I have a habit of designing my projects as I go and need to solve problems as they arrive. I am making a unit for the TV / stereo out of bits of cedar that I've salvaged from broken furniture. This unit is 1800L X 500W X 500H. My design was inspired from a book of Robert Prenzel's work, hence the gum leaves and nuts. My problem is that I have no idea what I'm going to use for door handles and drawer pulls. I did think of carving a gum nut as the boss with a leaf as the handle but I have decided this would be too kitch. SWMBO (She who must be obeyed) didn't like my other idea of brass knobs. Any ideas?

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Magnetic push-to-open catches?

Also, VERY nice work

Fantastic work, looks beautiful. Yep push to open is a good idea or just some carved handles but not the gum leaf although I think because of the carving you could get away with it. I did some carved handles a while back for job. I'll see if I can find a pic.
Here you go, may not suit yours, this one was the proto type the next ones were a bit smaller.

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A good edge takes a little sweat!!

I think you could get away with a carved handle/s in the same theme as the carved panels, as it is in the pics (the small ones) the carving does blend in somewhat, they might stand out more in real life, I would suggest a repeat of the main design in miniture with the hand grab being the main trunk.


Pete

Thanks. The push to open is OK for the doors but doesn't help with the 2 drawers. Your handle looks good, Claw Hama. Thanks, Pete, I might play with your suggestion and make a couple of prototypes. There is still plenty of time, as you can see, I still am on the other drawer carving.

What a great piec of furniture!! bravabrava

Why not a carved handle with a gumleaf carved into it?

what about 2 gum nuts in the middle and then a leaf each side of them going sideways for a handle. Hope this makes sense.
And the cabinet is fantastic.

Might be a bit plain but how bout just a rectangular handle, bevelled in towards the doors/drawers on all sides? Would look nice if it was in the same timber as the background you have behind the tree carvings at the front.

Size i was thinking would be say, 100mm long, 25mm wide and only about 20mm deep.

Paul

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I have finally finished the carvings for the drawers and started on the handles.
I tried a few different styles, including rectangular sections with leaves carved on them but SWMBO was not happy until I did the ones in the pic attached. This weekend I will attach them and then dismantle the unit to start the cleanup ready for applying the finish. I have been looking at quite a few threads on fininshing and am thinking of spraying Shellac, although I've never sprayed it before. Any hints?

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Crunchie - I didn't see this thread when you started it, or I would have suggested something like these plain round pulls I made, so that they don't compete with the carving. However your leaf design looks to be a good solution, and should complement the design.

I like carving gumleaves, too, and usually put a couple of insect chews on a leaf here or there, to add a 'natural' touch....

Have never sprayed shellac, either, so can't help with any advice there. Depending on how you finished the surface of the leaves, they are probably going to have a different texture from the lowered background, which you can more easily sand to a fine surface. For this corbel, I used a combination of brushing on extra coats of shelllac on the carved surfaces, followed by standard rubbing-out over the raised bits & background. It seemed to work out in the end.....

Cheers,

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IW

I missed the original post. Will cast my vote that I like the wooden handle.

I would prefer a slim handle with no sharp edge. Now to put that in a leaf is going to be interesting.

The handles are finished and attached. Below is a pic of versions 1 & 2 of the prototype and a pic of the finished cupboard (don't be picky about the gaps in the doors as I didn't screw the hinges in for the photo)
Next task is to pull it all apart and prepare for applying the finish.

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Crunchie

Well done with the entertainment unit, and the use of recycled Cedar.

When you refer to the book on Robert Prenzel, are you referring to the one issued by The National Gallery of Victoria for the exhibition in the 90's ? I ask as I too am an admirer of his work, I have that book, and would like to find more detail of his work.

Are you intending to make more in this style?


Regards

The handles do work with the design.

Hi Baslg. Yes for the book. I styled this unit from a hallstand in the book. The National Gallery of Victoria have quite a collection of his work and offered to arrange for a viewing if I gave them plenty of notice before I visited our footy enemies .
I used the same gumleaf idea in a clock I made as a gift to a school in Japan. (Photo attached) This was in River Red Gum and the crown has Chrysanthemums because this is the Imperial Seal of Japan. My theme was "The partnership of the two cultures".
I don't know if I can do much more in the Prenzel style as I am terrible at carving birds and animals (I was never an artist!!)

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