# How would I go about mass producing the handels of these?



## LeeKelly (Nov 27, 2020)

I am looking to try and mass-produce the wooden handles in house rather than rely on the delivery and quality of other manufactures. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31erNXJPwfL._AC_SY450_.jpg

I was thinking of using a CNC machine to manufacture these but does anyone else here have any other options that may make it a bit easier?

Im not looking at the price it will cost I'm just looking at the how.

Thanks
Lee


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## LilysDad (Dec 21, 2019)

You can either make them on a lathe, turning a piece of wood the thickness thru the flats or make them by routing the same thickness of wood with a round over bit.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Would take a lot of time to find the equipment. What ever the size of the handle, like maybe it was maybe 5/8" thick and 7/8" wide I would run off long lengths of that material and run it through a molder putting a radius the edges and then cut to length. Then there is a machine, (can't remember the name) that you could stick the end of the blanks in that would turn the ends to fit the bottle opener hardware. Works sort of like a pencil sharpener. I ran one in the 1970's working for someone else where we were putting the slats for louver shutters in that would grind off end of the slat leaving a dowel so when inserted in a frame the louvers would be adjustable. A knife could be made to make the dowel for the handle and it could be done so it round off that end of the handle too. Then a different knife or the stop could be adjusted in order to round off the other end. Actually both ends could be done the same and occasionally one would not cut well and you could always cut off the bad end. If you just ran one end the bad ones would have to be disposed of.


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## HoytC (Dec 30, 2019)

Can you better define "mass production"? Thousands? Millions? At what rate?


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## LeeKelly (Nov 27, 2020)

HoytC said:


> Can you better define "mass production"? Thousands? Millions? At what rate?


A few hundred to start with per month.


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## m.n.j.chell (May 12, 2016)

From my understanding, CNC machines aren't "quick". Just one handle could take an hour or better, and still need finishing work to make it look good. Several hundred hours involved to save a day's wait for delivery? Are you going to charge the hourly rate per handle?


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## LeeKelly (Nov 27, 2020)

mikechell said:


> From my understanding, CNC machines aren't "quick". Just one handle could take an hour or better, and still need finishing work to make it look good. Several hundred hours involved to save a day's wait for delivery? Are you going to charge the hourly rate per handle?


Well, the reasoning behind it is that we offer personalised bottle openers and the delivery time from China and the amount they charge for shipping. We are just trying to see about manufacturing in house and if we can produce them in a larger quantity then we could also sell them the wholesale UK.


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

turning 3-6 pieces at a time with a pattern lathe would be fast(er) - turn multiples, sand smooth, cut apart, drill hole.
there will be some tearing if you start with a flat blank - may or may not work out depending on species.
or they could be turned totally round and the sides sliced off flat in a secondary operation.


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## m.n.j.chell (May 12, 2016)

There's a reason mass manufactured products are less expensive. Production lines are designed to crank out multitudes of identical items. You're selling personalized items, but trying to mass produce the handle. My personal opinion is, you can't have it both ways. Either set it up so you're mass producing basically identical pieces (initially a big investment), or personalize a smaller quantity (worth more money).


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## LeeKelly (Nov 27, 2020)

mikechell said:


> There's a reason mass manufactured products are less expensive. Production lines are designed to crank out multitudes of identical items. You're selling personalized items, but trying to mass produce the handle. My personal opinion is, you can't have it both ways. Either set it up so you're mass producing basically identical pieces (initially a big investment), or personalize a smaller quantity (worth more money).


I understand what you are saying, but what is the issue with trying to mass-produce the products that we buy now? The personalisation is easy and fast just looking for a way to manufacture the handles and what not in the UK to not be disrupted by potentially long deliveries or higher cost for buying from resellers.


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

I think this can be done with just table saw, lathe, sander and drill.
table saw to produce the 'square. flat dimensions and cut to length. Actual turning time on lathe wouldnt be more than a minute or two to create shoulder on one end and create the rounded edges., Then drill hole at end of handle and sand the rounded long edges to flow into the flats.
It's all about how long it will take you, The cost of the wood and labor involved. Unless you are set up for mass production, it may or may not be the determining factor.
How many do you need?
How fast will you need them?
What will it cost you to do it yourself?

If you are not set up for production, a few hundred a month can get pretty darn boring.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Coming from a production background I can see several reasons why one might hesitate to invest in the manufacture of bottle openers with the advent of twist tops, but that was not the question. 😀


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## LeeKelly (Nov 27, 2020)

FrankC said:


> Coming from a production background I can see several reasons why one might hesitate to invest in the manufacture of bottle openers with the advent of twist tops, but that was not the question. 😀


Haha, True but twist offs aren't too popular in the UK.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

