Replies

1. 
   RW | Nov 15, 2002 02:43am | #1

   Theres a book out there called American Furniture of the 18th Cen which describes in some detail what design elements were used, how created, and why. I believe I recall a discussion there on what makes, structurally and aesthetically, for a good queen anne leg and how they're *typically* made. Good book, for more than that tidbit.

2. 
   JeffKurtz | Nov 15, 2002 04:01am | #2

   Practice makes perfect.  When you've made more of them, you'll be able to do so faster.  For now, just keep up the good work and don't worry about the time.

   Jeff

1. 
   BoJones2 | Nov 15, 2002 11:05pm | #3

   Thanks Jeff I needed the encouragement. I'll quit whining now.

   Bo

3. 
   kennedy136 | Nov 16, 2002 08:05am | #4

   Bo,

          A couple suggestions...... First if the leg in question has a turned pad foot then after you have completed the turning,  leave the leg in the lathe and do the shaping.  The lathe beats a bar clamp in a vise hands down and you can turn it to just the right angle to work comfortably.  I also find that microplanes work very well though I also use a patternmakers rasp and a rattail file for the top of the foot as this area is mostly endgrain.  Follow up with a card scraper after the filing as it is much quicker than sandpaper{more traditional finish as well}.  Just a little sanding with 180 or 220 sandpaper will finish the leg.  Also a chisel comes in handy to shape the knee.  Don't sand too much or you will remove the toolmarks completely which is not acceptable for a reproduction.  Don't waste too much time smoothing the upper square section of the leg.  If you use a gauge to layout your mortises with the gauge referencing off of the inside edge of the  leg then you can plane off any excess of the square section after the aprons are glued on.  You will never get them perfect without planing anyway no matter how careful your layout.  This planing is easily done especially if you have a rabbit plane to get up against the knee area.  As to time it normally takes me about 50 minutes to an hour to do a leg for a highboy from start to finish.  This includes stock preparation, layout, bandsawing, turning , shaping, and mortising.  You will probably take quite a bit longer than this but it is something to shoot for.  If you go back and research the time it took some of the old time cabinetmakers to do what we regard as period furniture, it becomes clear that they did not let any grass grow under their feet.  Remember that the Queen Anne and Chippendale styles only lend themselves to machine work to a certain point.  If you are going to be productive on this type of  furniture then you have got to become proficient with hand tools, as many times they are far more efficient in skilled hands.  One last point regarding shaping.... I don't use a spokeshave very much for this process as I have tried it both ways and find that the rasp and microplane are faster, but if you feel more comfortable with the shave then by all means use it.  I do use one quite a bit but not for this application.   Good luck.

                                                                                 Mark

1. 
   BoJones2 | Nov 19, 2002 11:19pm | #5

   Thanks a lot Professor. I have a garage full of tools but didn't consider the hand plane. Both my knowledge and skill of planes is weak but I'm still trying. The next two I start tonight and will try planing. To answere your question, it was not turned but was band sawed after an hour of trying to understand the basic form of the leg itself. I looked through my wood working books gaining a greater appreciation for "those that went before" I dont think without having made or attempted it you never notice the details, just the whole.

   Tonight Ill find out what a micro plane looks like....in detail.

   Sincere thanks,

   Bo

1. 
   kennedy136 | Nov 20, 2002 01:02am | #6

   Bo,

          Wait until you have the aprons (sides of the case/table) installed and pinned before you worry about planing, unless there is to be a reveal at the leg/apron joint in which case you can plane the square sections of the leg beforehand.  Bandsaw the leg first.  If you desire you can use a radial arm or a table saw to cut a shoulder at the juncture of the knee/square section.  If you do this do it before you bandsaw.  The shoulder only needs to be the width of you table/radial arm blade for now.  Leave it slightly less deep than the final thickness of the square section.  Don't worry too much about making the transition from the knee to the square perfect at this time . Wait until after the aprons are assembled and you have planed the square sections flush with the apron.  Then take a sharp chisel and pare the knee to fit. You won't have to remove much material and it doesn't take long.  You mentioned that you didn't turn the pad foot so I assume you are making a slipper or trifid foot.  It is worth mentioning that all of the various styles of cabriole legs are best bandsawed to start out with, then the foot completed with whatever method appropriate to the style of leg in question.  One other thing, I do not reduce the square sections from the thickness of the leg blank until after I have completed the turning and shaping on the lathe, after which I saw them on the bandsaw.  Stay about 1/32 to 1/16 inch fat of the line and plane the rest off after the piece is assembled.  If you aren't making a leg requiring the lathe then you can reduce the square sections at whatever stage you wish.  When you become proficient at regular cabriole legs try your hand at turned cabriole legs, which are far easier and faster to make and are still quite attractive  for vernacular and country pieces.Good luck

                                                                           Mark