T-shaped knob

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187
Location
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
This is taken from the Highland Hardware web site on a page about their replacement totes and knobs:
Our rosewood front knob is pretty much the standard turned shape. A sculpted T-shaped handle would better match the shape of your hand, but it would be difficult to mass produce economically in wood, so we’ve settled for a nicely shaped version of the ordinary round knob. Our rear handle is modeled on a couple of our favorites here at the store, handles which we’ve modified through trial and error until they fit the way we want them to.

I have never heard nor seen a t-shaped handle and am curious what it would/should look like. I have just acquired a Stanley Bailey #5 jack plane in very rough shape and also another that is a 14" long Millers Falls in poor shape. I don't have the money to spend $30.00 on a $7.00 plane to get new knob and tote so I thought I might make my own but am interested in this t-shape. Anybody know of it?
 
Interesting.

I haven't seen one.:huh:

Do you need rosewood, or the newer hardwood [oak] tote and knob?
 
Never seen or heard of such, but it would be fairly easy to make. 2 dowels, drill through the upright with a forstner bit the same diameter to make the seat for the cross dowel. Drill your bolt hole and tighten them down. Give us pics if you try it. If it doesn't work, you wouldn't be out much!
 
Hi Steve,

If and when I can get these two planes in working order and tuned they are users, I don't think I would have any reason to put them on a shelf and look at them.

I went to a local lumber yard and took two approx 12" x 12" 4/4 pieces of mahogany out of their dumpster and intended to use them to make the parts, if that was your question.
 
Ok.

If you were still looking for replacements, I was thinking I could dig around and see what I have.

But making a T knob sounds like a challenging, fun project to do. :thumb:

Just wondering whether your old ones were rosewood or not.
 
Never seen or heard of such, but it would be fairly easy to make. 2 dowels, drill through the upright with a forstner bit the same diameter to make the seat for the cross dowel. Drill your bolt hole and tighten them down. Give us pics if you try it. If it doesn't work, you wouldn't be out much!

Ed, I get the feeling that in the "Quote", the Operative word was "Sculptured", so you could cut out a sculptured "T" profile with a jigsaw or bandsaw and then file and sand it to the desired sculptured shape, OR ...... as an alternate method for the "TURNERS", they might try turning a knob that would look like a Sculptured "T" in the profile view, then slice off some from each side, leaving a "T" from the center part of the turning, and then file and sand it to round over all the edges for the proper Sculptured look.

I know, I know:rolleyes: ........my mind was just running WILD again.:eek: :D :D Maybe someone will try it though and see what happens.:dunno:
 
Ed, I get the feeling that in the "Quote", the Operative word was "Sculptured", so you could cut out a sculptured "T" profile with a jigsaw or bandsaw and then file and sand it to the desired sculptured shape, OR ...... as an alternate method for the "TURNERS", they might try turning a knob that would look like a Sculptured "T" in the profile view, then slice off some from each side, leaving a "T" from the center part of the turning, and then file and sand it to round over all the edges for the proper Sculptured look.

I know, I know:rolleyes: ........my mind was just running WILD again.:eek: :D :D Maybe someone will try it though and see what happens.:dunno:

That would work too!
 
Geez guys,

Cmon, I wrote this hopin someone would give some idea of what it would look like. I have little skill but can't even envision how it would look to try a sketch or a prototype.

Steve,

I don't know what the current ones are. How can I tell rosewood. I know oak, I think, but with all the flaking finish and grime I am having a hard time figuring out what they are. Would taking them off and looking at the bottom be a clue?
 
Yes. Sand the bottom a tad.

Old rosewood is generally very dark wood.
Some of them, the grain structure is similiar to Mahogany.

Ed has a good idea I believe on making a T shape.

I'm having a hard time envisioning how a good T shaped handle would look like also.
 
Yes. Sand the bottom a tad.

Old rosewood is generally very dark wood.
Some of them, the grain structure is similiar to Mahogany.

Ed has a good idea I believe on making a T shape.

I'm having a hard time envisioning how a good T shaped handle would look like also.

Steve, the "T" would probably have to be set at about a 45* angle to the plane for the hand to fit naturally. It actually might work well, kinda like some of the "T" type front grips on some of the circular saws.

Oh, yeah, Steve, since I'm not up too well on handplane models, and YOU ARE,:D I have a question for you. I'm reworking 4 old planes right now, and among them are a Bedrock 606 and A Bailey #7. I was just curious as to what the difference is between the 606 and the 608C you just sold. Is it mainly a difference in length? Mine is approx 18" long.
 
Steve, the "T" would probably have to be set at about a 45* angle to the plane for the hand to fit naturally. It actually might work well, kinda like some of the "T" type front grips on some of the circular saws.

Oh, yeah, Steve, since I'm not up too well on handplane models, and YOU ARE,:D I have a question for you. I'm reworking 4 old planes right now, and among them are a Bedrock 606 and A Bailey #7. I was just curious as to what the difference is between the 606 and the 608C you just sold. Is it mainly a difference in length? Mine is approx 18" long.

Yes. Length. 608's are 24" long:eek:
C is corrugated bottom.
 
Bart sent me a PM suggesting I could help somehow by making a drawing in SU. Would it be helpful? Can someone tell me what they want drawn specifically?
 
Hi Dave,

Yes it would be great if you could draw a Sketchup of the item described in my first posting on this thread. Also, if you read Ed Nelson's idea:

Never seen or heard of such, but it would be fairly easy to make. 2 dowels, drill through the upright with a forstner bit the same diameter to make the seat for the cross dowel. Drill your bolt hole and tighten them down. Give us pics if you try it. If it doesn't work, you wouldn't be out much!

and then read Norman Hitt's:
Ed, I get the feeling that in the "Quote", the Operative word was "Sculptured", so you could cut out a sculptured "T" profile with a jigsaw or bandsaw and then file and sand it to the desired sculptured shape, OR ...... as an alternate method for the "TURNERS", they might try turning a knob that would look like a Sculptured "T" in the profile view, then slice off some from each side, leaving a "T" from the center part of the turning, and then file and sand it to round over all the edges for the proper Sculptured look.

I know, I know ........my mind was just running WILD again. Maybe someone will try it though and see what happens.

And lastly Norman's comment:
Steve, the "T" would probably have to be set at about a 45* angle to the plane for the hand to fit naturally. It actually might work well, kinda like some of the "T" type front grips on some of the circular saws.

This last part is as close as I can come to envisioning what the article meant about a T-shaped handled, something similar to the front grip in a circular saw. But that seems a little too large to fit in place of the knob or too small to satisfy my hand grip.
 
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How this grab ya?

T_tote.jpg
 
How this grab ya?

T_tote.jpg

I don't know if your sketch is meant to replace the tote OR the front knob. I envisioned the "T" replacing the front knob, mounted "straight up and down" with the top of the "T" parallel to the sole of the plane. The top of the "T" would be rotated 45* in a clockwise direction from perpendicular to the length of the plane. With this design and placement, the heel of the left hand would rest against the long part of the top of the "T" and the fingers could curl over it's top and grip it.

Maybe I was thinking wrong, and everyone else meant the Tote.:doh: :dunno: (It wouldn't be the first time I was 180* out of phase though):D
 
Hi Dave,

When Norman first mentioned the front t-handle on a circular saw I started to get a picture of what was meant. How about a lean but this time to the front (down) to catch the space between the thumb and index finger a little better. After all that is what this thing is for, isn't it?
 
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