Furniture Knobs Modeling | SelfCAD

Welcome to the next SelfCAD instructable.

Are you looking for ideas for handles for your furniture? Why don't you print your very own knobs? In this tutorial, I'm going to show you 4 simple ideas for these furniture parts.

All you need is imagination and your SelfCAD account.

The first three ideas are really simple, I created them to show you how easy and fast it can be to make your own knob. The last one is, according to me, much more interesting.

Launch SelfCAD editor and create a new project. The workspace size 100 should be definitely enough, but I set here 200mm just to have more space to show you all four knobs.

Now you can change the preferences if you want. ,

Turn on Orthographic Projection (next to the Rotation Cube).

Let's make the first knob. We need here two cylinders.

1st cylinder has its radius of 10mm and height of 30mm.

2nd cylinder has a radius of, for example, 5mm. Its height can be also 30.

Use the Rotate tool (R) to rotate the second cylinder as in picture 1. Then use Move (M) and place the rotated cylinder as shown in picture 2.

Select both cylinders and use Stitch & Scoop, Difference (B+D) to subtract the second cylinder from the first one.

First, you should know the screw diameter and length. The hole should a little bit narrower and deeper. Notice that the screw must also go through the furniture front. Let's say we need a hole 2mm in diameter and 15mm deep (can be less, but more than protruding part of the screw).

Add a cylinder to the scene with a radius of 1mm and height 15mm. Use Stitch $ Scoop to subtract it from the knob.

This step applies to all knobs. I won't describe it anymore in this tutorial.

The second knob is composed of three 3D shapes. First, add two cylinders to the scene.

1st cylinder: radius 10mm, height 2mm.

2nd cylinder: radius 3mm, height 5mm. Move the second cylinder 2 mm higher to place it on the first cylinder.

Add a sphere to the scene. Set its radius to 15. Move the sphere 6mm higher.

Select all three objects and use Stitch & Scoop again, but this time use Union, not Difference. They should "merge"* into one object now.

Cut a hole for the screw.

*There is also a Merge tool and it works similarly, but not the same.

This knob is similar to the previous one, so repeat the first two steps (Steps 6 and 7).

This time use Scale (S) to decrease the sphere's Y dimension. Move the sphere lower to connect it with cylinders.

Use Union and make a hole for the screw.

The first three knobs were very easy. The last one is a little bit harder but definitely the most elegant.

Choose 3D Sketch tool and then Circle Sketch (K+C). Go to Precision Settings and turn on Minimum Step Size. Set its value to 1. Change the number of Edges to 24 (24 looks good, but it can be any other EVEN number).

Go to Planes Settings.

Draw circles from the workspace center and change the plane's offset in Plane Settings:

1. Offset 0, radius 10
2. Offset 2, radius 10
3. Offset 2, radius 3
4. Offset 7, radius 3
5. Offset 10, radius 10
6. Offset 15, radius 12
7. Offset 20, radius 10
8. Offset 22, radius 4

The result is shown in the last picture.

Apply the drawing. Click on the Vertex Selection Mode and open Selection Settings. Turn on Loop Selection.

Select two neighboring vertices of the biggest circle. The whole loop should be selected now.

Turn on Custom Pattern. Now, every two vertices should be selected.

Use Scale to change the shape of the circle into a star. Do the same with two circles neighboring circles. Look at the image to see the result.

Turn off Vertex Selection Mode and select the whole profile. Use Loft (C+L). Make sure you have selected Fill First and Fill Last options in Fill Settings.

The knob looks quite good right now, but we can do some more things with it.

With the knob selected use Twist tool (D+W). I twisted it -90 degrees.

Use Round Object (M+R).

Cut a hole for the screw and delete the profile. The knob is ready.

In the photo you can see the forth knob just after I printed it and cut the support out.

Good luck with modeling your own knobs!