Replies

1. 
   joinerswork | Jun 09, 2010 06:41pm | #1

   Don,

   While I have no doubt that Rob's method works perfectly well, I offer mine as an alternative.

   Grab your calipers and measure the round top of the escutcheon across its diameter.  Using your favorite drill (I use a brace and bit) drill a hole of the proper diameter only as deep as the thickness of the escutcheon, or just a cat-hair less, into the drawer front.  Place this hole according to the selvage, or set-back, of the lock you will be inletting (yes, I do this before inletting the lock).  Set the escutcheon in place over the hole, and scribe its remaining outline onto the drawer front.  Using another (usually smaller) bit, drill a hole to relieve the bulk of the waste from the bottom part of the keyhole, again to a depth just sufficient.  Using a small 3/8" or so chisel, pare the flared sides of the opening- between the holes- back to the scribed lines, and maybe a shallow gouge to pare the bottom of the recess to conform to the shape of the bottom of the escutcheon.  Depending on the maker, you may or may not have to do this, some are quite rounded on the bottom as well as the tops.  Drive the escutcheon into the recess, with a little glue to take up any slack.

   If the escutcheon is not drilled thru the top and bottom for a small brad, I drill them (beforehand) myself.  After driving them into place, I drive  small brads or escutcheon pins at an angle thru the escutcheon into the drawer front.  A little light scraping or sanding with a block levels the brass with the surface of the front.

   Then I drill the keyhole thru the drawer front to locate the lock pin's recess, and another hole at the bottom of the escutcheon's opening.  Using a keyhole saw or chisel, I open up the keyhole, and inlet the lock.

   This method lays the escutcheon in a rabbet or backs it up with a ledge, which makes it a more secure installation in my opinion.

   Ray

2. 
   DonStephan | Oct 05, 2010 08:57pm | #2

   Finally able to make some tests, and the responses were very helpful.  I like the idea of tapering the thickness for half the width ofthe escutcheon, to create a friction fit.  Wondering how much easier it might be to shape the top and bottom of the opening with a gouge sharpened on the inside.

   I was having great trouble holding the escutcheon in place to knife the outside perimeter, so I tried a small through hole and trapping in place with an 8-32 screw and nut, with washers.  Works extremely well, and doesn't add much time.

   Thanks for the guidance!

1. 
   DonStephan | Oct 07, 2010 08:10pm | #3

   Don't want anyone else to waste as much time as I did trying to find the ideal gouge.  Look for a "spoon back bent gouge" in the proper sweeps for the top and bottom curves.  Essentially they can be plunged straight down into the wood whereas a gouge, with the bevel on the bottom, has to be used at a steep angle to make a cut perpendicular to the surface.