 18201 Red Plasti-Dip: Home Improvement

Plasti-Dip Multi-Purpose Rubber Coating | A.M. Leonard, Inc.

plasti dip spray black - BuyCheapr.com

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dask said:


> Took apart a fan that wasnt working and kept some of the parts...
> The screw like plastic knob on the left side was part of it, so I used it as a template to mark
> and cut some DIY jig knobs. I then cut out some round dowels from a piece of wood with a hole saw and 1/4 bit installed...sanded them both... I then ran 1/4-20 rod thru both of the pieces of wood to keep them stable then glued them together.
> To some of the seasoned veterans this might be corny but for someone starting out in woodworking, hopefully this helps or gives you some ideas!
> ...


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## dask (Dec 24, 2011)

GRLevel3 said:


> dask,
> 
> I for one would like all the info you have on this as I will add it to my list of how to do,
> 
> ...


Rob...I will go take the pics and post them in details...if not tonight, I will have them up by tomorrow.

Dask


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## dask (Dec 24, 2011)

Rob,
I didnt set up all the Fostner drill on the drill press and Im hoping my descriptions will be good enough...if not ask for better details.
*
First, I trace the knob template unto a piece of wood...*









*
I then draw 3 lines from each of the 6 points that you see on the knob to find the center point.*









*
I then use a 1/2 fostner bit to cut out where the 1/4-20 nut will fit into. *










*The next step is to use a hole saw to cut out knob. By keeping your piece secured to the drill press you are guaranteed that the hole for the nut and the outer cut will line up perfectly.*










*I then attach a fostner bit that will have the same radius as the knob, I secure the knob and drill out each section. This part takes some time since each time you have to release how you secure the nut to the drill press so you can rotate and align for the next cut...I use hold down clamps.*









*

From smaller stock cut out part that will attach to the opposite side.*










*I used a drum sander on my drill press to sand the knobs before I glued them...also, to make sure the holes line up. run a 1/4 bolt thru the knob and the round piece to make sure they are aligned properly when glued.
If these details are not enough, I can take pics of the entire process tomorrow in better detail.*


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## RCclee (Mar 31, 2012)

Very nice job.


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

another thing i do is to embed the t-nut in the middle like this. for 1/4-20 bolts, the t-nut and dowel are 3/4" and the holes in the wood are 5/16". it is glued together with some 3M wood/metal glue


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## stanzee (Dec 9, 2010)

A thought I had. A person might consider using larger size blanks. The already used cross lines could be used to establish lines dividing the segments in half and extending past the outline of the knob. A distance could be set on those lines for the center point of the bit and then drilled. (I think that would be easier than just drilling out that small segment). Lastly the hole saw could be used to size the knob and the material that remains in the hole saw will also be easier to remove. Just I thought I had while reading your process. I don't need any knobs at this time so I have no need to try out my idea.


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

this template could be used with a 1 foot piece of 1x6 to make 30 or so knobs. they are all 1 1/2" circles for a drill press hole saw. you get 2 types of knobs ... 6 points and 3 sided ones. just stick it to the wood with a glue stick or something and have at it


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Chris

Have you tried your template out ?

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Chris Curl said:


> this template could be used with a 1 foot piece of 1x6 to make 30 or so knobs


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## GRLevel3 (Apr 4, 2012)

Dask,

Thanks for the info and the pictures and taking the time to do this, nice of you to offer this for all,

Just looking at everything i think one can do this easy and with some practice one could make a lot in just a day that could last for a while, lol

Just what size do most people use for the knob its self, 2" or larger, the hole saw that is,

I am going back outside to cleanup more storm damage and yard work and flower bed and garden planting and will this chit ever stop, lol

Surely its 5 o'clock someplace and I don't mean for tea either, lol

Poppa Rob


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Chris
> 
> Have you tried your template out ?
> 
> ==


hi bob

no, i have not run out of knobs yet, so i haven't needed to make more.

but more often then not, if i have a little scrap the right size, i end up making another knob with it.

i have gotten more into the longer thinner style because i find i can get a better grip on it and more torque.


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## dask (Dec 24, 2011)

GRLevel3 said:


> Dask,
> 
> Thanks for the info and the pictures and taking the time to do this, nice of you to offer this for all,
> 
> ...


Rob, I'm not sure of the size, but you could make the knob to fit what size hole saw you have or just do a search on Google and see what sizes are out there...I will measure tomorrow and post the size and i can even take a pic of the plastic knob and you could print and trace it on wood.


