Shop Made Hardware

Sometimes it’s just doesn’t seem right to build a knockout project, then as a final step, slap on some standard store-bought hardware. Even worse is when you can’t find hardware that suits your project, and you have to settle for what’s available. I believe that special projects deserve hand-made hardware, and thankfully making your own isn’t hard, nor expensive to do. From knobs and pulls to hinges, all you need is some wood, some imagination, and basic tools to take your projects up a notch. The type of hardware you build is limited only by your imagination. Hinges made with tiny finger joints and a piece of brass rod, knobs turned on a lathe or drill press, even full extension dovetail slides are some examples of what can be done quite easily.

In this Pro-Tip, I am going to demonstrate by making a set of ebony door pulls for a sapele and maple cabinet humidor I’m building for a client, and I’m going to do it using nothing but my Craftex sanders and a hand saw.

To begin, I selected a piece of stock, the correct dimensions for my pulls, and proceeded to cut a centered scallop on both faces using my spindle sander spinning a 2” drum.

I then laid the stock flat on the table, and using the same drum I cut two more scallops, only this time into the ends, stopping when the flat edges outside the scallops met.

I then took the blank to the disc sander, and with the table tilted to 10 degrees I proceeded to gradually remove material off all four edges on each side to create the “pyramid” effect on what would eventually be the face of the pulls.

Finally, I used my hand saw to separate the two halves, making two identical pulls. Some hand sanding and a quick polish later, I have a set of one of a kind solid ebony pulls for my cabinet…. something you just can’t buy anywhere.

To mount the pulls, I then drilled two holes into the back-sides, and attached them to the cabinet using splined dowels and some epoxy.

This is a perfect example of how a little piece of wood, combined with a little imagination, can add more to a project than store-bought hardware ever could.

From my bench to yours,

Ryan Shervill

Busy Bee Tools is proud to announce a new partnership with Master Craftsman & DIY expert Ryan Shervill.

With 15 years practicing his craft,
Ryan brings a wealth of knowledge to share with our customers.