Knitting needles

[SimonStevensCanes]

It’s our 7th wedding anniversary soon and my wife has taken up knitting, so at the last minute I decided to attempt to make a set of 7 knitting needles. Only problem is, I have no lathe.

I created a dowel cutting jig from some sheet metal and some blanks to attempt to turn in to cylinders and this was the outcome.

 

[SimonStevensCanes]

The first few in the batch all used the same sized (too big) blanks, and were passed through various hole widths in the dowel jig, working my way up (down) to the correct diameter. This resulted in some fairly wonky needles and I learned that ensuring the blanks were just a hair over their final size was the key to getting a good finish. Still, those needles still went through 3 holes, and I found that my grandfathers set of imperial drill bits (every drill bit from 1/64 - 1/2" in 1/64th increments) was really useful for creating holes in the dowel jig that would only take a hair off each time.

Next up, I cut and morticed brass rod to receive the needle ends. These will be stamped with the (alleged) needle size, chamfered/shaped and epoxied to the needle ends.



I was surprised by how well the brass morticing went. I used my crappy silver line desktop pillar drill, working up through my drill bit sizes. This allowed me to correct the inevitable off-centre initial holes, and the end result was actually rather good.

 

[SimonStevensCanes]

After epoxying the brass ends on, I was able to clean them up and refine their size a little on the disc sander, and then it was time for some finish.

I used hard wax oil as I figured that knitting needles are going to be handled a lot and take a hit of a beating.

 

[pe2dave]

Impressive - I do hope she likes them (and keeps on knitting)

 

[SimonStevensCanes]

Impressive - I do hope she likes them (and keeps on knitting)

If they never get used, then I'll be happy enough with them just being a nice trinket. But half my motivation with them is to encourage the hobby, so we'll see.

I've also been trying my hand at leather work during the dark evenings (nice hobby in front of the tv), so I made a leather case for the needles which has worked out rather well. I made in front of her and told her I was making a case for a level, I don't think she bought it .



The side loop is really just to cover up a hole in the leather, but I guess it could be useful, and I think it's a nice detail.

 

[gregmcateer]

Nice work, sir.
Hopefully your woolly undies will soon be made

 

[SimonStevensCanes]

The end result was well received

 

[Tris]

Very nice.
Doesn't half look like a quiver of arrows though!

 

[Nigel Burden]

Nicely done, both the needles and the leather work. You've only just scratched the surface there though.

My wife has been knitting since she was at school fifty odd years ago. One bedroom is being taken over as a wool store as she knits for a couple who have a wool and clothing shop in Litchfield. Does it for the love of it not the money, you're lucky to make an hourly rate of a third of the minimum wage, and down here in Dorset you just can't sell them, although they sell well in Litchfield.

Nigel.

 

[SimonStevensCanes]

Very nice.
Doesn't half look like a quiver of arrows though!

Yeah definitely

Nicely done, both the needles and the leather work. You've only just scratched the surface there though.

My wife has been knitting since she was at school fifty odd years ago. One bedroom is being taken over as a wool store as she knits for a couple who have a wool and clothing shop in Litchfield. Does it for the love of it not the money, you're lucky to make an hourly rate of a third of the minimum wage, and down here in Dorset you just can't sell them, although they sell well in Litchfield.

Nigel.

Yeah unfortunately it's a hobby that's not likely to do much more than pay for itself and provide some lovely presents, which when I put it like that doesn't sound too bad.

 

[SimonStevensCanes]

As expected, the wood fibres don't mix well with wool and they are difficult to use. I finished them with hard wax oil, and now realise that something like varnish would have suppressed stray wood fibres. Can I just apply this over the hard wax oil, or would something else be more suitable?

 

[TheTiddles]

I don’t think stray fibres is a finish problem, did you sand the bejesus out of them? I guess they’re like pens and that you have to go up to very small grit sizes to get a smooth hard finish that doesn’t catch on anything

Aidan

 

[MARK.B.]

lovely job indeed I always used to wonder why my dad had his chair as far away from my mum's , Its her knitting he once told me,if i nod off the bugger used to take great delight in prodding me with her needles just to see if i was awake and listening to her . My better half knits and there is comfortable 6 feet from the pointy ends to my chair .