How would you have done this?

[Don Morris]

I had an eliptical top to a built-in I was doing but the rise (distance from the top to the bottom of the eliptical) was too great. LOML didn't like the proportions and she was right. I needed to cut the legs of the eliptical so that they ended up flat to rest on the face frame and sides of the cabinet. I made three jigs before settling on this one. It worked, but somehow can't believe there must be a simpler solution. How would you have done it? I discovereded working with straight lines and even circles is easier than working with elipticals. LOML wants me to do more with "graceful curves" than the straight line projects I tend to produce. Of course after it was done, I went on-line and found David Marks book on: Jigs and Fixtures for Curvilinear Woodworking. I think I'm going to need it. Has anyone read it?

[Roger Benton]

I think you nailed it Don.

[Bill Arnold]

I've done a few bentwood items and have used jigs similar to yours. It's kinda like "whatever works". ;)

[Brian Muecke]

David Marks' Jigs and Fixtures for Curvilinear Woodworking is a DVD slideshow, not a book. David narrates a slideshow of a few of his curvilinear projects in various stages of construction. The most interesting part for me was the continuous-strip lamination technique he used to laminate an elliptical edge for a glass top table. Here is a picture of the finished project:

http://www.djmarks.com/photo.asp?image=/portfolio/cooperedglasstable.jpg

[Jeff Willard]

That's why I come here. So I can steal stuff that others figure out. Thinking about things like this makes my hair hurt. Thanks Don, you done good.