Any thoughts on the best way to cut a 1′ radius curve across the face of a 8″ wide board that is just over 3′ long and 3/4″ thick?
My machine choices are 10″ table saw, 18″ band saw, 8″ jointer, 13″ planer, router, and 2′ belt sander.
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It is noble to teach oneself, it is still nobler to teach others — Samuel Clemens
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Steve
Edited 5/30/2005 12:47 pm ET by Steve — 1′ radius, not 2′ — sorry
Edited 5/30/2005 12:47 pm ET by Steve
Replies
Hi Steve, not sure what surface you want the radius, board is only 3/4" thick
Edited 5/30/2005 12:24 pm ET by mel
Here's what I mean graphically...My saw blade max height is 4" from the table.It is noble to teach oneself, it is still nobler to teach others -- Samuel Clemens
Scrub Plane and card scraper.
Here is my Rube Goldberg of the day.....I had fun with this one. :-)Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
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Interesting idea Mark. It seems a little involved in the setup and execution though..I do have a 12" blade for my TS that will give me 4" of cutting height. I will have to do this cut 4 times (perhaps more if I drum up interest with the concept piece) so I am looking for repeatability and speed. I'll probably do a trial run on the table saw first as that seems to be the easiest to execute. Failing that I have an idea for my bandsaw that should work but will take some time to build a jig. _______________________________________________________________________It is noble to teach oneself, it is still nobler to teach others -- Samuel ClemensSteve
"It seems a little involved in the setup and execution though.."The understatment of the day :-)You'll need to do a little trig to figure out how large a circle to make. It's a function of the size of your stock. Have fun. :-)Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
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Steve,
It is a short workpiece and there is not much waste to remove.
Mark out the curve at each end and mark along the long edges.Whip out your (sharp) plane and remove the waste to the lines. You could remove some waste with table saw if you want,or even power portable planer if you have one-but I wouldn't bother. Fair the curve with scraper and minimal sanding:I have a few sanding blocks that are concave-good for sanding convex surfaces. You could make a template of thin ply for checking that curve.
During the 5 to 10 minutes you spent planing you most likely would have thoughtup an alternative method-remember this for next time!
This is an example where it is better to do something straight away, rather than contemplate.
You need to tell us more details about the work piece, as they may have an influence on the answer.
Hey, mookaroid, is that you replaying my tape there? That's just about what I said. Slainte.RJFurniture
I think we have been of like minds on some other occasions....
It may just have been a happy coincidence , but as theysay'great (and experienced) minds think alike'
Don't know about the Marlboros though.
Mind that little knife doesn't rise up and prick you...
P.S. Did you know that the bagpipes were invented by the Greeks?Edited 6/3/2005 1:44 am ET by mookaroid
Edited 6/3/2005 4:13 am ET by mookaroid
No, but it's mostly all Greek to me anyway mookaroid. Slainte.RJFurniture
"You need to tell us more details about the work piece, as they may have an influence on the answer"
-- you may regret this but here goes
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The concept of this piece is a rotating bookshelf with a bookstand on top. The top and bottom sections will be on lazy susans. The entire piece is to be made with cherry.
The long curved pieces on the front and back have been the focus of this thread. (I didn't feel like drawing decorative feet)
I'm considering steam bending but not sure if I can get away with it on cherry especially since I would be stressing the piece across the grain. Perhaps because the radius is relatively large that would work. My wood is KD so perhaps I may need to get some green or at least air-dried cherry (I'm in PA after all) to make the bending easier but that introduces a different set of problems. I'm aware that the steaming process will most likely change the color of the wood but that may work to my favor with my design.
If I plane it down to a curve, will the grain pattern still be attractive? If not, I should probably rip it on a BS and laminate.
