Replies

1. 
   hammer1 | Nov 17, 2005 05:58am | #1

   Welcome to the forum, New Carpenter. You'll soon discover that there are many ways to perform woodworking tasks. The question you asked is difficult to answer without specifics. You may need to have a picture, sketch or post a web address to one that you are planning to build. Knowing what tools you have and being familiar with the vernacular is also helpful. For example, you may get a better response if you were to ask how to do a half lap on a stretcher with a router. Otherwise it would take quite a bit to describe the entire process and the description may not be what you had in mind. There's always the possibility that someone has built one or knows where to get a plan, but for the most part, we need more information.

   PS get some good tweezers with sharp points. You know you've got it all when the blood comes out.

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

1. 
   user-53529 | Nov 17, 2005 07:05am | #2

   hey, thanks for the reply. I have used that method many times. (hammer to fit, paint to match). I don't have my own shop but I am working for a cabnent maker. I have the plans for making a box joint jig, and I know that it is strong. Along with the obvious mortise and tendon.My question would be not how to get a plan, but for some of the specific pieces. My main goal is to make the legs and the the two supports that hold the paintings or drawings is adjustable. I clar question that I can ask you would be, how to make a leg that was hollow about 3/4 of the length of the leg. So that another solid wood piece can fit into it and slide. Then I can add a piece of hardware that can make the inner piece stay when adjusted.I am trying to incorperate my "functionality" baised up-bringing with my love for art and craft. Drawing is my strong point, but I am trying to find an outlet to incorperate my art into wood. Finding a Market for my art/woodworking so that I can get paid and also bieng my own boss is what I intend to do for a living. any suggestions, testimonials or advice is appreciated. If there are any questions you have that I may be able to answer for you. just write.Kev.

2. 
   DCarr10760 | Nov 18, 2005 06:08am | #3

   You might try to narrow down what kind of easel you want to make.

   There is the type that is essentially a tripod with a shelf to hold the canvas, but you probably want a studio type easel.  These are typically a single mast, with flanking support stiles.  These can be free standing with a single rear support, whose angle can be adjusted or more often it is arranged on a mobile base so it can pivot, the base can be castored so it's mobile.

   If you take a look at the Dick Blick catalog you will see every type there is.  If you would narrow it down a bit it would help.

   The joinery for an easel is pretty simple, mortice and tenon joints, lap joints, nothing too challenging.  One thing you will need to do is to figure a way to allow the paint tray to move up and down the mast as well as the top canvas clamp.  The two most common ways are to mill the mast sides in a concave "V" shape then dovetail the back of the tray and clamp so it slides up and down in the "V" and then to use a large clamping screw to fix the position.  The other way is to run a groove up the edges of the mast and use sheet metal runners on the tray and clamp, fixing the desired  position with a clamping screw or a peg engaging a series of holes (think shelf standards).  There are many other ways too, but these are fairly easy to do with simple tools.

   So there are a lot of options, first figure out just what you want, then you can start designing the specifics.

   It's a fun project (I've built several).

   David C

1. 
   loopeeo | Aug 07, 2006 12:24am | #4

   Thanks, David-A simple tripod is what I am looking for; Three legs, a tray/holding bar across the two front legs and light chains from each of those to the one in back; Collapsable from 5'to 2'; 3/4" (+-) stock, and a heighth adjustment, either for the "tray" or the legs. Not asking much, huh?

1. 
   DCarr10760 | Aug 07, 2006 03:56am | #5

   Hi,

   The commercial variety usually is milled from hardwood with a kind of tongue and groove joint or a canoe joint.  Each leg breaks down into two sections that nest for storage or fold out with a 4 - 6-inch overlap, secured by a carriage bolt and wing nut.

   This means that for a 5 foot tall easel, with a 6-inch overlap, the leg sections would be 36-inches long each, so the easel will fold down to 3-feet in length, not the 2-foot length you mentioned.

   If you lack the tools to make a tongue and groove or canoe joint you can omit it, but then you need two carriage bolts and wing nuts for each leg.

   The chain connects to each leg about an inch or so up from the above described leg joint with eye-screws.

   The tray is pretty simple, a 1 x 2 with a lip milled into it (but it could just as well be applied) and a backing or clamping board, a 1 x 1 that is connected to the tray with carriage bolts and wing nuts in two places.  The idea is that these two boards will capture the front two legs between them and by use of the carriage bolts will clamp the tray in place.  The bolts should be placed so that they wind up an inch or so away and outboard of the legs when every thing is in place, this allows some vertical adjustment of the tray.

   The joint at the top is simple too.  The front legs at the top are angled to match the splay angle of the legs, leave half of the butt end of these legs alone, angle the rest.  The center (rear) leg is left square. 

   Set the legs together with a clamp and drill a hole through them all, about an inch or so from the top end (through the angled portion of the outer (front) legs.  This hole should be larger in diameter than the normal clearance hole for the size bolt you will use to connect them all together.  If you are using a 1/4 inch bolt, use a 5/16-inch hole.  This will allow the legs to pivot along the bolt.  If they don't pivot enough you may need to elongate the outer holes with a rasp or rattail file (or a twist bit running and rocked in the correct plane).

   You can get fancy and use angled counter-bored holes for the top hinge joint but it isn't really necessary, depends on how fancy you want it to be.

   This type of easel is meant for display (posters, placards and paintings in a gallery) more than it is for use as a painters easel, which should be sturdier and more easily adjusted.

   What I've described is similar to the type available at art supply stores for $20.00 or so, you can make a much nicer one with fancier joints at the top if you like.

   If you need more detail, email me and I'll whip up a drawing of it dimensioned and all.

   Good Luck with it!

   David C