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

GRLevel3 said:


> ...
> Just what size do most people use for the knob its self, 2" or larger, the hole saw that is,
> ...


mine are for 1/4-20 bolts, and they use a 3/4" dowel that buts up against the t-nut, and a 5/16" hole throughout.

i have found that round 1 1/2" knobs are too hard to get a good grip on, and 2" knobs are much better. so long as they are not plain circles, smaller than 2" would probably be fine.


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## steveo (Sep 10, 2004)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Chris
> 
> Have you tried your template out ?
> 
> ==


Me thinks it would take four cuts to make one acceptable "knob" ! ! 
(and a lot of sawdust left over ! ! LOL)
:yes4:


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## GRLevel3 (Apr 4, 2012)

Dask and all,

The size of the bolt is not that important to me, I'll be using 14-20 and 5/16, the size of the knob is as I have arthritis, who doesn't, bad from all the wire twisting I did as an electrician, so the larger size will be my choice, 

I have a few Pressure treated scrap 2x6 and 2x12 left over from stair/deck material that I can play with once I decide what and how to get what I want, the layover layout that Chris Curl showed is what I think I want to use, it seems to have the less steps and waste of material to me, 

once I get that done then I think I'll play with using different size and kinds of wood to make them more colorful and personal, lol 

Thanks again to all for the info and help and pictures as they help me personally alot with my memory and lack of brain power at times, lol

GRLevel3 R Poppa Rob


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

GRLevel3 said:


> ...
> I have a few Pressure treated scrap 2x6 and 2x12 left over from stair/deck material that I can play with once I decide what and how to get what I want, the layover layout that Chris Curl showed is what I think I want to use, it seems to have the less steps and waste of material to me,
> ...


i can re-do it for different sized knobs if you would like. let me know what size you are looking for and i can either send you a file or drop a letter in the mail with the template printed out.

i generated it in google sketchup, and if you are not familiar with sketchuo, it would be a lot of trouble have to install and learn just to print it out.


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## GRLevel3 (Apr 4, 2012)

Chris,

Thanks I will do that for sure, thanks, once I decide on the size, 

I saw that google thing and I did download it, but have not installed it as of yet, is it like CAD, I might need to talk with you on the G or get some pointers on it once I do install it, I need to get something to use on my plans or ideals and to be able to save as I go along and make changes to with out having to use my large eraser, lol and more paper than I should , lol

Thanks again, Poppa


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

http://www.routerforums.com/jigs-fixtures/33796-knobs-bobj3.html
Router Forums - View Single Post - Jig Storage & Shop made Knobs

The 2nd picture are some that are free. pop bottle caps..with a tee nut placed inside you have a knob for about .05 cents..
With just a little bit of fiberglass resin you have a almost free knob.

Fibre Glass-Evercoat 500 Fiberglass Resin, Pint

Amazon.com: 9 Pack - NOS High Performance Energy Drink - Grape - 22oz. Bottle: Health & Personal Care

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## dask (Dec 24, 2011)

GRLevel3 said:


> Dask and all,
> 
> The size of the bolt is not that important to me, I'll be using 14-20 and 5/16, the size of the knob is as I have arthritis, who doesn't, bad from all the wire twisting I did as an electrician, so the larger size will be my choice,
> 
> ...


Rob...an electrician you say:dance3:

Can you take a look at this and see if you have any ideas before I start just hooking up wires at random to see which ones will work...
Thanks

GE motor-disc sander


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## GRLevel3 (Apr 4, 2012)

Just saw this and will post at the other site or page


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## dask (Dec 24, 2011)

4 of them completed...the size is 2 1/4" wide...


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

looks good! one question though ... those don't look like t-nuts ... what are they?


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## dask (Dec 24, 2011)

Chris Curl said:


> looks good! one question though ... those don't look like t-nuts ... what are they?


I use hex nuts instead and just epoxy them in...much cheaper than t-nuts and I think easier to work with in this application.


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

dask, regarding the process ... you can probably make a little jig that has a bolt the size of the hole you have in the center of the knob. then you can secure that to the drill press such that you can simply turn the knob 1/6 and secure it down for the next cut on the side of the knob.

just a thought.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

I will say I have tried nuts and they didn't hold well for me, square nuts are OK in hardwood sometimes..nothing can get you up tighter than a knob that just spins free.. 

==


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## dask (Dec 24, 2011)

The 2 mix epoxy seems to hold pretty well...guess I will try them and see how well they hold up. I applied the epoxy to the walls of the nut hole pretty good but time will tell if they will hold.


