Table Edge Scratch Stock - Complex Table Edge

I have started to work on the top of the dressing table.  I decided to cut out a full size template out of plywood to see how it looks and where the curves of the top match the curves on the drawer fronts.   The size and the curves look ok.

According to the book there is a complex molding profile on the edge of the table all the way around.  This is unusual since the edge is usually not finished in the back.  But I guess I will follow what was done originally.

This is a drawing of the tables edge and the corner carvings.  I guess the reason they finished the back is so they could put this corner treatment on all four corners.

 
I don't have a router bit that would match this and molding planes can not be used on the front since it curves in and out.  So I need to come up with a plan.
I have run some tests and can get close by using three different router bits.  A standard table edge with a large bearing, a 1/4 inch quarter round for the underside, and a 3/8 inch quarter round for the front nose.  It gets me close.

And this is what it looks like after those three steps.
The good part is that they all use a bearing so they can be used on the curved front.

You can see that there is a little material left to be removed on the slope of the curve.  Most of this can be removed with a hand plane on the straight sides but on the curves it will have to be scraped or carved.   So I will need a scratch stock to finish the curves.  So now I have to make a scratch stock.
You can use an old band saw blade for metal but this is bigger than any band saw blades I have, So I am using a putty knife.  Here I have scratched the profile on to the putty knife from the cardboard template.

Then I cut out the waste with a hacksaw and use my bench grinder with a 1/4 inch wheel to get near the profile.  I leave about 1/32 inch to be filed off manually with hand files.

Using my hand files I file the shape to the scratch line.  I check the shape against the cardboard template to make sure it matches.

Now a test run.  Using the piece of maple I had routed before it seems to work pretty good.

So now I remove the handle and clamp it in a scratch stock block that I had made before.  Ready to go.  I am going to make another test run before using it on the good mahogany.

Here is today's video:

Turning the Drop Finials - My Turning Needs Practice

The next step in building the table for me is to make the two drop finials which are attached to the bottom of the apron.  I had made a drawing of the sizes and shapes for the finials. I used pictures from various books to select the design that I liked.  It is somewhat similar to those that are on the table at Winterthur.

Here is the first one that I turned.  It has an ugly turning catch in the top but that is what practice is for.   I decide that it is too small and the ball needs to be larger.

So I turned another.  I should get better, right.  Wrong. The second one the ball looks like a tomato but no catches this time.  Here I am turning the cylinder.

Then mark out the design by putting the lines on the cylinder.

Then turn the shapes.  The ball is the hardest for me to get it to look like a ball.

This is not going to be the best one.  You see the ball looks like it is squished.  I need to start over again.  But I am getting quicker and I have now memorized the dimensions.

Finally an acceptable one.  I made it larger and the ball a little bigger.  The rejects are on the right.

Now to do another like this one. These two look pretty good.  Now if I were a better turner I would have the ball on the ends all one piece.  But since I am not I will turn the ball separately and glue it on.

Turning the ball for the end of the finial.

Looks ok.  So now I have to make another and glue them on.

Glued on

Here how it looks with them attached to the table apron.  This is only temporary, I will finish sand them first before gluing them on.

Now I will start to work on the top.  So here is today's video:

Making and Fitting the Drawer Bottoms - Done with the Drawers

Well I started to work on the drawer bottoms.  I have milled the stock to 1/2 inch and glued up the panels so the grain runs across the drawer bottom.

First I have to finish cutting out the back of the drawer fronts to match the curve on the front of the drawers.  This is done on the bandsaw.

Then I have to put a groove 1/4 inch from the bottom 1/4 inch wide.  I have decided to use my router with a circular cutter to make the grove.

All done. Now to work on the bottoms.  You can see why the planning for where to put the dovetails is important since you don't want to put the groove through the bottom dovetail.

Next I cut out the fronts of the drawer bottoms to match the curves in the drawer fronts.
As you can see there needs to be a bevel put on the drawer edges so that it can slide into the drawers.

I have decided to use my router to put the bevel on to the bottoms.  It has a bearing so it can go around the curves in the front of the bottoms.

I make three passes with the router, raising the bit a little each time.  This is to prevent burning and tear out.

So now all I need to do is assemble the drawer bottom into the drawer.  It takes a little final fitting.  I use my hand plane to square off the backs.

Then slip the back in and we are all done.

I could glue up the drawers now but I will wait because I want to stain the pins with the final color without getting any on the pine tails.

So now I am going to start on the drop finials.

Here is today's video:

Cutting Grooves With a Sandusky 119 Plow Plane - Old Fashioned Way

I finished the dovetails and assembled the six drawers.  Looks pretty good.

So the next step is to cut a 1/4 inch grove into the drawer sides to fit the drawer bottoms.
This could be done with a router but I am sure you would rather I did it with hand tools.
So I have a reproduction of a Sandusky 119 plow plane.  I made this last fall.    If you are interested there is another video on the plane here http://davidboefffurnituremaker.blogspot.com/2013/11/hollows-and-rounds.html
Using a 1/4 inch iron I set up the fence and depth stop for the 7/32 inch deep groove.

 I have the board clamped in and ready to cut.

I make a few passes and this one is done.  So now I have to do 11 more.

It did not take too long.  All finished.  Now I have to make the drawer bottoms.

Here is today's Video

Detail of the Half Blind Dovetails and Drawer Bottom Grain Direction

I had some requests for more detail on the half blind dovetails since I kind of skimmed over that in the last video.

Here they are marked out on the drawer front.  I traced them from the tails on the drawer side.

I put an x on the area that needs to be removed.  If I don't I forget and chop out the wrong thing.  It also helps me to remember which is the waste side of the cut.
You want to leave the line and cut on the waste side of the line.  Also because they are half blind and there is a lip you have to angle the saw steep. So you will cut into the drawer below the line of the drawer side.

Here it is after cutting.  If you look close you see the lines are still marked on top and there are saw lines way past the point were the side will stop.  My finger if pointing to the line where the drawer side will stop.

Now we have to chop out the waste.  Very carefully..  These are the dovetails that everyone sees in the front of the drawer so you want them to look good.

Check to make sure they are square to the back and bottom or the side won't fit correctly.

If you are careful the side should just fit right in but it should be tight.  I use a block to bang them home.  If they are too tight, then you can pare a little of the material off of the tails to make them fit.  Always start from the inside of the piece so that the outside is the tightest.

There is a good fit. No gaps.  If the side is proud then the cutouts can be deepened until the side is flush, if the pins are proud these can be planed flush when fitting the drawer in the case.

Good luck on your dovetails.

I also looked at the drawer bottoms today and was reminded that the grain of the drawer bottoms when made from solid wood has to run side to side since the wood expansion is across the grain.  If the grain of the drawer bottom ran front to back then when the drawer bottom expanded in high humidity  it would push out the sides of the drawer.  This could cause the drawer to stick or it could even crack the drawer.
To make the drawer bottoms big enough to be cross grain and run to the back I have to glue up two pieces then cut to size.  With the material that I have I will get two drawer bottoms for each glue up.

So I will probably glue them up tomorrow since I will probably finish the drawer frames soon and then will need the bottoms.

Here is today's video: