Moulding for Federal / Empire Styles? What's a versatile cutter profile?

[Jacob Reverb]

Hello, all,

Getting ready to make kind of a Federal / Empire style bookcase, and also finally getting set up with a router and table and want to use it.

Haven't drawn the bookcase yet, but would like to build up mouldings that I can make w/ router table (and TS – dentil moulding, for example) to dress it up with minimum time.

Have a couple Roman ogee bits, and just ordered a round nose 3/4" diameter for fluting stuff, but would like to get some more molding cutters, but $ is limited.

So my question for you folks who do this kind of work is, what's a real useful, versatile shape or two for a router moulding cutter? In other words, a profile that you use a lot for furniture, esp. the styles mentioned, and esp. for bases and tops. I look at shapes online, and they look good, but the variety seems endless and they all start to run together in my mind after a while when looking at them. For example, I looked at this and thought it might be good for moulding on the base:

https://i.ibb.co/GRX5S0M/screenshot-847.jpg

Alternately, can anyone recommend any good online books or such to teach me about the traditional uses of various mouldings, especially w/ Federal and Empire styles and their Greek and Roman roots? I feel like there's a whole formal tradition that I need to know about, lest I make it look dopey. Also concerned with practical considerations like, "base moulding will get kicked and beaten up so you want something that will stand up to it" and that sort of thing.

Sorry if this is all over the road, but thanks for any help.

J

ETA: I found some manufacturers' moulding catalogs online, and that helps some...I just remember my Dad telling me to get a Roman ogee b/c he said it would be real handy, looking for suggestions like that.

[Mel Fulks]

I would stick to Federal style. Some of the Empire stuff is wildly fanciful and most of the pieces are just not apreciated
and are hard to sell. I've seen beautifully done antique case pieces sit for months with an asking price under $200.
Obviously a bookcase is going to have mostly vertical style elements, so reeding and ,or fluting are probably best .

[Jacob Reverb]

Thanks, Mel, I appreciate your help.

[Peter Christensen]

The other approach you can take is to get a number of standard bits (quarter round, cove, V bit etc.) and make multiple passes to create the shape you like. You figure out which bits will cut a portion of the profile and then make the cuts in sequence. Don't forget you can use the table saw in the mix too.

[Jacob Reverb]

The other approach you can take is to get a number of standard bits (quarter round, cove, V bit etc.) and make multiple passes to create the shape you like. You figure out which bits will cut a portion of the profile and then make the cuts in sequence. Don't forget you can use the table saw in the mix too.

Thanks for your reply, Peter. That sounds like the most versatile approach. I'll have to mess with it. I remember my Dad telling me what a useful tool a router is (especially in a table) -- I guess I need to just start playing with it.