March 4, 201214 yr  To turn knobs?   I am kind of limited on toys, er, tools at the lathe, just some basic chisels, I have long since lost all the calipers I had at one time ( GrandBRATS needed them for school?) and the lathe is an oldie.   Toolrest is the only one I have right now.    So, WHAT am I trying to turn out? Knobs? alooksee at these critters:No copycrafter, just plain old MkII Eyeballs.  These are for three planes I'm re-working.  Wood is Black Walnut (and STINKS while being turned)  That small knob turned out to be TOO small, the others were a might large.   Sanding was with a belt from a sander, torn into strips.  Now, IF I were to re-make that smallish knob, any tips to make it better?   I do have a little more of that wood around. This small knob is for a newer style handplane, with a "high" knob.  Knob sits into a ring on the plane's body.    From there on up it's up to the user, on looks.   The one i turned was modled on the Bakelite one I was tossing out (Bakelite/ YUCK) so now it looks a bit tall and small, at the same time.  Again, any tips out there, no money in the budget, just maybe a new way of turning things? 'and may the road raise up to meet ye'
March 4, 201214 yr If you are trying to copy/duplicate a knob, how about creating a full sized template from cardboard (cereal boxes, old picture frame backs). Then turn, check/compare, repeat.Another thing you may be able to do is make your own specialty tools from old files. Folks say that files are too brittle to use but so far I've had good success. Files lend themselves well to scraping type cutters.Lew Kauffman-Wood Turners Forum HostTime traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!
March 4, 201214 yr Just thought of this, after I posted the previous idea. You said you had "grandbrats" do they have any silly putty or modeling clay? You could use that to create a profile of the parts then convert  that into the cardboard template.I have one of these Profile Gauges except mine is an old one with metal pins.Lew Kauffman-Wood Turners Forum HostTime traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!
March 5, 201214 yr Author  I'll see just how that high knob turns out.   IF I don't like it, I go back out to the lathe, and try all the suggestions above.   Maybe the old MkIIs are getting a bit 'dated".     I think IF I can make it a bit "fatter", a little shorter, and just a hair beefier around the base, and maybe overlap that ring cast into the base...... Hmm, we'll see.....'and may the road raise up to meet ye'
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