Looking for drawer pull/knob tutorial

[TMT Designs]

If it's already posted somewhere could you post a link please? What is the difficulty lvl of making them?

Thanks
~Teresa

[EvanH]

If it's already posted somewhere could you post a link please? What is the difficulty lvl of making them?

Thanks
~Teresa

Teresa,

Hi - I don't know of a tutorial currently posted. I do have a video one in the planning stages but it's a little ways out yet. These are fairly easy to make. I have a mandrel on our website specifically for making these. Basically the way I do it is form a thick cylinder of glass that is the length of the threads (see the mandrel on our site at www.dawnandevan.com/gallery4.htm (http://www.dawnandevan.com/gallery4.htm) for a better visual of what I'm talking about.) and then make a larger ball of glass on the very end of the mandrel. I then use a graphite button shaper to form the face of the button by plunging the ball into one of the graphite mold shapes. Fire polish, decorate, anneal and your done!

Hope that helps some -

(p.s. there is another picture of the drawer pull mandrel with a knob on it on our news page at www.dawnandevan.com/news.htm (http://www.dawnandevan.com/news.htm)... scroll down to near the bottom of the news page...)
- Evan

[beachbeads]

evan, I had book marked the silver core bead tutorial to look at when I had more time and can't find it, can you repost the link, thanks, I love all your work and the advice you give, Sheila

[EvanH]

evan, I had book marked the silver core bead tutorial to look at when I had more time and can't find it, can you repost the link, thanks, I love all your work and the advice you give, Sheila

Sheila -

Thanks much - The current plan is to post a new tutorial each month or so depending on time (Unfortunately real work gets in the way of what's fun). When I post a new tutorial the old one needs to come down due to server space. The video tutorials are quite large (on average so far around 60 to 70 mbytes) So I can't afford to have them all online at once. The current tutorial that is up on our website is called 3 beads, a button, a hollow, and a 'V' shaped bead.

I do have the Silver Core tutorial available on DVD, or I have a new compilation DVD out that has all 3 tutorials on it (Silver core, Making and Anodizing Niobium Bead Caps, and the 3 beads tutorial all on one DVD) Take a look at www.dawnandevan.com/gallery4.htm (http://www.dawnandevan.com/gallery4.htm)

I know that doesn't entirely answer your question on the link for the older tutorials, but the DVD version has the advantage that they are full screen and higher resolution than what I can deliver over the web.

Stay tuned too, tutorial #4 is in the works!

Take care -

- Evan

[Curly Irish Girl]

I have a tutorial posted in this forum on making pulls - here's the link: http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=475&highlight=drawer+pulls

[Ronnie_Renee]

Evan
got your knob mandrel in the mail......Wow.......I need to get some more:D It just about killed me having to wait till in the morning to make another.....I'll post a pick of the first one....in the morning.....It looked so cool going into the kiln .Thank you Evan !!!!
Ronnie

[Ronnie_Renee]

Wanna see my knob..........:P
1068310682

[beachbeads]

I'mconfused about the mandrel, it has something asttatched to a screw that has been welded onto a mandrel that you make the bead on and it removes, like a nut inside knob?

[EvanH]

I'mconfused about the mandrel, it has something asttatched to a screw that has been welded onto a mandrel that you make the bead on and it removes, like a nut inside knob?

Hi - First off Ronnie thanks for posting your pictures - looks great, glad your having fun with these!

Shelia -

Yes basically this mandrel is a stainless steel screw that has been tig welded dead on center with a handle. The nice thing about these knob mandrels is the inserts are REALLY inexpensive. The threaded insert onto which you form the knob is made from copper wire threaded onto the bolt. Your glass is formed directly onto the copper with no bead release. When it comes out of the kiln, you simply unthread the knob and do it again! Inserts cost you around 12 cents to make if you buy the wire in 25 foot lengths from Home Depot. If you purchase in larger quantities you can get the cost down to about 5 to 8 cents per insert. Complete instructions are included with each mandrel when I send them out. The copper insert is not as strong as a steel one but I have a whole bunch of drawers and cabinets using these now and they work great. If you want to make a knob absolutely permanent put a drop or two of 2 part epoxy glue on the threads of your bolt prior to attaching the knob to the drawer or cabinet.

Drop me a note if you have any questions.

Evan