How To Fix A Drawer Knob...

[afterglow]

Hi All,

I've got to get a small side table finished off. It's a little oak side table with a single drawer. I'm going to make a small knob out of a dark wood (possibly cocobolo (sp?) but not sure yet).

The knob will be triangular and will be made without a tenon on it, because of the stock I've got available.

The challenge I have is how to fix it to the drawer front.

The easiest way would seem to be to drill it with a 10-12mm hole and glue a piece of hardwood dowel into it for fixing into another hole in the drawer front.

What glue should I use to handle the rough and tumble that drawer knobs have to face in daily use - the drawer will hold the various remote controls that clutter up my living room.

I've got some American pva glue (titebond?). Can't remember what it's called at the moment. Will this do, or should I get some cascamite, or is there something else that would be better?

I'll probably put a cut into the dowel that goes into the drawer and fix with a little wedge for tighter fixing. I don't think I can safely do that for the end in the knob though, as it's possible I'll split it.

Any brighter ideas that I haven't thought about/seen before?

Cheers,

Lee

[dom]

Titebond should be fine.

[evergreen]

Lee

Definitely the neatest, strongest way of fastening a knob like you describe would be with a wedged through tenon but I guess your piece of cocobolo is just too small?

So I would then reach for the trusty Araldite or some other brand of epoxy resin. Should hold your dowel a treat. I've used it for years for small fixings or repairs and never had it fail in any circumstances. You just have to be careful about avoiding squeeze out because it's tricky to clean off completely.

Regards.

[mrgrimsdale]

Yes PVA or any old glue really. Wouldn't bother with the fox wedge. You need to leave a channel along the dowel or a relief hole at the bottom of the hole in the drawer front, so that glue or air can escape when you cramp it up. If not it can pop out under air pressure or be impossible to cramp up.

cheers
Jacob

[Stree]

Screw and glue. Drill appropriate sized holes in the drawer front and the knob, countersink screw head, put 3 panel pins into the back face of the knob, nip them off with sidecutters to about 1/4" leave thus formed points as they are. these will bite as you screw the knob ( Might need gentle persuasion with a soft hammer as well though )and it pulls in and the pin shafts will act as resistance to turning pressure. This is assuming of course that you use some glue as well. Titebond should be fine.
If the screwhead is not to be seen then instead of a countersink just cut a plug........To match the plug to the knob just use the same timber if available, or plug it with whatever the back of the drawer face is made from.. If you are really unsure, just use touch latches for now and give yourself some time !

[afterglow]

Thanks for the help folks.

I'm going to have a play with this today. I'm going to turn a small mushroom style knob too, for a fall-back if I don't like the triangle enough!

I'll go with the plain old glue approach with a relief slot cut in the dowels.

I'd thought about the panel pin approach myself, Stree, but I want to avoid using a screw and I don't like the idea of putting steel/iron into oak because of the risk of staining if it ever gets a bit damp.

I'll post some pics if I figure out how...

Cheers,

Lee