How would you make this drawer pull?

[Gene Davis]

I wish to make a drawer pull that is pyramidal on its end face (no problem with a chop saw) and truncated pyramidal on its shaft (no clear solution with power tools?).

So I bring my question here.

It is not so much the marking out of the blank and thinking I can hand-saw the planes, but the jig for holding in a vise or something has me stumped.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Treat it that way you would tapered leg. First, mark off the finished dimensions on the respective ends. Then, transfer those lines down the sides. Use a block plane to remove the waste. Use the block plane to shape the diamond/pyramid end too.

[Phil Mueller]

I might be tempted to put the plane upside down in a vise and hold the blank...with gloves.

[Daniel Rode]

I think Maurice is on the money. I'd leave a square blank a little long to start. Then, I'd clamp it in the vice perpendicular to the jaws and form the shaft bevels. Once they were done, I'd form the top with a chisel or a block plane.

A tiny taper jig would be ideal.

[Simon MacGowen]

Lee Valley has an article on the topic that might help-http://www.leevalley.com/US/newsletters/Woodworking/7/6/Article2.htm

Simon

[Leo Graywacz]

Edge sander.

[Brian Holcombe]

Leave it long, cut all sides with a hand saw, then plane to final dimensions.

[Mike Brady]

I have done many similar pieces for Arts and Crafts picture and tile frames and generally go with a 12" stationary disc sander for the shaping and the pyramids. I use 80 grit paper and don't hold the work piece on the abrasive too long or you will get burning. Use a fresh disk. Mark out the tapers and sand to the lines. I would do the pyramids first (before tapering). I think my pyramids are at 30 degrees to the sides.

[Steve Voigt]

The proportions of your pulls are a bit unusual. 2 1/4" is very long, and 1 1/4" is a bit on the large side as well. Are these very large drawers?

The pulls actually remind me of the octagonal handles I like to make for chisels and files. I think the construction would be similar.

317466

317467

It would be nice if you could leave them long while working on them, however you first need to think about how you're going to cut the small end and drill the screw hole. With such long pulls, if the small end is not perfectly perpendicular to the long axis, and if the hole is not parallel to that axis, the pulls will stick out at odd angles and look terrible. So unless you can think of a solution to that, I would cut the ends perfectly square and drill the hole while the sides are still square.

You can finish plane the long tapers, but it will take you way too long to remove that much waste. When I make the handles, I lay out the long tapers and then split most of the waste off with a chisel, cross-grain. I Just lay it on a bench hook and chop/pare straight down. Be sure to chamfer almost right to your line to guard against spelching. Once you are close, you can plane. The suggestion to clamp a plane upside down in a vise is a good one.

For the end grain chamfers, I would use a chisel, not a plane. There is not enough surface for a plane to register against. At least I would not be able to do an accurate job.

As far as working holding goes: for the long tapers, either put the plane in a vise as mentioned, or just butt the end up against a stop or bench dog. Or put in a vise with the big end against the movable jaw.

For the end grain tapers, just clamp right down to the bench and chisel away. If freehand chiseling doesn't look precise enough, cut a piece of scrap with one end having the exact angle of the taper. Lay that against your layout line, clamp them both down to the bench, and pare away.

[Gene Davis]

The reason for the length might be seen in the model.

[Sean Hughto]

How would you make a tapered table leg in your shop? I don't own one, but I would assume a powered jointer (finger eater) would do that with some ease for an experienced user.

Anyway, if I was making this in my shop, it would be quick work with a hand plane to taper the long sides on an over length stick. I'd then cut to length and use a chisel to fashion the top facets.

[Prashun Patel]

"It is not so much the marking out of the blank and thinking I can hand-saw the planes, but the jig for holding in a vise or something has me stumped."

My first thought was to use a shooting board for the front facets. The math for the ramp would be simpler if you cut the facets first and then tackled the tapered sides with a block plane up to scribed lines.

However, if your only issue is work holding, then two things come to mind: a small-parts planing stop or tail vise to do the tapered sides first (planing downhill). Because of the angle, the stop will have to be low so the nose can clear it. However, this means the piece may want to tip on the downstroke, so I'd wedge it at the back too.

To tackle the facets, you may use a a square 3/4" mortise cut into a square block of pine to hold the tapered peg for chisel or plane work. The peg will wedge in nicely and using a softer wood will minimize any marring to the sides.

[Bill McDermott]

Steve, Good call on drilling while square.

Gene, I'd mark a box on the small end then handplane the to those lines. If the dimensions don't let you finish the job by planning on your benchtop, against a simple planing stop, you may need to grab it with a wooden handscrew (clamped to the bench). In any event, that should be quick, easy and effective. The pyramids on end grain can also be cut quickly with a handplane. Work with a sharp blade and skew it. Cut from the edge toward the tip. The imperfections might look good to your eye. If not, you can clean it up with sandpaper on your bench. Just hold the piece like a pencil and sand until happy, moving through grits.

I think this is one of those opportunities to use hand tools on a small, individual piece that is close in spirit to whittling. Just have at it and enjoy working by eye. If it's no good, your second try will be done a few minutes later and will be great.

[Brian Holcombe]

Continue the taper through the section which will enter the drawer face. Cut for a wedge, then from the inside of the drawer install the wedge. No hardware and will likely never loosen.

[Sean Hughto]

I think it would need a shoulder.

[Brian Holcombe]

I'm thinking it will work in the same way as a tapered chair spindle, which are often wedged and do not have a shoulder. And since there is only one of them on the table a mismatch in depth will not be noticed.

[Sean Hughto]

So on a chair, the typical physics drive the taper deeper into the seat as weight is applied to the seat and the leg contacts the floor. The wedge keeps the taper from falling out when you lift up the chair to move it while vacuuming or whatever, but you typically are not applying significant forces trying to pull the taper out of the seat from below. FWIW, I like shoulders on my legs too rather than just tapers so that as the taper swells and shinks and people sit on the chair over decades the leg does not start to protrude from the seat at the top. YMMV

[Brian Holcombe]

I should have been more specific; I'm talking about the chair back:
https://shard2.1stdibs.us.com/archivesE/upload/9099/21_15/lounge_chair_wood10/lounge_chair_wood10_l.jpeg


I can't see how this type of assembly would not be strong enough, or have some sort of failure in this application.

[Sean Hughto]

Probably fine. I guess I should have said I prefer the shoulder design where driving the wedge really traps the piece between the shoulder and flare created by the wedge.

[Gene Davis]

Here is a try at it. Tablesaw, chopsaw, bandsaw, block plane, card scraper.

Slightly different sizing, but close to my sketch. The tenon is 3/4" square, and will get a couple of kerfs for wedges. I need to plane its faces a little more, and ease the corners a little tiny bit.

Rift white oak, so the faces all have the same grain orientation.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Many ways to skin a cat. Of course...not much hand tool operations there....:D

[Gene Davis]

But Maurice, two of the five tools used were hand tools. And to finish it, handsaws, a file, small rasp, and sanding blocks will get used.

[Brian Holcombe]

Nice work Gene!

[Maurice Ungaro]

Just kidding, Gene! I'm a hybrid worker myself. Half, if I use a tool once, I justified the purchase!