If this is the design, it could be made primarily on the tablesaw, a chop or RAS to cut the lengths, a router table for the edges and for the round over ends, a lathe. A drill press for the hole and countersinks. Those are very common woodworking machines and the initial investment would be minimal. I am assuming the hardware can be purchased....? This is a wild guess, but I would estimate I could make between 50 and 100 in an 8 hr day. Finishing would take another day depending on how many coats it requires, maybe dipping would be best, then hanging to drip dry. This is NOT an offer, just so you know! 🙃
A 1/2" tenon cutter:


https://www.amazon.com/Lumberjack-Tools-Tenon-Cutter-TTR0500/dp/B001FOPZG4/ref=sr_1_13?dchild=1&hvadid=78065376856871&hvbmt=bb&hvdev=c&hvqmt=b&keywords=log+tenon+cutter&qid=1606521726&sr=8-13&tag=mh0b-20



Making small quantities was one of the toughest tasks I encountered when designing and then making devices for the physically disabled students in college. It was "design for limited production" say, between 5 and 20 of some things. This device lends itself to better methods of duplication than I was faced with, in my opinion. A more exotic species of wood would command a higher markup. So, a little bit "custom" in that sense.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

These are available for $1.20 US or less in larger quantities, hard to compete with that.








Personalized Engraved Stainless Steel Wooden Handle Beer Bottle Opener Wood Opener With Holes For Wedding Gift Canada 2022 From Flyw201264, CAD $$1.46 | DHgate Canada


Search for best 100pcs/lot personalized engraved stainless steel wooden handle beer bottle opener wood opener with holes for wedding gift Canada on sale at wholesale prices free shipping to Canada from Dhgate openers.



ca.dhgate.com


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## LeeKelly (Nov 27, 2020)

woodnthings said:


> View attachment 420942
> 
> If this is the design, it could be made primarily on the tablesaw, a chop or RAS to cut the lengths, a router table for the edges and for the round over ends, a lathe. A drill press for the hole and countersinks. Those are very common woodworking machines and the initial investment would be minimal. I am assuming the hardware can be purchased....? This is a wild guess, but I would estimate I could make between 50 and 100 in an 8 hr day. Finishing would take another day depending on how many coats it requires, maybe dipping would be best, then hanging to drip dry. This is NOT an offer, just so you know! 🙃
> A 1/2" tenon cutter:
> ...


So how would the lathe work in terms of the height of the bottle opener being shorter than the width?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

I would use a 4 jaw chuck with independent jaw adjustment or the tenon maker I posted making a 1/2" tenon on the end.


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

The tenon could also be cut while still on the lathe with the same gouges 

Aside from that, these are very inexpensive on Amazon. Money might be better invested on personalized engraving.


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## LeeKelly (Nov 27, 2020)

Tony B said:


> The tenon could also be cut while still on the lathe with the same gouges
> 
> Aside from that, these are very inexpensive on Amazon. Money might be better invested on personalized engraving.


I already have the personalised engraving setup, just the issue right now is stock that's why I'm looking at potentially producing it in house too.


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

I have no mass production experience, but I keep thinking about this thread. Here is where some of my random thoughts:

I can think of three ways to make them:
A: Start with round stock (dowels) and cut the flat sides
B: Start with flat stock and make the round sides.
C: Use a lathe.

If I were to try it, I would choose B. The following approach would require three, maybe four, jigs.

Here is how I might do it:

Using a table saw, cut uniform rectangular pieces the size of the handle.
Using a table saw with a sled and stop block or a miter saw and stop block, cut the pieces to the length of the handle.
Using a jig and a drill press with a depth stop, drill the end hole for the bottle opener. The jig assures repeatable centering and alignment.
Using a jig and a drill press with a depth stop, drill the handle hole with countersink in a single step. Flip the piece and drill the second countersink. The jig assures repeatable centering and alignment.
Make a jig with a pattern to match the handle side shape. The jig would be a rectangle on three sides to register and hold the workpiece. It will have a hardboard, MDF, or plywood base that matches the handle side shape on the "open" side. The still-rectangular workpiece would hang over the base slightly.
Use a router table with a pattern bit and the jig to shape one side of the handle. Flip the handle in the jig and shape the other side.
Use a router table with a roundover bit to shape the roundovers on the sides. You may want to make a jig to hold the handle for speed and safety. It will take four passes per handle. (Maybe you can find the right edge beading or bullnose bead router bit that could possibly make your handles more distinctive - it would save two passes.)

At this point, I do not know whether engraving comes next or inserting the bottle opener comes next, but you get the idea.

If it takes an average of 30 seconds per step, that's approximately five minutes per piece. If I were repeating the same step many times, I bet that the average time per step would be less.

Remember that haste is the enemy of safety.

I hope this helps.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Here is an example of how long it takes to make a file handle:


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## LeeKelly (Nov 27, 2020)

Tool Agnostic said:


> I have no mass production experience, but I keep thinking about this thread. Here is where some of my random thoughts:
> 
> I can think of three ways to make them:
> A: Start with round stock (dowels) and cut the flat sides
> ...


This is super helpful. Thanks for thinking about it.


