One thing I forgot to mention was that a google search on "cane length" will provide a good starting place such as:
http://www.pennyrosecanes.com/misc/canelength.html
http://www.pennyrosecanes.com/misc/canelength.html
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Good post, with lots of good information, Ed. One suggestion I might leave as to the lenght. I made mine all about 6 or 7 inches longer then the finished product and drilled a hole in the end about3 or 4 inches long that was large enough to slip over a nail. It turned out to make a decent handle to hang onto while you are applying the finish and also left me with a way to kind of mount it to a quickly built fixture that I made out of scrap wood that would hold the canes upright while they were drying. ( I used a spray gun to apply several coats of polyurthaine ). I just pounded some 16 penny nails through some old scrap boards so they stuck up a few inches and slipped the canes over the exposed nails. Then when they were done and I knew who was getting the canes, I had a better idea of how long to cut them so they would fit the person. Since I only used the rubber tip on mine, you have about an inch or so of hidden wood under the rubber tip, You can just take a saw along and custom fit it to the person, if you need to, by cutting off an inch at a time and letting that person try it out till they are happy with the lenght.
I am able to cut my own lumber so the thickness is what ever I want it to be,, and I used 1 inch thick stuff only becuase it worked with a 1/2 inch round over bit perfectly, but unless you start out with rough cut lumber, and have to go with finished lumber from a lumber yard, then your choices are more limited, 7/8's works just as well. Reible is right,, if you deviate too much from that,,, it would just not feel right.
I am able to cut my own lumber so the thickness is what ever I want it to be,, and I used 1 inch thick stuff only becuase it worked with a 1/2 inch round over bit perfectly, but unless you start out with rough cut lumber, and have to go with finished lumber from a lumber yard, then your choices are more limited, 7/8's works just as well. Reible is right,, if you deviate too much from that,,, it would just not feel right.
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Thank you so much for all the time spent on giving the specific instructions for these saw canes. I really appreciate it. I will definitely make another spare pattern per your advice! I worked into the wee hours of the night perfecting and smoothing out the pattern I have already made, so it would probably make me cry if I ruined it and didn't have a backup. Bob and Rick always say your project will only be as good as your pattern is, so make it a good one.
I was doing a google search and read on one website that made canes that you should make a cane half the height of the person that will be using it and round it off to the next higher inch.
The Router Boys had a show on making a card table and I watched Rick routing the handle by making two huge holes first and then routing. I'm not sure if that is the one where I actually saw smoke rising up from the wood, haha! I think your suggestion about using the forstner bit is a good one for me to try out with the drill press.
If my finished project resembles a saw cane I will try to post photos.
Again, thank you Ed and Terry for your postings. It should take out all the guess work and trial and error for me.
(hopefully)
I was doing a google search and read on one website that made canes that you should make a cane half the height of the person that will be using it and round it off to the next higher inch.
The Router Boys had a show on making a card table and I watched Rick routing the handle by making two huge holes first and then routing. I'm not sure if that is the one where I actually saw smoke rising up from the wood, haha! I think your suggestion about using the forstner bit is a good one for me to try out with the drill press.
If my finished project resembles a saw cane I will try to post photos.
Again, thank you Ed and Terry for your postings. It should take out all the guess work and trial and error for me.
(hopefully)
Thanks Ed for the post.
Thanks Ed. I take back MOST of what I said about you, but not all. LOL
Thanks Ed. I take back MOST of what I said about you, but not all.
LOL QUOTE=Dr.Zook]Thanks Ed. I take back MOST of what I said about you, but not all. LOL [/QUOTE] Are you taking back the good things you said or the bad things????
Hope this gets you and a lot of others out in the shop making one of these great projects. And I'm looking forward to seeing some photos in the Show N' Tell area.
LOL [/QUOTE] Are you taking back the good things you said or the bad things???? Hope this gets you and a lot of others out in the shop making one of these great projects. And I'm looking forward to seeing some photos in the Show N' Tell area.
Ed,
These canes lean more toward what a man would want to use for a cane, at least IMHO. I've been trying to think of something maybe a bit more feminine for ladies, like maybe, since the shape of the handle reminds me of a cat, doing something with that idea. But for now, I'm getting real close to cutting my saw cane out. I'm waiting for the wood filler to dry on my planter and I will be able to stain it. Yippee! Thank you for your reply.
