I am going to turn a few 2″ knobs for my espresso machine to replace the plastic ones. I need some ideas for a jig to hold the turned knob so I can route the finger impressions. I sure don’t want my fingers 2″ from my router bit. I’ve never used my router for anything like this before.
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I am assuming you plan to do this on a router table and not free hand... . If you don't mind modifying a handscrew you could drill or file a profle to match the contour of the knobs and use that to help control the stock as you feed it along the fence and into the bit -- that'll keep your fingers a healthy distance from the bit. I'd rather mangle a cheap handscrew than my hands any day.
Since you are already turning things, you could turn a block of wood with a recess to match the knob profile. You could then use this as the basis for whatever jig you want. The only issue would be how to hold the knob in the jig: double sided tape or small headless brads could do the trick.
Umberto Eco, The Island of the Day Before
hello. while the knobs are in the lathe you could make a bridge to run the router off, and with a coving bit fitted do the job safely. After each pass just rotate the knob to bring the next flute position to the 12o/c position. Possibly if you research fluted columns you may see what I mean.
regards and all the best for the new year Teabag
P.S. the lathe needs to be turned off !!!!!!!!!
I found the old article about fluted columns. BINGO A dwarf version would not be to time consuming to make and I could cut the flutes before I turn thus allowing the two knobs to be identical. I don't have an indexing plate but I could simply clamp down the outboard plate. I think this approach is much safer both for me and the little knobs than trying to stabilize them as I move them towards a 3/4 inch bit at 22000rpm in the router table. I will be making the knobs from a small kingwood log I have been dragging around the country since I lived in LA in 1956. Thanks to all who jump started my mind.
glad we were of help and pleased to see that i'm not the only one to pay removal companies to move favorite bits of wood around. (not as far back as you)
regards Teabag.
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