Learn from Master Craftsman Lonnie Bird
Saw Blades and Router Bits Tips
and Techniques woodworking forum.
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Fine Furniture Construction |
| Woodworking Tips and Techniques by Lonnie Bird |
| Pennsylvania secretary | |
What router bit did you use to get the fine line on the 3/8" vertical dividers in the gallery ? Thanks |
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| Lonnie
replies: The divider is 3/8" thick but it appears as two 3/16" dividers sandwiched together. Amana tool router bit #54293 has a 3/32" radius and a guide bearing and is designed especially for this purpose.
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| Chairs | |
What's the best bit to use to do the 45 degree chamfer on the lower portion of the back leg on Chippendale chairs? thanks - Sam R. |
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| Lonnie
replies: 18th century furniture makers lightened the appearance of chairs by rounding, beveling, and chamfering to remove the harsh, ninety degree corners. For example, the edges of splats on period chairs are typically beveled toward the back a few degrees; this, in effect, places more emphasis on the flowing lines on the face of the splat and also makes the splat
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| Chairs | |
When making Chippendale style chairs what is the proper bit to use for the edge treatment of the seat rails? Since Arm Chairs and Side Chairs are - Sam R. |
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| Lonnie
replies: Formal 18th century chairs Chippendale chairs from the Pennsylvania region typically had a "thumbnail" profile along the edges of the seat rails to soften the edge and provide a simple decoration. You can create the same profile with an Amana roundover bit. A 3/8" radius corner rounding bit, such as the Amana no.49514 works well for a side chair. Because an arm chair has larger proportions I use a 1/2" radius bit such as the Amana 49518.
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| Roll Top Desk |
I am planning to build a roll top desk. The back where it rolls into the desk is only 1 1/2" radius. I should be able to enlarge that a bit. They call for a 3/8" groove and 5/16" slats. I feel I can enlarge these as well. Would your tambour bit set work well for this project in your opinion or should I stick to the canvas back they call for? - Thomas N. |
| Lonnie
replies: From your description of the details of the desk, I don't see any reason why you could not modify the tambour groove so that you could use the Amana Tambour bit set. As you've pointed out, the canvas back on a traditional tambour will show signs of wear after a few years. And gluing the canvas to the slats is a very tedious job. In contrast, the slats made with the Amana set simply slide together. By the way, we will soon be offering plans for a traditional roll-top desk. Our plans will be historically accurate and based upon the desks that were so popular from 1880-1920. It will have lots of beautiful raised panels and plenty of storage in the gallery.
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| Veneer |
How thick does a drawer front "veneer" have to be before it is considered not a veneer, so that the back of the drawer front also does not have to be veneered? In other words how thick does a "laminate" board have to be, to avoid the need to place a matching board on the back of the drawer front. |
| Lonnie
replies: As a rule-of-thumb, when the face of a panel is veneered the back should be veneered as well. This method is used to keep the moisture content of the substrate in balance and help prevent warping after the veneer is applied. This is most important when sheet stock, such as plywood or MDF, is used for the substrate. If the back of the panel absorbs humidity at a different rate than the face the panel may warp. However, whenever I veneer drawer fronts and door panels for fine furniture, I use a solid wood substrate of the same species as the veneer and I only apply veneer the face of the stock. Also, I cut the veneer on the bandsaw to a thickness of 3/32". Even though the veneer is relatively thin, it has more stability and is less-prone to chipping and cracking than the paper-thin commercial veneers. In my experience, as long as both the substrate and veneer have an equal moisture content (I test the MC with a meter), once a finish is applied the panel will remain flat.
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| 18th Century Secretary |
Please provide details on how to hinge the prospect door to avoid the pilaster column and be able to remove the prospect box? Also I am interest in purchasing other period furniture plans of yours, are there any available and if so how can they be obtained? Thanks for the help. - Robert S. |
| Lonnie
replies: Many period desks have a hidden box or "prospect box" which is concealed behind the small door in the desk gallery. During the 18th century this was an ideal place for the owner of the desk to store small valuables and papers. When the door is opened the box can slide out of the gallery and be completely removed from the desk to reveal the hidden compartments behind the box. When hinging the prospect door I mount the hinges so that the barrel of the hinge is approximately 3/8" from the face of the door. This allows the door to swing beyond 180 degrees which will allow you to remove the box. I order blank desk lid hinges from Ball and Ball hardware which I use for this purpose. Over the years I've occasionally published magazine articles on furniture projects, such as the secretary desk, but I don't sell plans.
