Bombé Commode

[Bruce Seidner]

Google Bombé Commode and tell me these are not wild!

I am less interested in the ornamentals and marquetry. But, I am fascinated by the organic shapes of these Dr. Seuss chests.

I did find an old FWW issue that documented a master building a one-off for a museum. I have not found any plans or dimensional drawings. I will be on the hunt for one in furniture stores and have a tape measure and sketch book with me. However, I would be much obliged if someone could reference a resource for the design of these puppies.

[Warren Wilson]

Bill Hylton's "Illustrated Cabinetmaking" offers a 2-page overview of the style and a few references to plans.

[Peter Quinn]

Here (http://www.thomasjmacdonald.com/media/category.php?cat=Bombe-Secretary-Project) is a video series of T Mac making a bombe secretary in pretty traditional form.

[Robert LaPlaca]

Bombe you say, how about Verna Cook Salominsky's book, Masterpieces of Furniture, its been long out of print, but you should be able to find a copy used, the books specialty is measured drawings of furniture in museums..

Plate no 72, has a Low chest of Drawers which is a very lovely Bombe chest complete with ball and claw feet.. Building a Bombe is not for the faint of heart or wallet.. If you are serious about building a bombe chest, I would suggest that you investigate Irion Lumber, without a doubt they would be able to supply you with the lumber required for such a project..

[Bruce Seidner]

Here (http://www.thomasjmacdonald.com/media/category.php?cat=Bombe-Secretary-Project) is a video series of T Mac making a bombe secretary in pretty traditional form.

I was able to get used copies of the books which look helpful. I have lots of shop, tool, and jig books but few furniture books. Thanks.

The TMac video has eluded me.

I am wondering if there is another way to construct one of these short of carving up 3" thick planks of hardwood.

I am not interested in a chest of drawers so much as a large top opening blanket chest in a Bombe style.

[Brett Robson]

I read somewhere that in the 18th C. in Europe, it was common to make the curved sides by coopering boards together then veneering over it.

When I built mine, I shaped the sides from a big poplar glue up, then veneered over it. It worked well enough and was pretty easy to do.

[Bruce Seidner]

I read somewhere that in the 18th C. in Europe, it was common to make the curved sides by coopering boards together then veneering over it.

When I built mine, I shaped the sides from a big poplar glue up, then veneered over it. It worked well enough and was pretty easy to do.

Those are the lines I am thinking on. When I see a Bombe cabinet it reminds me of a strip wood kayak or a cold molded wherry row boat. Once I figure out the measure and dimensions I have confidence there are lots of ways to skin that cat.

I tried and failed to figure out how to draw in SketchUp but really like working with ready sketched plan. It would be swell to find some. I am looking forward to my furniture books. And I found the TMac link, it was not highlighted in Firefox but was in Safari on my iPhone. Thanx.

[Brett Robson]

I didn't have a set of plans when I built mine either. I did some reading on FWW's site and found a little online info too, so I had a general idea how to put one together before starting. I mostly worked from a photo of the piece I wanted to build which I scaled up the dimensions. It took a little time to measure and convert everything from the photo, but it worked out well.

[Peter Quinn]

I was able to get used copies of the books which look helpful. I have lots of shop, tool, and jig books but few furniture books. Thanks.

The TMac video has eluded me.

I am wondering if there is another way to construct one of these short of carving up 3" thick planks of hardwood.

I am not interested in a chest of drawers so much as a large top opening blanket chest in a Bombe style.

The way he's doing it in the videos is not the only way to do it, but it's the most traditional. The bombe was furniture for the rich, the form was by its nature wasteful and extragavent. Very much in keeping with French culture of that time. I remember reading it was not only made from 16/4 but typically made from a single board to ensure good grain match. Of course the form evolved, and you can do it in a more economical way, I referenced the videos to highlight his techniques for layout, sawing and carving.

I just found a pictorial on making a veneered bombe chest in Mike Burton's book Veneer: A Foundation course. Bits of it are on Google books, I have the book and it's a well done resource. He is making a chest of drawers, but it might give you a road map for how to proceed.

[Robert LaPlaca]

The way he's doing it in the videos is not the only way to do it, but it's the most traditional. The bombe was furniture for the rich, the form was by its nature wasteful and extragavent. Very much in keeping with French culture of that time. I remember reading it was not only made from 16/4 but typically made from a single board to ensure good grain match. Of course the form evolved, and you can do it in a more economical way, I referenced the videos to highlight his techniques for layout, sawing and carving.


Oh yes Peter, the bombe form was the ultimate showy form to show how much money one had acquired.. The bombe form made blocked front and oxbow forms look relatively plain Jane and restrained