How to fit knobs so they turn??

[NiceCupOfTeaAndASitDown]

Apologies if this is the wrong section!

I'm making a toy kitchen for my DS and have come up against a problem with the cooker 'knobs' - I think I need double-ended screws to attach them to the table I'm using (an ikea lack) as the top is one solid block, however I really want them to be able to turn as that seems to be where DS has most of his fun!

Has anyone any ideas how I go about this? I don't want him to be able to unscrew them obviously!

Tia

easy now

drill a hole through your new batten which allows the shank of the screw (but not the head) to pass easily through without binding. Countersink it so the head will nor bind when fixed to the table

Pass longish screws through the holes in the batten and screw them into pilot holes in the knobs. If you have any washers, put a couple between ther knobs and the battens.

Tighten them until the knobs will no longer rotate, then slacken off a fraction

You can now screw the batten to your table front

(You might like to paint rings and numbers on the batten around the knobs, and arrows on the knobs - it will be easier to do that before fixing)

I've ordered some numbered stickers for the dials. I don't plan on attaching anything to my bump, I don't think they'd allow a toy kitchen into the birthing centre ;I've already packed way too much!

Thank you, will be trying that later! Not too sure about countersinking but will do my best!

if you have a set of drills, you probably have one with a conical head like a stumpy christmas tree. That's a countersink bit. You put the point of that into the hole, and it will rasp out a recess that the head of the screw will set into.

Otherwise, you can use a larger drill the size of the screw-head, but don't go in deep - just half a second on the trigger will do.

Thought you might all like to see the end result - pictures are on my profile!

In the end I screwed the knobs to a separate piece of wood with a nut behind the wood and a washer in front, I then screwed the piece of wood onto the side of the table making sure there was enough space behind for the nut to stay still against the wood whilst the screw could turn.

Thank you for all your help and interest!

[applause]

Well done - it looks great :)

it looks very nice

how about a grill-pan under?

I'm sure I'll have lots of ideas for additions at a later date (plates etc, possibly an oven) but 1) I don't want to overwhelm DS with too much new stuff all at once especially when it's not Christmas and 2) I'm 38 weeks pregnant and knackered! I will see how he gets on with it as is, I'm sure in a few months time I'll be planning another project!