Hiding cabinet handle holes

[Dennis Leahy]

Hi,

I'm looking for ideas for concealing 2-holes (from cabinet handles), so I can substitute single pulls.

I want to make some rock pulls, using local beach rocks. The samples I have seen look really nice, and I have good access to interesting wave/sand smoothed beach stones that could be epoxied to these bases: http://www.dlawlesshardware.com/knorpubadaoi.html (http://www.dlawlesshardware.com/knorpubadaoi.html)

Done correctly, these can really have a kind of rustic-elegant look, with a local touch.

My kitchen has handles with 3" centers, and so my first thought was to find long, skinny rocks for pulls, creating handles using 2 of the bases and bridging them with that long rock. Unfortunately, for what I was able to find on several beach trips, by the time the rocks are long enough, they are too stout. They would look ridiculous in my kitchen - beyond eclectic and closer to Fred Flintstone. Especially bad in pairs.

So, I'd really like to use small-ish round-ish rocks, but that would mean I need to plug or cover the existing handle holes. Plugging either means painstakingly trying to fit plugs in, stain, and finish, and besides the fact they would probably still show up, it is just too much work to do that for the whole kitchen. Another thought is a contrasting color plug, but the (contractor-supplied) oak cabinets are a medium fruitwood stain, and I suspect any wood - dark or light - would look like a repaired error.

Then there's the idea of a plate. But, I can't think of a plate that won't clash with the simple rock pull theme. The rocks sort of hovering above the wood is the look I'd like.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Dennis

[Michael Wildt]

You could use a plat of stainless maybe ? or a piece of ebonized maple with the rock embedded into it.

or this: http://www.stone-export.com/Construction_Stone/Stone_knobs_and_Handles/Construction_Stone_Stone_knobs_and_Handles_6750.ht ml

[Sam Murdoch]

Look at the mosaic tubes at towards the bottom of the page. These are knife making supplies and are intended to be small details that can be set flush with the knife scale (handle). http://usaknifemaker.com/handle-material-hardware-c-95/rods-tubes.html This is only one source. It is not what you are thinking of as a long backer to hide the holes under your single knob, but rather a decorative way to fill the holes.

[Rick Potter]

Perhaps one of those wood appliques that could cover both holes, and put your new one in the middle?? Rockler has some, HD has a limited choice. Maybe a brass plate of some sort to do the same thing? Wood buttons, or contrasting square pegs at top and bottom corners of the doors, G&G like.?

Rick Potter

[johnny means]

How about a Dutchman that covers both holes. You could do any shape you want to tie it into the general design. Pics of your cabinets may elicit more ideas.

[Roger Rayburn]

Have you considered this as an opportunity to experiment with inlay?