How do you make this?

[Russell Smallwood]

Posted this question in the general WW forum as well, my apologies for the duplicate post but It's relevant in both.

Most of what is displayed is obvious except for the rounded section, second from the top.

I suppose a spokeshave is the lowest common denominator. A molding plane with that specific profile?

http://www.oldhouseonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/waller2.jpg

[george wilson]

What is it exactly that you are asking how to make?

[Russell Smallwood]

Hey George,

Thanks for taking the time. Sorry for being vague.

The rounded molding second from the top on the Newel Post.

[george wilson]

Probably made from a TYPE of 1/4 round molding mitered and nailed around a core of square wood. You can see that the grain of the wood follows the molding right around it,and see the nails.

I'm not a trim carpenter type,but have observed those things.

[Russell Smallwood]

Probably made from a TYPE of 1/4 round molding mitered and nailed around a core of square wood. You can see that the grain of the wood follows the molding right around it,and see the nails.

Sure, I understand that it is a trim piece mitered to make a square, but when I think of 1/4 round molding, I think of this:

http://cdn.oneprojectcloser.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/quarterround.jpg

The rounded molding on the newel post is much larger.

[george wilson]

That's why I said TYPE!!:) We need a trim carpenter to chime in on this.

[Russell Smallwood]

That's why I said TYPE!!:) We need a trim carpenter to chime in on this.

Thanks George, considering the source, I was afraid you were referring to some sort of molding plane and I was showing my ignorance on the subject :) :o

[David Weaver]

Do you want to make one of these to replace it?

I wouldn't worry about a moulding plane for something like that. Just draw the profile on the end of a board, rough it out with a jack plane, and then finish it with a finer plane and scrape the plane marks out. Then you can can cut and miter it.

[Greg Wease]

After you get it close as David suggests you can make a scratch stock with the final profile and use that to scrape a uniform thumbnail shape. You make a scratch stock from an old scraper, saw blade, etc. and attach to a wooden handle for support.

[Zach England]

I'd rather use a bigass shaper. :)

[Russell Smallwood]

Do you want to make one of these to replace it?

I wouldn't worry about a moulding plane for something like that. Just draw the profile on the end of a board, rough it out with a jack plane, and then finish it with a finer plane and scrape the plane marks out. Then you can can cut and miter it.



After you get it close as David suggests you can make a scratch stock with the final profile and use that to scrape a uniform thumbnail shape. You make a scratch stock from an old scraper, saw blade, etc. and attach to a wooden handle for support.

Great, that's what I'll do. Might be a good excuse to tune up my little Clifton 3-in-1.

This was the same advice given on the GWW forum so there appears to be a consensus :)

Thanks everyone.

[Russell Smallwood]

I'd rather use a bigass shaper. :)

Ha, I thought the same thing. I'm pretty good at sneaking tools into the project budget around here, but something tells me that little bit of Newel Post trim is not going to be enough to swing the argument in my direction :)

[Zach Dillinger]

Do you want to make one of these to replace it?

I wouldn't worry about a moulding plane for something like that. Just draw the profile on the end of a board, rough it out with a jack plane, and then finish it with a finer plane and scrape the plane marks out. Then you can can cut and miter it.

I second David's opinion. Since it is convex, you can make it with normal flat soled bench chisels.

[David Weaver]

I hate to say this on this forum, but I don't spend a lot of time on anything in the house that can't follow me when I leave.

I would rough this thing out with a jack plane, run off the coarse marks with a smooth plane and then take an ROS over it.

If I was going to scrape it just do to that, I would do like someone said above with the scratch stock to minimize the amount of time it took to scratch it, but nobody else is ever going to notice it unless it's literally a different color than the rest of the woodwork.

You can rough it out with planes and sand and cut it faster than you could go to the store to get an uncut moulded piece. That would be my reason for making it, faster and cheaper.

[Johnny Kleso]

I make a long rectangular piece of stock a little over size to the moldinng..
Cut off a one foot section for my test piece or use a pine test piece..

Mark the profile on both endes and make several different angled cuts on a table saw till I removed most of the material..

The finish with a hand plane or spoke shave and sand paper sanding block..

[Jim Neeley]

I know this is in the wrong forum and I hope I don't get "forever banished from the Force" for responding to your "bigass shaper" post but... You mention shapers... if you want to power through this, a router bit like this Amana (Highland Woodworking, $110) would give you 1-1/8" of thumbnail in 5/8" thick stock. With a 2-3/4" diameter it is a table-only bit... I'd recommend a large router in a beefy table, cutting in stages with the cut volume controlled by fence position, making 4 or 5 cuts with the last being a fine finish cut.

Jim

[Prashun Patel]

If you only have to make a foot or two of it, then a plane, a spokeshave, and/or a rasp is easy.
However, since the edge will have to miter back to itself, I'd make a profile gauge out of a business card to keep it consistent.

[Jamie Cowan]

Love the James Michaelopoulos in the background. Is that an original or a print?

[Bruce Haugen]

I've done a fair number of those, and never needed anything more than a block plane, a scraper and some sand paper.

[Zach England]

Is that a tube amp in your avatar?