I'm sure lamination will give me the continuous grain look I want
BTW, directly under the slanted piece will be a through drawer also with a curved front. The curve on that piece will be along the grain and should work with steam bending. (I'm aware the drawer doesn't accurately depict a thru-drawer)__________________________________________________________________________________
It is noble to teach oneself, it is still nobler to teach others -- Samuel Clemens
__________________________________________________________________________________Steve
If you plane a curve into it, there's no reason the grain pattern would not be pleasing -- you just can't look at the flat stock and choose exactly the pattern you want before layout. Why would you need two lazy susans? Wouldn't the bottom one suffice? The two most effective options in my opinion (based on very limited experience compared to those who have told you to use a handplane) would be to either plane solid stock, or if I were to bend something, it would be a veneer having a spectacular grain that I couldn't afford in solid wood. And I'd probably put it over solid stock, chosen for similar movement, that I'd planed to shape, unless someone told me why that's not a good idea.I wouldn't use multiple laminations, coopering, or stem bending because a curve on the inside surface is not desirable for a bookcase. Steam bending across the grain doesn't sound right to me anyway.
Steve,
so you are going to make something Decent, and you are using that wonderful timber.
I have no experience with steam bending cherry- but I would not want to go to that hassle just for a small job like that. Planing that profile will enhance the grain figure more,especially if it is flatsawn
Re the drawer front-with the above in mind-I think I would cut it with bandsaw from thick stuff or laminated stuff.Or you could consider a veneer onto a suitable base-not my idea of fun.
If you are keen on steam bending but have never done it before-I wouldn't practise on this project-but then that's me.
"BTW, directly under the slanted piece will be a through drawer also with a curved front. The curve on that piece will be along the grain and should work with steam bending. (I'm aware the drawer doesn't accurately depict a thru-drawer)"
Steve,
Nice looking bookcase. I am with the folks that recommend you plane the 12" radius on the side pieces. And while I was at it, I would make each side about 6 to 8 inches longer and then cut the drawer fronts from the end of the side pieces. I believe a vertical grain on the drawer fronts would continue the theme of the bookcase base much better than horizontal grain. Whatever you do, I would love to see a picture of the end product.
George
Didn't think about vertical grain on the drawer fronts but that does sound right.The customer (my sister) is giving crap over the design -- she doesn't like the vertical side pieces. Wants me to use what I call "wings" instead -- 5" radius bookends. That changes the whole vertical theme I had going on as well as the ability to showcase some nice wood along the sides. I'm working on a revised design but what ever it comes to, I will probably build and keep my original my version :-) Dang -- hate building for family members LOL. They are such a royal PITA.__________________________________________________________________________________
It is noble to teach oneself, it is still nobler to teach others -- Samuel Clemens
__________________________________________________________________________________Steve
Ican't help thinking that your sister should be told to build it herself!
Dang -- hate building for family members LOL. They are such a royal PITA.
now why does that ring a bell...?????? Ahem
FWIW... I'd go with what you sketched Steve... Mike Wallace
Stay safe....Have fun
DANG,, I love Brown!
Steve ,
To put itanother way: you don't have to cut it-you merely plane it.You Most Certainly Do Not have to "sand the hell out of it"!!!
Hi Steve, If it is to be on the wide 8" surface, I would trace the 2' radius on each end grain, then using a table saw I would remove the stock cut by cut raising the blade each time until the profile is is pretty close. Then I would hand plane, & sand to the perfect profile. I would also make a 2' radius gage to check the profile as I planed and sanded.
I'm going to need some kind of sled, whether I make the cut on the band saw or table saw. I'm working up a design for the sled right now...It is noble to teach oneself, it is still nobler to teach others -- Samuel Clemens
On your TS, cove cut to a scribed line. Mount a 12 in blade if possible.
Joe
a cove cut would work if I was going for a concave edge -- I am going for a convex edge -- see above drawing...It is noble to teach oneself, it is still nobler to teach others -- Samuel Clemens
I'd cut the bulk away with the table saw, then make a scraper to the curve you want. Finish sanding. A board that size should only take 15mins to make scaper, and 5mins to make the board..
