Question about brush knot diameter.

[sandshoes]

I picked up a Butterscotch Made Rite handle a few days ago and pulled the knot out. I measured the hole and its 21mm across. With it being in between the 20mm and 22mm knot sizes that TGN offers which do I order? If I were to order the 22mm size it says the knot would be between 21mm and 22mm, so I kind of think it just might fit....I'm leaning toward the 20mm because of the shorter loft.

What do you guys think? Should I go for the 22mm knot or be safe and go with the 20mm knot?

 

[Hurling Frootmig]

I would go for the 20mm knot unless you want to enlarge the diameter of the brush to take the larger knot.

 

[natchez]

I would go for the 20mm knot unless you want to enlarge the diameter of the brush to take the larger knot.

+1 If you want to be safe. If you are willing to do a little sanding then it might take the 22 mm. A picture of the handle would help.

 

[QuarkVI]

Not a big drama to enlarge the hole a touch - but the more important criteria for me would be the loft. Without a drill press it is a pain in the neck to increase depth of the hole to get the desired loft.

 

[ddk13]

I used a spade bit on the #53 that you have. Once you get into it the bit digs right in. Surprisingly the inside of the handle isn't hollow, also, what it is filled with is pretty soft. One of the easier handles I've drilled into.

 

[sandshoes]

I don't think I'll have to drill it out at all. I measured the depth of the knot hole and its about 17mm-18mm deep. I was thinking about setting the loft between 44mm and 46mm. The loft of the knot that I purchased is 60mm so if I set the knot in the hole as is it should give me a loft of 42mm or 43mm. I figure I can put a penny or two to adjust the loft as needed. I guess I'm just assuming the measurement of the lofts at TGN are from the bottom of the plug to the tips of the hair... am I wrong in thinking this?

 

[Hurling Frootmig]

You are correct in how TGN knots are measured. To be safe I would double check the loft of the knot. I find some variance in TGN knots so a penny, nickel, or quarter (depends on the size of the hole) works well. Just give it a drop of epoxy on both sides. Also if it is a bulb knot I think you are going to find 42mm or 43mm to be too low. 48mm might be a better height. Shim with coins and see how it looks.

 

[sandshoes]

You are correct in how TGN knots are measured. To be safe I would double check the loft of the knot. I find some variance in TGN knots so a penny, nickel, or quarter (depends on the size of the hole) works well. Just give it a drop of epoxy on both sides. Also if it is a bulb knot I think you are going to find 42mm or 43mm to be too low. 48mm might be a better height. Shim with coins and see how it looks.

I've ordered a 20mm fan knot. I was thinking of setting it at 45mm or 46mm. Do you think that's too short still?

 

[Hurling Frootmig]

It depends on how much backbone you like and how dense the knot is that you are using. A standard 20mm fan knot might be nice around 42mm or 43mm if you like something with a lot of backbone. You might go a couple of mm lower if we're talking Silvertip. I treat the extra hair knots from TGN like a knot one or two mm larger than what is stated.

I have two brushes that I have done with the 20mm extra hair fan knot and one is set at 43mm with a 24mm diameter hole and the other is set at 47mm in a 22mm diameter hole. Given the performance of both of these brushes I think 45mm or 46mm might be about perfect.

I guess it's time for another brush from the to be restored pile!

 

[Hurling Frootmig]

I generally like to set bulb knots higher than fans. I apologize if in your original post you were talking about a fan instead of a bulb.

 

[sandshoes]

Well, I just got the knot in the mail and the measurements seem quite off. The fit is very snug and the loft with the knot set into the hole is about 50mm. Supposedly the knot is 60mm loft as a whole but with the hole being 17mm deep and the loft, after i set it in, is 50mm that would me the loft of the knot as a whole 67mm and not 60mm as advertised....? This seems like a big difference. That being said, the 50mm loft seems quite stiff with lots of backbone, which is something I would not expect at such a height with a 20mm knot. I was going to set it at 45mm but that seems like it would be way too much backbone. I haven't done any glueing or gotten the knot wet. Will it behave a lot differently once its bloomed?