Just a quick post while I sort out how to make the Selenium testing platform deal with a compound xpath locator (don’t worry, you don’t have to understand that).
I’ve been working on custom drawer pull/cabinet knob orders lately and the current order is for 28 of them in two sizes. If you’re doing a one off, it doesn’t matter if something is slightly off size, but if you need a large number of matching ones, they have to be fairly close which is tough to do when you’re smooshing hot glass down flat.
Partially done knob order
So to get the sizes I need over and over (and over and over….), I made cherry wood molds.
Cherry wood knob molds
These have the benefit of being fairly low cost, easy to make, and easy to use. The only problem is they have to be waterlogged, so they have to be kept wet, and you have to start soaking them ahead of your need. You also effectively have a pet now where you have to change the water periodically and clean the slime off of them. You can add a tiny bit of borax to the water to help go a little longer between changes, but still, it’s got to be done.
The other problem is that these will burn out and deform. The lower mold above has two holes on it, the bottom one is the original that’s now oddly concave from pushing on it with the hot glass.
So, in comes modern technology.
I rang up my favorite graphite tool supplier, Weaver Industries, and ordered a custom mold. They had a few on their ebay site, but they weren’t the sizes I needed (too small).
So two weeks from contact to delivery, I now have this lovely, long term model.
New graphite knob mold
While it lacks the rustic warmth and old world charm, it’s easier to maintain and should last much, much longer.
If you’re interested in outfitting your own kitchen/bathroom/dresser/other with custom glass knobs and pulls, feel free to get in contact.