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## LeeKelly (Nov 27, 2020)

FrankC said:


> Here is an example of how long it takes to make a file handle:


This is essentially a cnc lathe, right? Looks pretty cool.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

Have you bought one and taken it apart?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

LeeKelly said:


> This is essentially a cnc lathe, right? Looks pretty cool.





LeeKelly said:


> This is essentially a cnc lathe, right? Looks pretty cool.


It looks great for file handles but won't work for something with just rounded corners. Being wood, making the corners rounded would have to be done with the grain. Cutting cross grain it would cut very rough causing you to have to do a lot of sanding. That is something that would be terribly labor intensive. For what you are doing you need something that could be machined smooth enough you could skip sanding.


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## LeeKelly (Nov 27, 2020)

Rebelwork said:


> Have you bought one and taken it apart?



















Yep here it is.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

LeeKelly said:


> This is essentially a cnc lathe, right? Looks pretty cool.


Yes, and you would have to sell a lot of handles to pay for it, those guys likely have a pile of dockets from different companies worldwide lined up after that job.


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

LeeKelly said:


> Yep here it is. (See photos, above.)


Well, dang. I did not know that you need a hollow tenon in the end. That complicates it a lot.

I assumed that the bottle opener mechanism was more like the ones I have made in the past, where you thread the mechanism in a simple hole in the end. That type is probably more expensive. It would make handle production easier, but assembly more complex. Here are two examples that I have made using a lathe:

This kind uses a 3/8-16 tap to put threads in the hole, with a double-screw to attach the opener:
https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/54/6246/artisan-Premium-Bottle-Opener-Kit

This kind uses a threaded insert instead of tapping the drilled hole:
https://www.rockler.com/chrome-bottle-opener-turning-kit


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## LeeKelly (Nov 27, 2020)

Tool Agnostic said:


> Well, dang. I did not know that you need a hollow tenon in the end. That complicates it a lot.
> 
> I assumed that the bottle opener mechanism was more like the ones I have made in the past, where you thread the mechanism in a simple hole in the end. That type is probably more expensive. It would make handle production easier, but assembly more complex. Here are two examples that I have made using a lathe:
> 
> ...


I was surprised when I opened it to not be threaded. It is a really tight fit since I had to use pliers to pull it out.


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## Dave McCann (Jun 21, 2020)

LeeKelly said:


> Yep here it is.


OK,,,,,,,,,,, you guys sucked me in to it. I'll take a stab at a proposed production process.

(1) Start with round, full diameter stock.
(2) Cut to length.
(3) Mount in lathe and using tailstock, drill the hole and cut the tenon in one operation. Yes there are tools designed for this. One MAY need to have a custom one made for the specific sizing and depth needed. Basically it is a glorified stop collar for the drill bit. Only difference is a portion of the collar cuts and an portion of it acts as a stop.









(4) Mount the piece in a vise and cut first flat. Can be done with a router bit in a radial arm saw (power head rotated to vertical)
(5) Remove the piece, add a shim and re-clamp in the vise. Cut 2nd flat, no need to reset cutting height. The shim takes care of that. One could even use two vises in tandem to create station A and station B both under one pass of the cutting head.








(6) Drill cross hole

(7) Use bench mounted flap wheel and lightly remove sharp edges as needed


There you have it.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

What I saw when you opened the bottle opener is a defect in the design. The hole instead of a big hole should have been a small slot that matches the bottle opener. A handle on a chisel is made the same way but the wood is tightly fitted to the tool. The cap is just there to prevent splitting. I think very soon from being used the bottle openers would start coming off the handles.


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## LeeKelly (Nov 27, 2020)

Dave McCann said:


> OK,,,,,,,,,,, you guys sucked me in to it. I'll take a stab at a proposed production process.
> 
> (1) Start with round, full diameter stock.
> (2) Cut to length.
> ...


That's very detailed and helpful. The drilling of the hole and cutting tenon tool sounds intresting.


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## LeeKelly (Nov 27, 2020)

Steve Neul said:


> What I saw when you opened the bottle opener is a defect in the design. The hole instead of a big hole should have been a small slot that matches the bottle opener. A handle on a chisel is made the same way but the wood is tightly fitted to the tool. The cap is just there to prevent splitting. I think very soon from being used the bottle openers would start coming off the handles.


Yeah, I think if I do and try to remake this I would use the screw tops but I might try a small slot too and see which works best.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

LeeKelly said:


> Yeah, I think if I do and try to remake this I would use the screw tops but I might try a small slot too and see which works best.


I know opening a bottle isn't near the stress as a chisel but over time any void around the metal parts is going to create enough looseness for it to work itself off. That design would work if the hole was filled with epoxy when the bottle opener is installed but epoxy would be a pretty substantial expense.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

A CNC lathe is drastic overkill for a simple part like that, and youd have to make a few hundred thousand before you recouped the cost of the $16k low end machine. If you want to churn out identical wood blanks, think 100 year old technology; duplicator attachments. Cost a few hundred bucks at most, bolt to an existing lathe. Bit of practice and you can crank out simple objects just as fast as a CNC lathe


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