Cool handles for cabinets, whatcha using?

[widerberg]

Hi, All:

Inspired by tinbender66's shift handle towel holder and drawer pull, I started looking for something interesting to use as handles for some tall cabinets I've got in the garage. They're steel shelves that I covered with plywood, painted, and hung a bunch of garage signs, etc. on. The "doors" currently open with magnetic latches, but I decided I wanted something more formally a "handle" without resorting to using an actual handle.

I don't have pics of the cabinets yet, and will wait until my "handles" are in place (just won the auctions and I'm waiting on them to arrive), to show them, but here's what I've decided to use . . .

Beer tap handles!

Bought four of them (below) off of eBay, and will attach them with L-shaped threaded rods, some washers, and nuts. In my mind, they look cool as hell. We'll see what they actually look like when they arrive and I install them.

So . . . what kinds of non-handles do you guys use as handles? There's the shift handles, of course, and I've seen wrenches and various tools.

 

[Ray-CA]

Here is a thread that I started a year or so back: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36032

I used swap meet combo-wrenches for cabinet handles and drawer pulls.

Ray

 

[widerberg]

Very cool handles, Ray. I like!

 

[BigGMC]

I'm partial to the wrench handles..... hope to do that someday. Also thought that small pistons (like from weedwacker/chainsaw) would make a neat pull. I'm sure a small engine shop has a pile of 'em.

 

[PECVD2]

Ford badges. Still looking for more if you have any.

 

[crewchief888]

Ford badges. Still looking for more if you have any.

good idea, never thought about it.......

 

[NUTTSGT]

I was going to make wrench handles last winter but I wanted the same wrenches. I could never find the same wrenches. I guess I was too impatient to buy a couple here and there.

 

[ihredo4]

I always thought about MM wrenchs for the MM wrench drawer. Phillios screwdriver for the Phillips drawer. A small hammer for the hammer drawer. Ratchet for Ratchet drawer. ETC ETC ETC.


Be careful on the threaded rod on the Tap Handles. I had one with a weird thread in it. Before I knew what I did I had screwed up the threads in it and never did figure out what they were.

 

[92GreenYJ]

I always thought about MM wrenchs for the MM wrench drawer. Phillios screwdriver for the Phillips drawer. A small hammer for the hammer drawer. Ratchet for Ratchet drawer. ETC ETC ETC.


Be careful on the threaded rod on the Tap Handles. I had one with a weird thread in it. Before I knew what I did I had screwed up the threads in it and never did figure out what they were.

Im betting it was for an import beer or a stout. Those typically will use a different faucet all together hence a different connection method. However most domestic beers will have tap handles set up for a standard 3/8" thread. That's what I used to make my tap handle display rail as well as my new custom steel tap handles for my keezer.

Guess I don't have a pic of the redwood handle display I made on its own but you can kind of see it along the wall in the back of that pic.

 

[widerberg]

I always thought about MM wrenchs for the MM wrench drawer. Phillios screwdriver for the Phillips drawer. A small hammer for the hammer drawer. Ratchet for Ratchet drawer. ETC ETC ETC.


Be careful on the threaded rod on the Tap Handles. I had one with a weird thread in it. Before I knew what I did I had screwed up the threads in it and never did figure out what they were.

That's a great idea on matching the handle to the contents. I like that.

Yeah, in terms of the threads, I'll have to wait until the handles actually get here to check. I'm *assuming* they're 3/8-16 UNC, which I believe is pretty standard, but I'll definitely check each one before committing. I'm planning on picking up some threaded rod from Home Depot (the kind you make your own bolts out of), cutting it to length, throwing it in a vise, heating with a butane torch and then bending them into basically an L shape. In my mind, it sounds easy. What could go wrong, right? I'll post pics when I've actually done it. Got the tracking number last night for two of the handles, waiting to hear on the other two. They can't get here fast enough.

 

[ihredo4]

I appreciate the info guys. I had a Stroh's tap handle on the shifter in my truck. The handle may well have been 3/8-16 and I tried putting it on a NP4500 trans that was all metric. So I am sure I screwed it up inadvertently. Interesting idea with tap handles for door pulls.

 

[PECVD2]

I have been searching for badges to finish off my cabinet pulls, today I found the motherlode and tomorrow is 1/2price day. I plan on being first in line tomorrow.

 

[PECVD2]

Well I managed to pick up a few items to use as my cabinet pulls.
Not sure if I am gonna repair the MercMatic or just use the broken pieces separately.

 

[mitchn06]

i just picked up some old wrenches from the pawn shop yesterday to use for my handles on the cabinets and drawers (Work in progress still)

 

[Boyd Who]

One of these days I'll get around to doing custom handles for my cabinets. I plan to use Hot Wheels cars.

 

[Larwyn]

I used the old Hurst T handle that was once part of my favorite '64 Chevy half ton to replace the broken handle on my beer fridge. I removed the handle only minutes before selling the truck and replaced it with the white ball knob that came with the Hurst shifter.

 

[Scoutman]

I just put up a few HF metal wall cabinets and decided to use chrome lug nuts on the doors instead of the locks.

 

[Gary S]

I made my own.

 

[aka Larry]

I used lug nuts for door pulls on my cabinet.

 

[The Hot Rod Grille]

I was at Hobby Lobby recently and they have some cabinet / drawer handles that are pretty cool. Some look like the front fender "flags" used on late 60's Chevrolets. Others look like the outside door handles (complete with push button) from 1960's cars. They also had some Mustang horse emblem cabinet handles for the Ford guys. Hobby Lobby usually has 40-50% discount coupons on their website that could be used when purchasing the handles.

Jim

 

[Kevin54]

I made up a slew of handles for my nephew that looked like small connecting rods and pistons. I don't have any pics of them though.

 

[PECVD2]

Finally got my new cabinet pulls mounted. Sorry for the crappy cell phone pics.

 

[TheShrine]

 

[fflintstone]

from a while ago

 

[kbs2244]

I was in a lawn mower shop once where the guy used B&S valves and rod caps.
He shortened and threaded the valve stems on a lathe and just bolted the caps to the doors.
I thought the caps were a little small to get your fingers behind but he seemed OK with them.