I’ve been working some on the joined chest I started a month ago…here I am fitting one of the panels into the frame. The panel is beveled on its rear face, all around, to fit into the grooves in the frame.
inserting beveled panel
Then knocking the stile in place. This is all a test-fit; I don’t even have the center panel yet.
on goes the stile
I had a little time left the other day, so cut some of the details on the framing parts, starting with this chamfer on the top edge of the bottom rail. I start it with a spokeshave, one of the few times I use these tools any more. In my chairmaking days I used them constantly; but now rarely.
spokeshave
Then finished it with a chisel.
paring the bevel or chamfer
and then cut a molding on the bottom edge of the top rail – this molding runs out at the juncture of the muntin-to-rail joint; so I use a scratch stock for it. We call it a “scratch” stock, but it’s really a scraper I think.
scratched molding
See this post for more about this these moldings that fade out: http://pfollansbee.wordpress.com/2012/01/14/scratch-stock-evidence/
by then I was done for the day. More to follow at some point…
February 21, 2012 at 1:57 pm
You mention that you seldom use a spoke shave anymore. Why and what do you use instead. Is this the result of the spoke shave not being a period tool, or do you find felicity in another approach? Thanks for your blog.
February 21, 2012 at 10:07 pm
It’s a period tool, but not really a joiner’s tool. More likely found in cooper’s tools in the 17th century. When I made chairs, I often shaved parts with a drawknife & spokeshave…now I tend to make things with planes & chisels…I do still make chairs, but more likely turned on the lathe, or the joined kind at the bench…
February 28, 2012 at 9:06 am
Please have more planes for sale in the near future. Thanks.