These canes lean more toward what a man would want to use for a cane, at least IMHO. I've been trying to think of something maybe a bit more feminine for ladies, like maybe, since the shape of the handle reminds me of a cat, doing something with that idea. But for now, I'm getting real close to cutting my saw cane out. I'm waiting for the wood filler to dry on my planter and I will be able to stain it. Yippee! Thank you for your reply.
Yes this is more of a mans cane in my book too. I did think of maybe using a rose design on the handle and attempting to get a more pink stain on some white wood?? My Mom was quite the builder so if she were still with us she would no doubt like the saw idea but maybe painted red... or something to do with cars her other passion. (Lug wrench cane??)SandyBR549 said:Ed,
These canes lean more toward what a man would want to use for a cane, at least IMHO. I've been trying to think of something maybe a bit more feminine for ladies, like maybe, since the shape of the handle reminds me of a cat, doing something with that idea. But for now, I'm getting real close to cutting my saw cane out. I'm waiting for the wood filler to dry on my planter and I will be able to stain it. Yippee! Thank you for your reply.
I don't know if any of you remember the days when thread came on wooden spools but I saw a lot of items made of the spools like book shelves etc. If I could come up with a handle idea and made it a two piece cane that might be interesing for someone that sews.
My wife likes to garden so we have been trying to think of some garden related cane for an aunt I have that like to garden. So far we have not come up with anything special for that either.
Anyone want to do a hobby = cane idea post please do so...
Maybe your cat idea would work?? Trying to picture what you had in mind.
Ed,
I like your idea of the rose with the pink stain on the white wood. That sounds so lovely! I hope you make that and put your pics in Show and Tell. Maybe I'll try it since I love to paint roses.
For the gardener, maybe a faux garden hose that somehow wraps around on the handle (or looked like it did), and something on the tip that looks like the tip of a garden hose. I'm just thinking out loud here, like I did with the cat idea. The handle just reminds me of a cat-shaped head with cute little cat ears. You could put little jewels around the neck of the cane like a kitty collar. Maybe glue some whiskers on it and paint some pearly white teeth below the handle or a cute little mouth.
So far, I have one pine cane that I already cut flush with the first pattern made of plywood, that I will probably save for a pattern per advice, one I'm sanding and will probably keep just to show people what they look like and I have 2 oak ones cut out that I need to rout with the flush trim bit and pattern and then the 1/2" roundover.
I used my scrollsaw to cut out the handle of the pine cane, (and then used the router table with the pattern bit, etc.) but not sure it will work for the oak. I'm oiling my scrollsaw to get it in prime condition for what is ahead, haha!
Tonight, though, I was working on another plywood pattern because the first plywood pattern was too short to leave the canes extra long for staining.....and my bandsaw blade broke, but at least not till I was all done!
I like your idea of the rose with the pink stain on the white wood. That sounds so lovely! I hope you make that and put your pics in Show and Tell. Maybe I'll try it since I love to paint roses.
For the gardener, maybe a faux garden hose that somehow wraps around on the handle (or looked like it did), and something on the tip that looks like the tip of a garden hose. I'm just thinking out loud here, like I did with the cat idea. The handle just reminds me of a cat-shaped head with cute little cat ears. You could put little jewels around the neck of the cane like a kitty collar. Maybe glue some whiskers on it and paint some pearly white teeth below the handle or a cute little mouth.
So far, I have one pine cane that I already cut flush with the first pattern made of plywood, that I will probably save for a pattern per advice, one I'm sanding and will probably keep just to show people what they look like and I have 2 oak ones cut out that I need to rout with the flush trim bit and pattern and then the 1/2" roundover.
I used my scrollsaw to cut out the handle of the pine cane, (and then used the router table with the pattern bit, etc.) but not sure it will work for the oak. I'm oiling my scrollsaw to get it in prime condition for what is ahead, haha!
Tonight, though, I was working on another plywood pattern because the first plywood pattern was too short to leave the canes extra long for staining.....and my bandsaw blade broke, but at least not till I was all done!
Ed, I have an idea for your mother in laws cane. Make it look like a scythe. A short wooden "blade" should be a good shape to grip, and there is the added benefit of mother in law / grim reaper jokes to share and enjoy.
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