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

Just for future reference, you can get 100 T-Nuts for about $12 on ebay. That works out to just 12 cents per nut. I did it and have already used probably 30 of them.

I will never again buy them 2 at a time at Home Depot.


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## GRLevel3 (Apr 4, 2012)

Found this, there is one close to me so I'll be checking it out when I make a trip to the big city, lol

Search t-nuts - Grainger Industrial Supply

Poppa Rob


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

tee nuts | eBay


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## dask (Dec 24, 2011)

wow...some great prices on the T nuts...I've bought a few from ace and home depot and they tend to be so expensive...but at these prices one can go crazy! I dont know how i missed these, i think ive only searched on amazon before. I also like the ones with the holes on the flange for screw applications.
Thanks for the links gentlemen.


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## dask (Dec 24, 2011)

Chris Curl said:


> another thing i do is to embed the t-nut in the middle like this. for 1/4-20 bolts, the t-nut and dowel are 3/4" and the holes in the wood are 5/16". it is glued together with some 3M wood/metal glue


Chris...I'm gonna have to try this method with the t-nuts...it will add extra drilling steps since my hole saws all have 1/4 drill bits on them which is perfect for the 1/4 bolts/rods but too narrow for the t-bolt stem. Not a deal braker, so i will try to insert a bigger drill into the hole saw...or I might try the t-nut on top of the knob and try to use the t-nuts with the holes on the flange...since all pressure is directed downwards there's not a chance it will be forced upwards and off the knob.


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## dask (Dec 24, 2011)

bobj3 said:


> Hi dask
> 
> Plastic dip-it works well you can also get in the spray can..
> 
> ...


Bob, talk about coincidence...the same day you posted this I had bought a can of black at home depot. Thanks for the info.


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## giltic (Sep 27, 2010)

My knobs. Just a quick work after lunch...


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

giltic said:


> My knobs. Just a quick work after lunch...


correct me if i'm wrong here, but do you have hundreds of tee-nuts in your workbench? cool idea ... i put a bunch of 5/8" holes spaced at 4" intervals in mine for feed through clamps, but the dang clamps are more expensive than i like. i think my next top will have tee-nuts all over like yours


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

dask said:


> Chris...I'm gonna have to try this method with the t-nuts...it will add extra drilling steps since my hole saws all have 1/4 drill bits on them which is perfect for the 1/4 bolts/rods but too narrow for the t-bolt stem. Not a deal braker, so i will try to insert a bigger drill into the hole saw...or I might try the t-nut on top of the knob and try to use the t-nuts with the holes on the flange...since all pressure is directed downwards there's not a chance it will be forced upwards and off the knob.


the hole for the tee-nut sleeve is 5/16". that is also good for the 1/4-20 bolts because it gives me a little space to get the bolt into the hole and started on the nut.

the hole for embedding the tee-nut in the handle is 3/4". i use a 3/4" dowel and glue it all together with either wood glue or construction or wood/metal glue, whatever is closest at hand.

i snip the spikes off the tee-nut because they will split the dowel or handle if i don't. i just use dikes to snip them and don't worry about getting it perfectly flush. that leaves a little spike to catch and keep it from slipping, but it is short enough that it doesn't split the dowel.

even if i have the tee-nut exposed on one end, i glue it in place because it doesn't take much pressure to push it out.


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## giltic (Sep 27, 2010)

```
Posted by Chris Curl:
correct me if i'm wrong here, but do you have hundreds of tee-nuts in your workbench? cool idea ... i put a bunch of 5/8" holes spaced at 4" intervals in mine for feed through clamps, but the dang clamps are more expensive than i like. i think my next top will have tee-nuts all over like yours
```
Well, not hundreds but it took me some time to drill all those holes. They are not tee-nuts but nuts with outside screws to screw them in wood and inner M6 screws - the same thing as I have in my knobs.
The table was just a quick job. Because it woorks so great I'll do it properly from 25mm plywood in the foture.
Regards


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## Admin (Feb 13, 2012)

Just made my first batch of 6 knobs, brilliant idea, was so simple to do en mass.I opted for hex head 6mm bolts epoxied into the knob. No problems, will make construction of many diy machines and jigs / templates so easy


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

giltic said:


> Well, not hundreds but it took me some time to drill all those holes. They are not tee-nuts but nuts with outside screws to screw them in wood and inner M6 screws - the same thing as I have in my knobs.
> The table was just a quick job. Because it woorks so great I'll do it properly from 25mm plywood in the foture.
> Regards


Do you mean like these?


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