Walking Cane Reference Sheet
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- This topic has 22 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 7 months ago by Greg Merritt.
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28 November 2013 at 6:17 pm #22545
Well, as has been said here many times already, thanks for this. You have a nice touch for drawing and draftsmanship as well as a kind heart of a teacher to share these with all of us.
Chris
@gman3555 (Greg):
I noticed while making the cane, that your reference sheet differs from the way @paul-sellers forms the front part. The handle is horizontally at the tenon and to the front whereas yours goes up to the height of the knob. You know what I mean? I don’t know what I like better, or what is more ergonomic, just that it’s different.
David
29 December 2013 at 3:02 pm #24760Yep, it was intentional. Paul removed the 1/4” because due to his handle shape. He knew that wood was coming off so why mortise thru it. When I laid out my handle I liked the extra up sweep that I show on my drawing and that is the way I made my cane. I probably should have removed the dimension before I posted it and added a note to “shape to suit”.
22 September 2016 at 8:11 pm #140757Greg,
Hope you subscribe to this thread after two years. I do admire your work. Very accomplished.
First, what CAD or other software do you use? I wanted to open the walking Cane Reference Sheet and my computer (Windows 10) suggested Adobe Illustrator, the vector program I have been struggling with for several years. (Retired now, and I’m losing my grip on multidimensional work.) Deciding whether or not to put significant enough time into Sketch-Up.
Secondly, you appear experienced enough to chat this issue out a bit. Paul Sellers set his walking cane handle length at 7″. That certainly works, but canes also come with other sizes, especially for smaller people (little, old ladies). Wood is also easier and more economically found using 6″ lengths.
I learned a long time ago that a standard may be set, but not necessarily for reasons that hold for long times. E.g., Chancellor Hindenburg set the German retirement age in the 19th Century at 65 years. He had his reasons, but that was then and this is now. If Mr. Sellers says 7″, that’s a great start! But am I married to it? He uses solid planks of 7/8″ woods and rips them down. The thickness of the handle matches that of the cane shaft, but does it have to? And hand ripping hard wood is a bit much for me now at my age. I can get Mahogany, Maple, Oak dowels, and an M&T joint can be made with a 1″ dowel and 3/4″ handle (or a 3/4″ dowel and a 3/4″ handle), because the joint is one thing and the ergonomic shaping of a handle to (little old ladies’) arthritic hands is something else.Just doing a reality check here. I ruined my health with office work in cubicles, so now I’m trying to follow my grandfather’s woodworking footsteps while I am still able. I’ve been trying to get started but it seems that each step requires something like a new sharpening project (saws, shaves, etc), and learning (quickly! quickly!) how to do those and other things.
Wow, all this came from a simple question about using a 6″ handle. 6″ OK? Would trying to use a dowel be heresy? Any thoughts?
22 September 2016 at 11:04 pm #140777@jeffpolaski…the above linked file is a simple JPEG and should simply open as with any other photo. This and all of my drawings for Masterclasses are done by hand on a drawing board.
In my view, this project was intended to introduce us to shaping more than cane building. The size of the components can be altered to fit your requirements and/or stock availability. Within reason of course. If you are going to use 3/4″ stock for the shaft, choose a piece with straight grain and no runout. Also I would keep the shaping to minimum to preserve strength. The handle could be of any size or shape that you like. The important part is to shape the handle to be functional and comfortable. The farther you move the users hand from the centerline of the shaft, the stronger the joint between handle and shaft needs to be. I’ve not used dowels for this sort of right angle connection, so I can’t speak to its strength. Make one or two and try your best to break it. If it holds up under abuse, it will hold up under normal use just fine.
Hope that helps.
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