As many people did, I built a somewhat embellished version of the Philadelphia secretary shown in FWW 2002 by Lonnie Bird. (Mine has veneered and crossbanded drawers, and a bookmatched desk front). In any event, the top case basically sits on top of the lower case, and then had the thin waist molding attached by fine cut nails. I am about to move my home (to a house with a much larger shop!!) and am afraid that the upper case will topple off when the movers pick it up. I considered using steel straps in the back screwed to both the upper and lower case backs but the backs themselves are only held on wiht a few cut nails. From those who are familiar with this particular piece, any suggestions on how to screw the upper and lower cases together firmly without visibly marring the piece? This is something not at all addressed in the original series of articles. Thanks very much.
Jay
Replies
My first thought would be to see if you can slip some thin spatulas behind the moulding and gently work the moulding off without marring anything. Then remove the nails that hold the top and bottom together. There would be a lot less chance for movers to mess up all that hard work if it were in two separate smaller and lighter pieces.
If that doesn't appeal to you, maybe cutting a piece of 1/4" plywood to go over both sections then brad nail it onto the back??
If you build it he will come.
Jay,
On many old secretaries, the top section simply sits on the base without any attachment between the two, other than the recess formed by the waist molding. The waist mold is generally attached to the base section only, and the top slid/dropped into place. On some, I've seen two or three large (#12 or #14) screws, driven down through the bottom of the top section into the top of the base. Often when you find braces or brackets on the back, they are a later addition, but a good idea. I once was horrified, on opening a very shallow, but wide, secretary's door in an antique shop, to find the whole top section starting to topple over toward me, pulled over by the weight of the large paneled door as it swung outward. Filled with books, it would have been counterbalanced, but empty...
In any case, the sections should be separated for moving, then re assembled on site.
Regards,
Ray Pine
Ditto Douglas2cats, Seperate and move in pieces. I would reassemble using 4 small table leaf pins as locators and figure 8 rings on the back.
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
What are these figure 8 things? Thanks.
Jay
Figure 8 Rings are a simple devise used to join table tops to the aprons, They look like two washers welded together.Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
You secretary is beautiful and if it can't be separated as has been suggested already, I think you should build a crate around it where it stands. Constructed of 2x and 1/2" plywood/OSB, blocked in place, well padded, and if you build strong hand holds in the right locations the movers will actually have an easier time handling it even with the added weight. The last thing you want after investing so much time and effort in creating that classic is to see it broken in the move.
I appreciate everyone's advice. I do not have time to build a crate, and we are trying to sell our house, so my wife would kill me if I even contemplated making the center of the house an extension of my mostly dismantled shop, with it's associated mess.
I stupidly put the cut nails through the waist molding so they pass diagonally through the bottom 1/4 inch of the sides of the upper case as they pass into the top of the lower case. Anyone who has worked with cut nails knows they are impossible to pull out and these have been countersunk. That waist molding is made of very curly walnut which matches the rest of the piece and would be tough to replace. It required quite a bit of hand carving since I couldn't find a single router bit to match what I needed. In short, I don't think I can get the molding off without destroying it.
My thought was to use a 1 foot long 1/8 inch thick steel strap, 3/4 inch wide, with 4-6 screw holes, screwed into the back of the upper case sides on top, and widening out to 1 1/2 inches or so, screw holes offset, so that the lower portion could be screwed into the lower case sides instead of the ship-lapped boards on the back. Do you think that would give it enough stability? Thanks. Any other ideas welcome.
Jay
"My thought was to use a 1 foot long 1/8 inch thick steel strap, 3/4 inch wide, with 4-6 screw holes, screwed into the back of the upper case sides on top, and widening out to 1 1/2 inches or so, screw holes offset, so that the lower portion could be screwed into the lower case sides instead of the ship-lapped boards on the back. Do you think that would give it enough stability? Thanks. Any other ideas welcome."My fear of the above is that when the movers tip it on it's side to go through the doorways the cut nails in the front will let go and your straps would act like a big hinge and she will fold. If you must stiffen from the back then consider either angle iron or good 2x4's running full height, screwed at any locations that can take the strain. They can be removed when you are settled into the new shop.
