Handle pattern making

[MikeW]

Well, a grandiose title for a simple three images and brief text...

I needed to make a handle pattern for some saws being made tomorrow. So I thought I would briefly illustrate the process I use.

First, a digital picture or a scan of the subject. Note that while I scanned the right side of the handle due to a little damage on the left side. So this handle image has been "flipped." Why? Because I simply like them pointing this direction. The other side has the medallion for the back bolt.

Next, I simply draw around the outline, usually using CorelDraw or Illustrator, both vector-graphics drawing programs. I also draw where the original's chamfers and profile'd shape are on the handle, as well as bolts placement. Here I moved them slightly.

Then, simply print it out without the background original image.

This in turn is glued to a piece of thin plywood, cut out and the edges sanded for tracing on the handle stock.

In theory, this is how we turn out copies reasonably consistent from one job to the next when we run that handle pattern again.

Oh, the angled dashed-line is where the slot for the blade will be cut. On this handle this is a change. The original had the slot cut bahind the blade a bit and well into the beak--the circular portion rising to a point behind where the back is mortised into the handle. We try to fit the blade a bit tighter and so the back of the steel will be cut at this same angle.

Take care, Mike

 

[Paul Chapman]

Thanks, Mike, that's really helpful :wink:

Paul

 

[Evergreen]

Mike

They look great, both the original handle and your hi tech copying method.

Actually, I've just transferred a saw handle design myself. I sketched it free hand on graph paper and then transferred it using carbon paper onto a piece of cardboard from a cornflake packet to produce my template. As you can see, I'm a low-rent, 1950s kind of a bloke! Now I've got to make the darn thing!

Regards.

 

[Philly]

Thanks for sharing, Mike. A great tip!
What saw is that in the picture? I'm just copying a handle at the moment off my fave feeling dovetail saw and it looks remarkably like yours :shock:
Cheers
Philly

 

[MikeW]

Hi Philly,

It's a Patterson--not in Erv's book, so I have no info on him as a maker. Sheffield iirc from the stamp, though.

Handles are a neat thing to me. Designs went through the few main centers of handsaw making in Britain. Elements of handles by the various makers were freely borrowed by others, altered in some cases and used. And then there is the whole evolutionary design of handles.

Take care, Mike

 

[engineer one]

Mike

nice picture of one of your saws in october 2006 "this old house"

how do you manage to create something so "baaaaad" for so little
money???? :twisted: :twisted: :?

we can say we knew you when :lol: :roll:

paul :wink:

 

[MikeW]

Hi Paul,

Fact is the market prices are, have been, set by others. So rather than attempting to get people to come round to higher pricing the challenge is to make ourselves more efficient in order to be profitable at that pricing.

While I refuse to lessen what we do and how we do it, there are ways to make the saws more profitably. In part, volume. That is being worked on as I write. In part it is work flow itself. This is harder and more expensive to accomplish and to some degree is dependent on more volume.

Probably a slightly cryptic response. My feeling is I would rather greatly increase effeciency, hold and even improve the quality, and do it for less than current pricing.

Hah, the This Old House article. Nice man I worked with, Harry Sawyers at the publishers. It was an honor to me to have had our saws in the magazine. Same with Chris' blogs, PopWood and the Fine Tool Journal article. Each time I feel almost embarrassed, challenged to do better, proud--a whole host of feelings.

Take care, Mike

 

[engineer one]

i agree mike, but maybe the answer is to keep to the current pricing, and
make a bigger profit to ensure that you have the time and money to
develop newer models.

it is easy to make millions of widgets to make a profit, much harder
to make fewer items and profit from it.

the biggest problem is to avoid too much of the machine made look
and feel whilst increasing value and profitability. and in your case,
making so many different handles :lol: :twisted: :twisted:

one day you will have to standardise a little for certain models,
then have extras like handles for those prepared to pay the extra.

paul :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Mike for sharing that. I've never thought of using my computer to transfer profiles before. Its got me thinking.

So, I'm guessing you work out all your handle profiles this way ? ..... not just copies ..... Just draw your ideas up on the computer, printout etc.

Ta Mike.

 

[MikeW]

Hey Jake,

It's useful for molding profiles as well. I have taken a picture of a molding dead-on from an end before. Then made shaper cutters based on it, or used it to transfer layout lines for making by hand.

One job I needed to make some replica crown molding but wasn't allowed to take a small piece for a sample. Why? well, because it was plaster molding. Digital camera to the rescue. The profile came out close and then hand scraped to blend into the existing molding and then skim coated.

For the saws, if it will be made more than once, the paper printout is glued to a piece of thin plywood, cutout and sanded smooth, used and hung on the wall. If it is a one-off, the paper is used to trace the profile directly. If needed down the road, a new one is printed and probably glued to ply at that point.

Take care, Mike

 

[mahking51]

MikeW
Great post and very useful.
One point that escapes me, how do you arrive at 'actual size' for the printout from Illustrator or whatever?
Presumably the digital camera lens would not give a correct image size. Or am I being really dim?
Regards,
Martin
(salivating in anticipation!)

