Knob Generator

About Knob Generator

Knob Generator makes star, fluted, knurled, round and wing knobs for jigs, clamps, drawers and electronics. A clamping knob takes a hex nut, a bolt head or a heat-set insert in metric and inch sizes; a shaft knob fits a 6 mm D shaft or an 18- or 24-tooth knurled shaft. The pocket takes your printer's press fit, the knob prints face down so nothing bridges, and a fit sample lets you try the nut or shaft first.

The full guide: every step with pictures, examples, print settings, fixes and every setting.

Read the Knob Generator guide

Frequently asked questions

How does the nut stay in?
The pocket is the nut's width plus your printer's press fit, so it presses in without glue, from the side the knob clamps: the bolt's pull pushes it deeper. Use a plain nut, not a self-locking one.
My knob is loose on its shaft. What should I change?
The bore takes your printer's press fit and its measured hole offset. Print the fit sample first; for a knurled shaft whose teeth are finer than your nozzle, a round bore at the teeth's tips grips by pressing on.
Which knurled shafts are there?
Rotary encoders mostly have 18 teeth on a 6 mm shaft; many guitar pots have 24. The two do not mix, so count the teeth.
Why does the knob print face down?
Face down, every pocket and bore opens upwards, so nothing has to bridge, and the face takes the bed's finish.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Knob Generator runs in the browser, and the geometry is built on your computer. It is free; you need a free NabiMakes account to download the files.

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