I'll join the chorus saying to separate the sections, even if this means having to remove the waist molding. Over the decades that such a piece will be used it will likely have to be moved a number of times.
Jay. what ever it takes split the piece top and bottom. I just did this with a very big Victorian sec'y. A three drawer chest with an open center that the upper unit's side walls nested into below the writing flap. I wouldn't give the movers a chance to screw this up and pulled the doors and shelves, carved cornice and fittings to reduce the weight.
My joke was that I was moving my Unisaw and my secretary to my new digs in East TN. Oh, she's not 5'10 and blond she's 8'6 and walnut-born circa 1810. All arrived in good shape and she will get measured to build her a sister and refinished in 2008.
I DO NOT RECCOMEND MOVING IT IN ONE PIECE.
ALL THE BEST, PADDY
Beautiful piece where did the Walnut come from? If you can't separate the cases and don't want to build a wood crate you might try wrapping the whole thing in many layers of bubble wrap then getting several cardboard wardrobe boxes or refrigerator boxes and making a custom box for it. After the first layer of bubble wrap you could strap several 2x4s to it to keep it ridged. Another thought would be to wrap it with the bubble wrap (I love bubble wrap) then pallet wrap then put it in the big box and then fill the voids with expanding foam. I would not leave it to the movers to pack. Of course during the unpacking process you will wish you made doll house funiture;). Good luck with the move and the new house.
Troy
Jay, I believe you have to find a way to separate the two even if you end up having to re-make some moulding.
Even if the two were joined via their top and bottom there would be too much strain when tipping/lowering etc through doorways and onto trucks etc. The piece is just too big to move as one even if it were back braced with steel straps or timber or a ply sheet. Steel straps??-what would they be thinking 100 yeras from now?
However, once you do get it moved and settled I suggest the two should be joined by some means:
I have used short threaded rods with purpose made round brass nuts which are flush with top and bottom surfaces. The nuts have two holes in them for driving with a pin spanner. But, again, this is not for moving around,only to prevent the unexpected happening, such as a child or animal climbing and toppling the top-or some sort of unintelligent moving...
The pictures show two book cabinets that are attached that way.
Thanks, I guess I will have to bit the bullet and try to disassemble. I did not quite understnd how your brass threaded rods work, from the photo. THe work is great. On another topic, what is the process you used to make the fine patterned glasss dividers on the top doors? I don't know the proper name for them. They look so delicate that I would think jigsawing/bandsawing them out of one solid piece would be prone to breakage. Thnaks.
Jay
Sorry Jay, you can't see the means of joining the two in those pictures-I just posted them to show their size/bulk.
The length of each rod would be just under the total tickness of the top and bottom and there would be a counter bore to accommodate the thickness of the brass nut so it is flush- easy to do .
Re the pattern on the doors- I cheat on that-use one sheet of glass and make up the wood pattern as a self supporting unit, by drawing it out full size, to get length and angles of joins. I cut joins with dovetail saw and refine if necessary with chisel or disc sander. The door rails and stiles are notched to take the ends of the pattern. It ends up very strong, and if the glass ever gets broken it is easy to replace-no messing with putty, pins etc.
I have made eleven of those .Philip Marcou
It looks like you would be gluing end grain to end grain on those thin strips. How are they connected so they will stay attached to each other? Also, if you are slightly off on the angles and refine with a chisel or disc sander, don' t the pieces end up too short?
Jay
Jay, very pertinent questions.
I used epoxy, which solved the end grain issue.
Having drawn it out in full scale I could place each piece against the (thin) lines to transfer the cutting lines. When you start assembling from the edges the whole thing becomes self supporting. The ends which fit into housings on the rails and stiles are glued with normal wood glue. Cutting too short was never a problem- I would tend to cut oversize then trim for a tight fit. Actually very easy once a suitable method is worked out.Philip Marcou
Get a role of 18" wide stretch wrap and bundle the whole thing together. Go top to bottom and side to side.
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