How do I make these?

[Lee Schierer]

I have been asked to make a replacement piece for an antique cabinet. Most of the part is pretty simple, but one detail has me stumped. How do I make the grooves shown in the attached photo? They need to run the length of a 24" board on two sides of the board. The boards are 2-3/8 wide and the grooves are more or less centered on that width. I have two pieces to make so I need to make the grooves a total of four times, all the same.

Please note the size of these grooves. Craftsman molding head cutters and any router bits I've found cut 1/4" or larger width humps and/or cut three humps.

[Bill Wyko]

I've seen Dado blades with decorative bits you bolt to the main piece which would do what your looking for. I think Craftsman makes it.

[Tom Veatch]

I believe this (http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00903217000P?vName=Tools&keyword=moulding+head)is what Bill is talking about.

You might also find a decorative router bit (http://www.carbide.com/catalog/RBits-multi-bead.cfm?GroupID=0201.04.04)that will do what you need.

[Dave Bureau]

you could have williams and hussey make you some cutters and have a creek member run them for you. ( I have a machine) I live about 10 minutes from them. I have to go over there next week for some cutters myself. If you can draw it out i could get a price for you.
Dave

[Tom Hamilton]

Lee, I suspect if it is an antique piece the decoration was made by a hand plane. So, perhaps a post on the Old Tools (oldtools@ruckus.law.cornell.edu) forum would yield a suggestion or a tool to make your part.

Best regards, Tom, in Houston, with a plane that would make one at a time but not several at a time.

[Jim Becker]

The best way would be with a scratch tool or a specialized hand plane. The former will be easier for you to make. And scraping them with the grain like that isn't all that difficult.

[keith ouellette]

I saw an antique plane that looked like it would make a cut similar to that. It was all wood and had a wedge to hold the plane. I think it was 19th century.

[Daniel Rabinovitz]

Think about this
Use a router bit that has a point in the center with a radius (1/4 or 3/16, whichever)

Set the fence on the router table so that the first lenghtwise cut is in the center location (or off center by X amount)
Make the cut and reverse(?) the board and make the cut.
Now turn board over and make the two cuts, on the second face.

Move the fence X amount and make two cuts
Turn board over and make two cuts on other face.

Is this what you are thinking Lee or am I thinking wrongly.

[Lee Schierer]

Think about this
Use a router bit that has a point in the center with a radius (1/4 or 3/16, whichever)

Set the fence on the router table so that the first lenghtwise cut is in the center location (or off center by X amount)
Make the cut and reverse(?) the board and make the cut.
Now turn board over and make the two cuts, on the second face.

Move the fence X amount and make two cuts
Turn board over and make two cuts on other face.

Is this what you are thinking Lee or am I thinking wrongly.

That's what I had in mind the only problem is the bumps are 1/16" radius and as you can see in the photo the entire detail isn't even 1/2" across. and I can't find any router bits that small. Or I'd like to find one cutter that would do it all at once. The other problem is the detail in 1" in from the edges so the router bit would need a pretty long shank.

[Anthony Whitesell]

What about using a 1/16" radius round bottom veining bit (one is available from Whiteside SC39) and run the piece face down in three passes?

[Scott duprat]

In a pinch I have used 1/8" ball end mill bits (metal working) - radius would be 1/16". I have used them in a Techno CNC router with no probem.

[Michael Gibbons]

Like Jim said, a scratch device might work. Check out Lie-Nielsen. I think they have one-kinda like a spokeshave with replaceable cutters. They might sell blanks that you can customize for your particular design.

[Matt Campbell]

Lee,

The Veritas beading tool will do exactly what you need quite economically and easily.

[Lee Schierer]

I tried making a scratcher. It took about 30 minutes to make one once I figured out what steel I had that would work. I used an old hacksaw blade. I filed the profile I needed in and made a U shaped slide to hold it aligned with the board. I tired it on a piece of scrap first to get the scraper cut just right and mounted so it would work efficiently. I did both sides of my 6 foot board in about half an hour. It turned out very well. If there is interest, I will take photos of the scratcher and the finished piece.

I'll have to make a second one for the edge beading once I get the board cut to final width.

Thanks for the idea.

Lee

[Keith Christopher]

here is how I would do it.
http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?sku=66



works wonders. :)


Keith

[Ralph Barhorst]

The February, 2008 issue of Popular Woodworking, page 82, shows how to make and use a "scratch stock". Looks like it is not difficult.

[Chris Yarish]

You know, I saw a guy do some sandblasting on cedar....gave a more randomized "scratch"/grooving pattern, but looked interesting nonetheless.