 

[engineer one]

don't know what mike does, but i would put a ruler next to the
piece rather like they do in one of those csi type programmes.
that way you have a direct reference.

otherwise you measure the old fashioned way,and then
can re-size within the programme to a specific size.

personally i use design cad for such things but i don't make such saws

paul :wink:

 

[MikeW]

You guys are too kind!

Martin, in general, my scanner produces 100% size, so it is not an issue. On the photographs which either I take or another takes, there are a couple points which can be considered.

One is the bolt heads. Proportionally resizing the picture so that the bolt head size is accurate gets one very close. Bolt head sizes are typically 7/16", 1/2" or 9/16" and can be inferred from the picture.

Another consideration is the distance between the horns, as well as the width of the hand hold just where the top horn joins.

From there, one wings it.

Paul, I have used TurboCad Professional for a couple handles, mainly so I can model them. Slow go, though, as I'm a little dense when it comes to cad programs. I have modeled large machines using engineer's ACad drawings for making brochures and other printed matter in a past occupation. But from scratch it is more difficlut for me.

Well, back to work. Take care, y'all.

Mike

 

[mahking51]

Mike
You do know that over here a yawl is a sailboat don'cha? :lol:
Have a nice day y'hear!
Martin

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the follow up photos Mike.

Hey Jake,

It's useful for molding profiles as well. I have taken a picture of a molding dead-on from an end before. Then made shaper cutters based on it, or used it to transfer layout lines for making by hand.

One job I needed to make some replica crown molding but wasn't allowed to take a small piece for a sample. Why? well, because it was plaster molding. Digital camera to the rescue. The profile came out close and then hand scraped to blend into the existing molding and then skim coated.
Take care, Mike

I must remember that method.... Can see how useful that must be.

concerning scale though......at the time you take the photo do you make a quick measurement of profiles width ? ..... so that when you get back to the computer, your program can ensure it prints out in the right scale ?.

excuse, I'm still pretty new with these programs.

 

[MikeW]

Hi Jake,

Yep, on something like the molding I'll measure the width and height. The programs I use allow proportional resizing or non-proportional. So if the picture can be taken nearly dead-on an edge, usually once the length is correct, the height is as well.

When I have to take a picture at an angle the measurements allow me to resize say the length to its proper scale, and then stretch the height to its proper size.

There is a little interpretation involved, but all in all its not hard. For instance, on the crown mentioned involved, I took the picture, sized, created the drawing of it, printed it and on a trip to the house for other work [fitting door locks iirc] I laid the printout against the end I need to match and ended up altering the drawing that night a tad.

On handles, sometimes I blow the sizing and discover it once I make the first printout, and on one after I made a plywood pattern. It didn't feel right. It only takes ten minutes or so to do, so its just a redo if caught before the first handle is cut out...

Take care, Mike

 

[engineer one]

jake what kind of programme are you using, we might be
able to offer advice.
:lol:
paul :wink:

 

[bugbear]

First, a digital picture or a scan of the subject.

Extreme accuracy is probably not required, but just to be pedantic...

Do you take any precaution to avoid perspective and/or lens distortions?

Modern software can correct both.

The easiest way is to photograph a simple grid, and then remove the grid, insert your item, and photograph it.

Use the software controls to correct the grid, and SAVE THE SETTINGS.

Then use the saved settings on your photo.

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

One job I needed to make some replica crown molding but wasn't allowed to take a small piece for a sample. Why? well, because it was plaster molding. Digital camera to the rescue. The profile came out close and then hand scraped to blend into the existing molding and then skim coated.

John Lloyd

http://www.johnlloydfinefurniture.co.uk ... p?offset=5

in his feature on scratch stocks mentions the use of thermo plastic dental moulding compound.

BugBear

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Mike. I must learn this skill. Still amazes me how close you can get it after its been through all those washing machine.

I mean to say, I think ultimately, the most accurate copy is a direct transfer eh. like scribing off an offcut onto your final piece.

For me, it stands to reason that the more measuring and transfering that goes on in between the greater the chance for error......

and to me, there seems little room for error with profiles.....

yet !..... with a camera, measuring, editing on the computer.....then printing out ! ....you manage to end up with a good paper copy ! very impressive.

jake what kind of programme are you using, we might be
able to offer advice.
:lol:
paul :wink:

Thanks Paul........called 'Ulead Photo Express'...... I haven't really had a good look at it yet. ..... I'll have to do some experiments to relate the width/height figures on the screen with whats actually is printed out.

At present, I just use it for uploading pictures from my camera and saving to disk. I then use just the regular paint program that comes with windows 98 to draw lines and text on the pictures.....

But I'll get there. I've never been asked to match existing moulding before, but I'd like to ready when the day comes. :lol: ...

Can see these printouts to be useful for carving as well ! .Thanks Mike.