radius cutting knob spigots

[Jacob]

Is there a quick easy way of cutting spigots accurately on furniture knobs and shaker pegs etc? I can do it by sizing with callipers and then adjusting but it seems to take several goes. There must be a gadget. 1/2" or 5/8"
I do a longish blank - rough out several knobs/pegs and spigots well over size - finish one and cut it off - repeat. Is there a better way to turn them if you have a lot to do?

 

[AndyT]

You can buy a turner's sizing tool to clamp onto a parting tool or similar

http://www.turnerstoolbox.com/product_results.asp?product_id=172

 

[Jacob]

Righto ta Andy. Looks good but does it actually work easily in a way which lets you mindlessly get things right every time?

 

[AndyT]

Righto ta Andy. Looks good but does it actually work easily in a way which lets you mindlessly get things right every time?

You'll need a proper turner to answer that - I've not used one.

A simpler approach is to use an open ended spanner as a nice rugged gauge while you turn.

Or you could make them oversize, cut them off, then size them with a hollow auger, but that sounds slow and fiddly.

 

[CHJ]

Set yourself up with a simple swinging feeler arm. pivoted on the upright at rear of lathe, up to you how you clamp it etc.
Slightly round the nose that comes into contact with spindle.

1. Make first correctly sized spindle.
2. Set swinging finger so that it just falls past turned spindle when dropped from above.
3. On next item, place finger on top rear of oversize spindle and remove material until finger drops.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

:lol: Be careful, Jacob. It's a jig. You're on a slippery slope!

 

[adidat]

phil we almost had him! you ruined it!

adidat

 

[Robbo3]

The common solution for quick spigots is to use an old spanner of the correct size & grind one of the jaws with a cutting edge.

 

[Jacob]

The common solution for quick spigots is to use an old spanner of the correct size & grind one of the jaws with a cutting edge.

Yes done that. Not unlike Andy's sizing tool linked to above.
I think the answer is between the two. Plus doing it consistently the same way until it becomes mindless. As it is the spigots seem to take longer than the knobs/pegs.
Spanners are cheaper. Spanner sharpening thread?

 

[YewTube]

How about
1. Cut and drill blank
2. Drill hole
3. Glue in dowel
4. Chuck blank using dowel
5. Turn knob.

Dowel always the right size and more knobs from your wood.

Bill

 

[Doofusme]

Perfect tenons by Cap'n Eddie Castelin·

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qATykxAuZ-E

 

[chipmunk]

It's not necessary to sharpen the spanner - it's just faster than setting of callipers each time.

I have a sizing tool on a bedan but never use it TBH because the presentation angle of the parting tool is dictated by the sizing arm and so riding the bevel for a good cut is compromised.

Hold the spanner or callipres (with rounded ends) in your left hand with arm over the top of the work facing towards you and running with slight pressure on the spigot from the back. Present the parting tool from the front held in your right hand (the parting tool obviously needs to be wider than the callipres or spanner - a 3/8" parting and beading tool is good for this job) and cut the spigot squarely until the spanner will just slip over - Job done. You can then lengthen the spigot and retest by running the spanner up and down the length.

Perfect spigots every time and no spanners harmed in the process and only one tool to keep sharp! (hammer)

It's also very fast because there's no need to stop the lathe and the spanner means no set-up time other than picking up the right one.

I have a set of very cheapy spanners just for the job. A 22mm spanner works just brilliantly for 22mm Yorkshire pipe fitting for ferrules like this...

HTH
Jon

 

[Jacob]

How about
1. Cut and drill blank
2. Drill hole
3. Glue in dowel
4. Chuck blank using dowel
5. Turn knob.

Dowel always the right size and more knobs from your wood.

Bill

Too many separate steps. I want to do runs of say 50 to 100 as fast as poss and with brain off!

 

[CHJ]

....Too many separate steps. I want to do runs of say 50 to 100 as fast as poss and with brain off!

If you are turning them in multiples on one spindle then you can set up the sizing fingers on a horizontal bar at rear of lathe.

The process can be used just like a scribing template with dozens of fingers if necessary, to the profile you want then just keep removing stock until they drop. A poor mans profile follower.
I does require the need to make them in the hundreds though to be worth the effort of making the template.

I use the thin spanner method using cheap calliper and use a narrow parting tool to make initial sizing cut grove on the spigot, I usually use the knob/peg shoulder area, if you go a fraction under size then you just take the rest down that little bit less and the shoulder undercut acts as debris/glue clearance.

 

[chipmunk]

I honestly think it depends upon the size and complexity/intricacy of the knobs though whether the finger profiles add much value to the process.

I find a plywood template and set of sizing gauges (used as the spanner gauges above) works pretty well for multiples of small items....

Here's a template for the drawer and cupboard knobs I made for our kitchen. FYI these are about 40mm diameter.

Note step with small nail in top left to mark rough blank length, diameter #1 is the roughed out size of the blank.

This blank gets refined via diameter #2 and length L1 before matching to profile and the L2.

I used M6 nut inserts and these are cross-grain but the techniques can be easily adjusted to end-grain work.

HTH
Jon

 

[Jacob]

Thanks for all the answers. I think we've cracked it! Enough options anyway.
I've ordered a sizing tool - I've never used one and thought I ought to give it a go.