Thread: Advice please - how to cut this moulding?

You might try planing the chamfer (20-12) along the length, then grind a scraper, mount it in a holder, and run it along a pair of fences either side of your stock.

It looks shallow enough to almost sand it in using some sand paper glued to a sanding block/form after removing what you can with a rebate plane.

For one off such mouldings a set of round and hollows makes easy work of that sort of thing . Even though the curve is a lot less than a large hollow you could still rough it in with one then scrape and sand .

If you could get a $10 to $15 roughing plane like pictured below and re shape the sole and blade it would work as well. You may need to clamp a timber fence each side of the walnut in a vice maybe to guide it .

The Walnut will be so easy to work by hand it should be no probs .

C9BD031F-4D83-4F41-B618-E0DFCE2A49B8.jpg

I have never done that, Brian, but I did watch someone do it a couple of years ago. There was a hell of a lot of set up, and in the end they re-drew the plans a little to fit the shape dimensions that had been produced.

These drawings should give you the basic idea.

Cove 1.jpg

Cove 2.jpg

I have never felt comfortable cutting coves on a table saw.

Someone might come up with a better idea.

Brian, Another method, a variation on Auscab's, that may be a better choice for such a small job.

1. Joint and thickness the timber,
2. Cut the fillet or sloping side on the table saw,
3. Draw in the desired curve,
4. Hollow out using Auscab's method. You could probably also use a curved spokeshave or a scorp.

Cove 3.jpg

The advantage of this method is that wWhen cutting the curved section very little wood will need to be removed so it should not be too onerous.

PS: Whatever you choose, I would practice on some cheap radiata or similar, rather than risk some nice walnut.

Thanks jcge, Rob and Graeme,

You've all effectively confirmed what I feared - that I'm going to have to do some work

Rob, I might know someone with some rounds and hollows so that will be my first port of call. Thank you. As you say, there's not a huge amount to remove. If I remove most of it with the round, assemble the box then finish off with a gooseneck or a shaped sanding block I should get the corners to meet properly with a 'double flare'.

Graeme - good advice AND custom diagrams! Thanks! I've cut coves on the table saw a few times but I can't say I've been comfortable with it. The fact that the curve goes only part of the way up the side makes it more complex so I think I'll go with the manual methods suggested.

jcge - I'll also give the scraper-in-a-holder approach a try - it sounds like it should work.

Thanks again, all. I'll take some pics as I go and let you know.

Regards,

Brian

Id be doing them like this .
Work on them as 2 x 600. Make a template of the end shape . I cut it out of aluminium flashing that I have a roll of in the workshop. Cut with scissors. Or do it from cardboard. Draw the end shape from template on the 4 ends in pen.
Then cut the waste out like this on the table saw.

11461AE7-846F-4142-BF01-66492A829948qa.jpg

That will leave steps which help guide a round to cut the hollow and get it close . I always get confused with that naming .
Then a curved scraper and sand paper. If you didn't have the moulding planes a good sharp curved scraper will do it free hand after the saw cuts in Walnut.

EEK!

Making several cuts with the timber hanging over the blade would be more than my bowels could stand. But I like the principle - perhaps I could do this on it's side on the router table with a 3mm cutter and enough timber either side of the cut to form a pair of 'skates'?

Fortunately I've already made the end profile template so the marking up shouldn't take long. I'll test it on some pine.

Thanks again,

Brian

Definitely do what ever your comfortable with .
I didn't think of that possible discomfort . Here's a neater picture with saw fence in green . Id be using two push sticks , second to stop any lifting of the piece , and standing clear on the left side of the cut. I don't see a problem with that cut unless you tipped the wood over into the blade . Its got a lot of base to it though.

There is a danger with smaller lighter pieces like this on table saw compared to something like this 6 foot long and heavier . Maybe keep it 1200 long and cut it into 2 x 600 afterwards would be better.

Think Id be doing the shortest cut first .

11461AE7-846F-4142-BF01-66492A829948qaa.jpg
Router would be good too . Inverted router in a table if possible. Not sure about a 3mm cutter ? More like 10 mm or more. You could take it off in steps and leave a leg holding up one side up to be taken off later with chisel or saw . Very safe .


11461AE7-846F-4142-BF01-66492A829948sa.jpg

A spindle moulder is the machine for that type of work, I have ground many blanks to different shapes over the years to match Victorian Architrave & Skirting mouldings when doing restoration work.

Also if the curve is not cast in stone then a off the shelf Raised Panel Router bit could do the job Amana Tool 54119 Carbide Tipped Cove Raised Panel 1-9/16 R x 3-3/8 D x 1/2 CH x 1/2 Inch SHK Router Bit

The one in the link would require your piece to be 60 x 12 x 24 instead of 60 x 12 x 20 or maybe 60 x 8 x 20 would still work within what you are making, the other thing about this standard router bit is the mould will only give you length of 36mm and not 45mm which means the mould wont start a quarter of the way down the 60mm but just above halfway, however there maybe other larger standard bits that will give you something close to what you need.

Originally Posted by auscab

Router would be good too . Inverted router in a table if possible.

That’s how I’d be doing it. Much safer than the table saw. Do it like Graeme recommended as a symmetrical cove, then split it in half. A coving bit would be the go.

I'll do some measuring of coving bits tomorrow. Timbecon have a couple of versions, one of which is wider than the Amana, and Carbatec has at least one version. Carbo-tool doesn't seem to have a large (wide) cutter.

Thanks, all. I'll let you know how each of the methods work out.

Regards,

Brian.