Re: Cloning vintage knobs
As always, David has set the standard here. His replicas are works of art. It is true that casting materials can be very expensive - at least the material used to make the mould with - which is why I try to find economic methods to produce things that are comparable in quality to those made using more costly products. Alginate makes the lowest cost moulds for me, so far.
It is indeed difficult to drill an accurate spindle hole and I haven't found a foolproof way of doing so. I've usually cast two or three copies in order to achieve just one adequately drilled. I do not possess a lathe so ferrules, though a great idea, are out, but at times damaged or unusable old knobs can be broken apart for their brass ferrules.
Not having an end mill, I tended to drill with a standard 'pointed' bit then re-drill with a matching size drill which had its point flattened on the grinder to offer just a little of the remaining angled flutes. This leaves a hole that is close to being flat-bottomed.
Tony
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