Wooden drawer/door pulls. looking for inspiration. JOAT?

[Mike in Arkansas]

There's nothing here and now I fear it's lack of inspiration

perhaps online I'll find relief from mental constipation.

Okay so I'm not Robert Browning. I am looking for ideas for original wooden drawer and door pulls. These will be for my newly built kitchen cabs. I have a few ideas but looking for others before I commit. Anyone have any links to shop built pulls? I'm looking for something really different but elegant, funky but beautiful, something with a WOW factor. The doors and drawer faces are quarter sawn white oak that will be finished in a light 'craftsman' style per Homestead Finishes web site. Pulls themselves don't have to be any particular style really. I know I don't want recessed pulls nor a 'turned' knob of any kind. If you have a link or picture I sure would appreciate being able to take a look see. Examples don't have to necessarily be for kitchen cabs, just good inspiration. Thanks Mike

[Stoutman]

I made a couple for a hall table from cocobolo. I really liked how they turned out.

[Lew Hodgett]

Mike in Arkansas wrote: > I am looking for ideas for original > wooden drawer and door pulls. These will be for my newly built kitchen > cabs.

More food for thought than anything else.

Years ago, built a 4x8 run out table with 24 drawers on each side below the surface.

Used short cut off lengths of 3/4 dia dowel rod as the stand offs while the handles were made from 3/4x1-1/2 stock and some router time.

Worked great for the shop but probably a little crude for a kitchen; however, variations my prove helpful.

Lew

[bent]

I didn't even study it, but I understand you can run any outside profile stock through a table saw at an angle to make a grip groove. I can say where I got this info if desired. Didn't read the step(s) at the time. I hate that. Probably 3 sentences.

[bent]

thats not the kind of thing I'd like to experiment with. It was in a book. One of about 40 in Nick Engler's Workshop Companion, Making..... Don't know what the resultant underneath profile was. Must be a limit to the width somehow since... Anything you can make on the outside.

[J T]

Mon, Nov 27, 2006, 6:15pm (EST-3) [e-mail] (Mike=A0in=A0Arkansas) doth query: I am looking for ideas for original wooden drawer and door pulls. I have a few ideas but looking for others before I commit. Anyone have any links to shop built pulls? I'm looking for something really different but elegant, funky but beautiful, something with a WOW factor.

All the funky I've ran across always had more of en eww factor then a wow factor.

Well, you stuck my name out there, so I guess that about obligates me to respond. To me, something original would be something out of your mine, not someone else's. However, I do count inspiration from other places and doing it your was as original - I take it that's what you're after. If that's the case, I'd review my own ideas first.

After that, I think what I'd do in your circumstances is call up pictures of anteek furniture, from middyevil times, up to maybe the

1900s, and eyeball their pulls. After all, there's not many things done that haven't been done before, but a lot of it was so long ago, it's forgotten now. If I found something I liked, I'd either copy it, or more likely modify it, to a greater or lesser degree, until I get something I like. Or, I might just drill a hole, thread a piece of rope thru, tie a fancy knot on the end, and use that as a pull. Just depends on the mood at the time, I've got a door I use a big nail as a pull. You asked.

JOAT Democratic justice. One man, one rock.

[Mike in Arkansas]

Really nice looking table stoutman and nice pulls as well. Food for thought as well as Lou's amd Bents suggestions. Joat, I was counting on you for inspiration but a rope or nail won't pass the wifes muster. Thank you all for the time you took to reply. Mike

[J T]

Tue, Nov 28, 2006, 4:34pm (EST-3) [e-mail] (Mike=A0in=A0Arkansas) doth elucidate: Joat, I was counting on you for inspiration but a rope or nail won't pass the wifes muster.

Ah ha, shoulda said. In that case what I'd do is just flat out ask her what she wants. Beats the Hell out of guessing, and that way you'll know she gets what she wants. That's the best I can come up with.

JOAT Democratic justice. One man, one rock.

[Joe Gorman]

1. Ask her what she wants
2. Ask her again,later that day or the next
3. apologize for asking her the second time, explain you wanted to be sure you hadn't misunderstood her before starting such an important project.
4. Make 1 or 2 pulls to her specifications, enough for one door and drawer.
5. After she tells you it's not what she wants return to step 1. Joe BTDT don't need another tshirt

[bstolzer]

This is pathetically vague, but a few years ago I recall an article in (I THINK) FWW on making drawer pulls out of wood, which gave several nice examples and showed how they were done. If it wasn't Fine Woodworking then it might have been American Woodworker. Check their online indexes.

Sorry I can't be more specific.

Brad

Mike > There's nothing here

[Mike in Arkansas]

n

[J T]

Wed, Nov 29, 2006, 4:47pm (EST-3) [e-mail] (Mike=A0in=A0Arkansas) now admits: As far as what my wife wanted, well she was for making some hand hammered copper ones. That remains a possiblity since I have some nice thick copper sheet for the back plates. Maybe a combination of copper and wood. Guess I'll check ebay for that issue of FWW.

Better yet, some time back someone here was (maybe still is) doing a lot of dumpster diving. Forget now who. But, if I recall right, he posted a picture(s) of drawer pull(s) he made, I think of copper. Looked pretty damn good. Might want to do some archive searching. Whoever it was might well still be here, or someone will probably remember who it was.

JOAT Democratic justice. One man, one rock.