1. Rough out by adjusting table saw blade angle and ripping to remove waste. When I've done this, with a careful set-up, I've had less than 1/16" remaining proud of the line.
2. Use a handplane to remove waste down to your pencil line.
If necessary, you can make a layout jig to help you visualize differences between the desired profile and the existing profile; bandsaw the concave profile with the 12" radius and sand, scrape, or spokeshave until smooth. You can apply powdered stringline chalk to the inside surface of the layout jig to mark high spots that need to be removed.
3. Scrape and sand the profile to achieve a fair curve of the desired smoothness.
Good luck,
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Edited 5/30/2005 4:07 pm ET by jazzdogg
I'm in favor of using the router w/straight cut bit. Make some kind of jig that will pivot the router at the proper radius. If the pivot point is on the finished product, then tape/stick/clamp some piece 'o scrap to the good piece and pivot point on the scrap. The router always runs at right angles to the work piece this way, so if you're going to veneer this edge, the veneer will not 'run off' the edge.
If you only need to make one then mark the edges and cut on the band saw using a simple variable angled fence. Then sand the hell out of it . If you need to make more than one or two or if they need to be very percise make a pendulum jig like what luthiers use for fret boards. It should only take about two hours to make the jig if you have the materials on hand. Please look at the attachment before reading the rest.
The upper supports attatch to the ceiling. The distance between the upper supports needs to be enough to allow the lower carriage to slide on the pipe enough to cut the cove over the entire length of the board. The lower carriage swings on the pipe (I used black pipe) and may need some cross braces to keep it from twisting, though I didn't bother. I mounted the work piece between the two lower legs of the "swing" with finish nails, and filled the holes later. It would be easy to make a clamp though. The radius is determined by the distance between the pipe and the face of the work piece. The only critical part of the setup is that the pipe needs to be directly over the center of the bit. I used a 3/4" rabbiting bit. I hope you can make sense of all this.
Mike
Mark the circumference on the end grain of the board at each end using a cardboard template.
Hack the bulk off with an electric power plane, or scrub plane, or whatever's to hand.
Refine with ever finer set smoothing planes, scrapers, abrasive papers and the like.
I'd say this would keep me busy for maybe a whole 30 minutes using old fashioned tools and techniques, and I'd still have time to fire up a Marlboro or two and make a cup of tea for a break.
Sometimes the old fashioned low tech option works better than a selection of power tools.
Now, if you had 20 or 50 linear feet plus to do all the same I'd think about setting up some power tools, fixtures, jigs and other stuff, but for a mere three foot of a special that's where the hand skills pay dividends. Slainte.
RJFurniture
"I'd still have time to fire up a Marlboro"
This is the third post today I've read refering to cigarettes, and it's killing me. 3+ years, still going, but days like today make it tough.
BTW, I agree with your method.
You can get a perfect radius by using a plywood top for the bandsaw table with a screw sticking point up through the table at 12 inches from the blade. Tap the board on the screw tip and rotate it through the band saw and you are likely finished with no additional dressing needed. Aloha, Mike
pardon my response before, I had not read you post clear enoungh. I would go with the hand plane idea. It would take a fraction of the time of setting up jigs.
The current issue of American Woodworking Arts & Crafts Furniture (available at most book stores with the magazines) has a demonstration of how to do these large coves with the tablesaw. It's in the section on how to make the Barister (sp?) bookcase.
How to cut a 2' radius curve
Not sure how you make a 'How to cut a 2' radius curve' into a
Any thoughts on the best way to cut a 1' radius curve across the face of a 8" wide board
Sorry I just HAD TO!
yeah - I screwed up with first post. My edit fixed the body of the post, but couldn't fix the subject.But then again -- maybe that's why it's so difficult.____________________________________________________________________It is noble to teach oneself, it is still nobler to teach others -- Samuel Clemens
SORRY I JUST HAD TO! LOL
I never make mistakes just BIG blunders...
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