Shop-Made Arts & Crafts Knobs

Making these knobs won't save any money, but it's worthwhile nonetheless. Shop-made knobs will better match your project, because the wood comes from the project’s scrap, and you can customize their size to fit the scale of your piece. Plus, you'll be able to say, "I made this piece all by myself," without having to add, "Except for the knobs." Now that's satisfaction!

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Rout finger grooves along both sides of the blank. Make one heavy pass then a light clean-up pass to avoid tearout.

Click any image to view a larger version.

Rout the remaining grooves in the knobs. Take light passes and use a slow feed-rate to avoid tearout as the bit enters and exits the cavities between the knobs.

Trim down the base with a straight bit and a zero-clearance fence. A block of wood with a notch slightly smaller than the knob, guides the knob safely through the cut.

This story originally appeared in American Woodworker July 2008, issue #136.

July 2008, issue #136

Purchase this back issue.