Playing with molding planes, prototyping a shelf...

[Alan DuBoff]

I don't have too many molding planes, but do have a couple.

I used a molding plane with a cove profile on it, to cove out the edge for my shelf prototype.

I then used a flat spokeshave to chamfer the top edge, and round over the remaining lip.

This is how I will do the edge on the shelves that I'm building for my office over the holiday break. I will use this type of profile for all the shelves, including the tool shelf/holders for chisels which I will put under the window seals, and possibly for small shelves over the top of the windows (might store planes up there).

I need to prototype a corbel still, have some ideas, and coming up with something now.

[Robert Rozaieski]

I like it Alan. Sort of a contemporary twist on the old bilection profile (astragal and cove).

[Alan DuBoff]

I like it Alan. Sort of a contemporary twist on the old bilection profile (astragal and cove).
I'm struggling with the corbels though...this I can be content with, it only involves a few tasks to complete by hand. Yeah, I could spin a tailed router and have an ogee or something fancy, but this I can do by hand.

The stock I thought about using for the corbels is not big enough, so I'm digging through my wood and going to laminate some up. I have some boards that I will use a Stanley 49 on, to provide the width.

Corbels are going to need to be pretty big, I think., shelves are going to be 10"-12" wide. I will screw them on the corbels, but still think I need at least 6" for the corbel depth.

[David Keller NC]

Alan - I'm sure you've already come to this conclusion, but you've got to have (or make) a scratch stock or a beading tool to do the edge of the curved corbel profile. Alternatively, you could carve the profile (it's not as hard as it sometimes looks!).

If you've got this at your local library, check out Frederick Wilbur's "Carving Architectural Detail in Wood: Classical Styles". Even if you don't intend to carve any of this, the book's filled with pictures of corbels, capitals, reeding and fluting, etc... (Sorry if I already mentioned this in the other thread - it's CRS disease (Can't Remember Stuff)).

[Mike K Wenzloff]

And/Or Wilbur's newest book, Decorative Woodcarving, Accessories for the Home. One thing about the newest book is it has a good selection of, well, accessories for the home...

The section on the bookend is essentially a nice corbel on the horizontal plane.

Alan, nice treatment. I would echo David's suggestion about a scratch stock to clean and even up the profile.

Take care, Mike
18" of snow with a down web site...One makes for difficult driving in a Camero, the other for communication...

[Alan DuBoff]

David,

Actually I hadn't yet figured out how to do the corbels. Was struggling with the design, had previously wanted to use a C-Clef, but my wife swayed me away from that, I think it's because she plays piano...*lol* Lots of music this season! *g* Sent the saw to my friend that traded me the motor on my mill, his wife just left with the symphony for the holiday, she's a violin player.

I'm looking at this design, and this is kinda where I got the slightly contemporary style. This style requires a LOT of wood though, about 5"-6" wide. I've never tried to carve something like that, but I'm game possibly. Any comments in looking at the image attached?

I'm still ponderin'...I'd like to do something similar to that, but slightly narrower, but don't want it too narrow...most all my stock is 4/4, so I will laminate between 3-5 layers for the corbels.

Mike,

Feel for 'ya on that snow...was snowed in at my Sisters in Tualitan 2 or 3 years back during the holiday when the big storm blew through Oregon. Left highway 5 a mess through the entire state, but I could head off 199 out of Grants Pass and avoid the pass, gosh that was a beautiful drive once we got below the snow level. That's a scenic drive going through the redwoods near Crescent City. My buddy down the road from you at Camp 18 area must have his share of white stuff, I'll have to send him an email.

Are both of you saying that scratch stock would work the best for the edge profile on the corbel? I'm slowly moving some wood around getting the shelves selected, and will try to dimension those today. I haven't exactly figured out how I will do the corbels yet, to be honest...kinda wingin' it...:o (I know, not the best way to approach a project like this).

Another thing I'm not clear on is if there will be enough strength if I just edge joint boards together for the shelves? I'm contemplating using a Stanley 49 to t&g the boards together, but got to thinking that jointed edges would glue pretty good anyway. The t&g seems like a good pre-caution, but that presents quite a bit more work with the 49. Any comments on that? The shelves will be 10" - 12" wide, with one joint (2 pieces). I tested the 49 on 2 short lengths to make sure it would work ok...tongue was a bit wide, but I could shave it down with a chisel (I love chisels :)). Would probably use a rebate plane for that though...