how is this made?

[Kevin Gregoire]

can anyone please tell me how the roof for this bird house is made? i think it is probably made with a router bit,
but what bit and how?? thanks


http://i54.tinypic.com/2r3zdvt.jpg

[Anthony Whitesell]

I have seen a router bit that will do three "tiers" which would require the roof to be made in 3 pieces per side (or two pieces each side plus the peak as a single triangular piece). But I can't make out any seams in the roof, the grain appears constant as though made of a single piece. I'm curious as well, the doll houses my MIL made for her grandchildren (two nieces and my daughter) have the siding grooved like the roof here and was made from a single piece of mdf.

[Tom Hargrove]

You could do it with a dado blade raised just above the tablesaw surface and set to a 10-15 degree angle. Make a cut, move the fence, make a cut, move the fence . . .. Finish with a rabbet plane, scraper or sandpaper to clean up the surface of the cuts. That is how I would do it.

You could also use a router, but you would need to make a jig. I would think the table saw would be easier.

[Dave Lehnert]

If that was a commercial made bird house, My guess it was made with a molder with special made knife.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5z10sp54dM&feature=related

[Bruce Page]

If that was a commercial made bird house, My guess it was made with a molder with special made knife.

Darn it Dave! I have wanted one of those molders for years. Every time I see one it rekindles the desire!!! ;)

[Kevin Gregoire]

yeah, i think its deffinetly a one piece roof but im just not sure how its made because of the perfectly rounded edges.
and i dont know if its commercial made, if it were i dont think they would be using screws as nails would be faster?
but yes, a molder knife would be a very quick way of getting it done.

[Kent A Bathurst]

If I had to make one without the molder, and with one-piece roof sections, I'd run it across the dado stack, as noted above by Tom.

Then, if I had to have perfectly rounded edges, I get one of those cheap radius planes for $15 - $20. Without the requirement for "perfectly" rounded, I'd take a couple swipes with a block plane to chamfer the edges, then a few passes with coarse sandpaper.

[mike holden]

Kevin,
Consider using a shallow cut on the table saw to define the spacing, then use a shoulder plane to create the angle, followed by a scraper for the rounded edge and Bob's your uncle!
If you were really into handtools, a hollow plane of the proper size would do an even better job on the rounded edge.
Mike

[Kevin Gregoire]

and Bob's your uncle!


i dont understand what this means? i do happen to have an uncle bob, or i should say 'had' since he passed away a few weeks ago but not
sure why that was added to what you were saying??

[Steven DeMars]

I think that was done with a "shutter" bit that is used to simulate a real wood shutter . . .

I believe it is is offered by Rockler or McFeely's . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA3yaXL9Lng

Steve

[Pat Barry]

I didn't see the part in the original post about guessing his uncle's name. You must have ES

[Michael Peet]

i dont understand what this means? i do happen to have an uncle bob, or i should say 'had' since he passed away a few weeks ago but not
sure why that was added to what you were saying??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob%27s_your_uncle

[Kevin Gregoire]

steven, thanks a ton cause that must be how it was made but only problems i dont see any joints
in the roof picture i posted?

http://images.rockler.com/rockler/images/29932-03-500.jpg

[Kent A Bathurst]

i dont understand what this means? i do happen to have an uncle bob, or i should say 'had' since he passed away a few weeks ago but not
sure why that was added to what you were saying??

That comes from the same gang from north of the border that uses the phrase "dog's breakfast" to describe a.....welll..........ummmm...complete mess.

Mike crosses the border too often is my guess - he even knows what "The Windsor Ballet" is, I'll bet. And the TBQ!!!!!

[mike holden]

"bob's your uncle" is a phrase like: "and there you have it" or "easy as pie"

[mike holden]

Kent,
re: "windsor ballet" and TBQ - yes.
As re: "bob's your uncle" - three years in Attleborough, England ground that into my repertoire of pithy sayings. (grin!)
Mike

[Kevin Gregoire]

"bob's your uncle" is a phrase like: "and there you have it" or "easy as pie"

i just thought it was really strange since i didnt know mike and i really do have an uncle bob that just passed away.

[Mitch Barker]

Recently, there was an "inverse" thread to this one on the neander forum. I.e. a tool looking for a purpose. I think that tool could be used for a birdhouse roof!http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?173981-Mystery-wooden-planeMitch

[Kent A Bathurst]

Mike - it's been 10 years.........I can't tell you how much I miss the TBQ. Best ever, IMO, and the like to brag about that stuff in these here parts - they have no clue.