Finials again...

Hmmm...

  The more I think about it, I think I should go with an idea I had a while back to make the finials.  It involves making a die to form the top.  By making a die, I could be very sure to a consistent look to the finials.  This is also a possible sequence of construction.

1) Fuller a piece of 3/4" square almost all the way through, cut off half.  This would give a rough approximation of the top half of the finial.
2) File and touch up the piece to get it as close as possible to what I want.
3) Heat a piece of tool steel and drive the piece from step 2 into it to form the die.
4) Start with another piece of square stock and fuller as before but leave a bit more material.  In other words, not fullered as far.
5) Cut this piece from the main stock.  Just enough material to actually form the finial, no extra.
6) Place the finial into the die and drive the socket into the back end.  This will not only form the socket but force the finial into the shape of the die.
7) Place completed finial into die once again while hot.  Slide post attachment into socket and close socket up.  This allows me to close the socket without damaging the top of the finial.

I am doing an SCA event this weekend and I will be setting up.  I may have to give this a try.