Woodworking advice for espresso machine knobs/handles/panels

#1: Post by **peeschoo** » April 29th, 2023, 1:12 am

Hi everyone, P here! I'm new to woodworking and would like some advice/direction to making my own wooden knobs and panels for my Profitec Pro700. I love DIY and this machine allows for so much creativity. Thank you all in advance!

#2: Post by **Wile E Coyote** » April 29th, 2023, 11:23 am

You'll need to find a wood you like and a lathe. I'm not quite sure putting a link is appropriate on this board, but you can search for exotic woods and go from there. If you have a Rockler nearby, they usually have a nice selection.

I won't go down the rabbit hole of lathes. A good start is to find a local wood turning club (yes, that's a thing) or makerspace which usually have them and can help with teaching you the basics.

#3: Post by **Rosso Corsa** » May 4th, 2023, 8:55 am

Hello,

Woodturning is a very deep rabbit hole indeed! I've been turning wood for nearly 25 years... I have a lathe that weighs about 1,000 pounds and will turn up to 24" diameter work over the inbound ways and 48" over the outbound ways.

It features an electric winch lift for heavy loads (I can turn uo to 600 lb blanks between centers) and an electric over hydraulic crane for heavier/larger diameter loads that need to be mounted over the outbound ways.

Obviously you don't need a monster lathe like I have to get started. I also have two "mini lathes" that will turn 10" or 12" over the ways. Mini lathes are what most turners start with and are very affordable to obtain.

The best way to start is to join a local woodturning club. The AAW (American Association of Woodturners) has affiliated clubs all over the US and a plethora in California. You can get hands on instruction at your local club and info on local sources for exotic woods. Years ago, I spent a week driving along the Cali coast, stopping at exotic wood dealers. It was epic!

You also have many options for exotic timber at specialty suppliers and others like Woodcraft and Rockler. Another source is woodturners in a local club... They can also help you with selecting tools and accessories that you will need and teach you about proper finishing techniques.

YouTube has many woodturning videos as well that you can watch and assist you in learning the proper techniques to turn wood. The projects you would need to add exotic wood accents to your espresso machine are easy to turn and would be a great introduction to turning wood for you.

Best wishes to you and good luck with your woodturning!

Cheers!

#4: Post by **Pressino** » May 4th, 2023, 2:05 pm

Just to let you know, there are ways to make rounded knobs and similar objects without a lathe. Certainly the wood panels do not require a lathe. A simple drill press with a 1/2" or larger chuck will work, as shown in the video below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on-FxIRSRuE

If you don't already have one, there are relatively inexpensive ones, even smaller table top models, you can get from places like Harbor Freight. A drill press is a very good item to have in a home shop, and useful for a multitude of tasks besides the one shown in the video.

There are other methods using only hand tools that require no turning technology, that work quite well but involve more time and manual woodworking skills.

Here is video that shows the purely manual process to make a round knob:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MazQCQAWNRg

By all means get a lathe if you plan to make a lot of knobs and other parts, as the lathe is a much easier and faster way to make them. If you plan to make stuff for only one or two machines, a lathe may not be a worthwhile purchase.

#5: Post by **TenLayers** » May 4th, 2023, 3:00 pm

Not sure where in California you are but if you're close to Oakland, I always have chunks of wood I rather give away then burn.