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| Face Frame on Furniture |
I am interested in buying a flush trim bit to flush up face frames on furniture carcasses. Which would be a better bit - a straight cut or a shear cut? It will be used mostly on 3/4" stock. Poplar and hardwoods. - Ken J. |
| Lonnie
replies: Many pieces of fine furniture incorporate a face frame glued to the edges of a dovetailed box. Although dovetailed casework is strong, a face frame eliminates the possibility of racking while providing a stile-and-rail framework on which to hang the doors. The stiles and rails of the face frame are assembled with mortise-and-tenon joints and then glued to the edges of the box. A simple butt joint works fine because the mating surfaces are long-grain. Rather than attempt to make the frame flush with the box it is much easier and more efficient to make the frame slightly oversized, by approximately 1/32", and flush trim it after assembly. You have three choices of flush trim bits: The standard bit, such as Amana Tool no.47101 is a good general purpose bit. The two-flute design will provide a fast cut and a good finish. I use this type of bit whenever I'm making jigs and fixtures or flush-trimming a curved molding before shaping it with profile bits. In order to avoid the possibility of tearout when flush-trimming figured woods or when trimming against the direction of the grain I recommend the Amana Super-Trim. The 3 degree shear angle coupled with the large diameter create a very fine surface. I suggest a bit such as the Amana no.47135 Down Shear. Highly figured woods such as tiger maple are especially prone to tearout. Also, when flush trimming, keep in mind that you'll get the best results with the shortest bit. |
| Boxes |
I just purchased the Amana Tool Box
Joint Router Bit # 53610. How
do I ensure that mating parts will align when I assemble the parts of
the box? |
| Lonnie
replies: Although it may seem puzzling at first, cutting the mating parts in a box for precise alignment is actually quite easy. Just start parallel parts of the box, labeled "A" in the drawing, with a finger. Then adjust the height of the bit and cut the mating parts, "B". Use part "A" as an aid when adjusting the height of the bit for "B". View Illustration of Box Joints |
| Veneering |
Is it necessary to veneer both sides of a piece to be
used as the side of the upper case of the highboy when using a shop cut
veneer 1/8 in thick on the outside surfce when the case will be
joined by halfblind dovetails. |
| Lonnie
replies: Using shop cut veneers is a great way to add dramatic figure to the "show" surfaces of a piece of furniture. For example, when making drawer fronts for a chest-of-drawers I often veneer the fronts with veneer that I've cut on my bandsaw. Because the veneer sheets were all cut from the same plank the figure on the drawer fronts matches. To avoid warpage, it is always a good idea to apply veneer of the same thickness to both faces of the stock. This helps stabilize the workpiece by ensuring equal absorption of moisture as the relative humidity fluctuates. Although you can usually apply veneer to one face of narrow stock with no problems, I suggest that you veneer both faces of boards over twelve inches in width. |
| Pencil Post Bed |
I am thinking about building your pencil post bed featured in Fine
Woodworking in June of 2006. I am not sure I have the
skills and/or time to make the posts. I can purchase
ready-made posts for this style of bed but the tapers begin approximately 23" from the floor, where as your plan show the
taper beginning 30" inches above the floor. I won't be using box springs on this
bed because I want the traditional look. If I used these posts, the taper will begin at the base of the mattress instead of at the top. Do
you think this will look "correct" or would I be money ahead to make the posts
myself. |
| Lonnie
replies: I urge you to shape the bedposts yourself. The ready-made posts that you are considering are authentic; in fact, there are a number of different variations on pencil post designs. However, I believe that you'll receive much more personal satisfaction from making the posts in your shop. I understand that time is a factor but making the rails and frame for the bed actually takes more time than shaping the posts. If you look in the archive under "Sawblades, Router Bits, and Shaper Cutters" you'll find a Q&A on shaping the pencil post. I also provide details in my book The complete Illustrated Guide To Shaping Wood. And, of course, the plans for the bed that I constructed are in the article. I appreciate your compliments on my furniture. However, just think of the compliments that you'll receive when people see a bed that you shaped and constructed. And the personal satisfaction that you receive from building your own furniture is great, too. |
| Pennsylvania Secretary |
I'm very new to woodworking and I appreciate your
help with such a 'beginner' question. With
this Pennsylvania secretary, Lonnie you recommend a dry assembly of
the casework before gluing, to make sure all the pieces fit. What
do I need to be aware of when partially disassembling it again for
glue-up? I
imagine disassembly is difficult if the pieces fit together well...? |
| Lonnie
replies: Gluing up can be stressful; you have too much time and expensive material invested at this stage for things to go wrong. To ensure that gluing up goes as planned I first perform a dry run. In other words, I clamp all the joints in position without glue. This provides an opportunity to spot problems and correct them. Here's what I look for during the dry run: 1. Joint closure. I position each clamp to apply a moderate amount of pressure behind the joint. A well-crafted joint should not require lots of pressure. In fact, in most cases a joint should easily assemble with gentle taps from a mallet. Clamps are used only to keep the joint closed while the glue sets. If the joint does not close I don't force it. Instead, I correct the problem. 2. Squareness. With the clamps in position I check the assembly for squareness. Sometimes an out-of-square assembly can be squared by applying pressure across the acute corners. Other times it may require trimming a joint. This is the kind of stuff that is easily spotted and corrected during the dry run. 3. Alignment. During the dry run I also check that each joint aligns as it should. Assuming everything looks good in the dry run I continue with the glue up. Finally, as a beginner, you may want to consider increasing your skill level with smaller, less demanding projects. A secretary desk is a very large and complex piece that most woodworkers tackle after first gaining some experience. I suggest that you begin with a small table. Compared to chairs and casework, most tables are fairly simple to construct and can be a great way to quickly increase your level of skill and confidence. |
| Philadelphia Lowboy | ||
I'm looking for some details regarding fluted quarter columns. Your
book "Period Furniture Details" shows how to make the quarter columns,
but what is the best way the carve the cavity out of the leg post in a lowboy
to |
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| Lonnie
replies: There is a strong relationship between 18th century American furniture and architecture; fluted quarter columns are a good example. Like a full-size architectural column the scaled down examples used on furniture are full of eye-catching details. As the name implies, quarter columns are 1/4 of a full column. After shaping the base, capital, and shaft the column is divided into quarters and inset into the corners of fine casework as decoration. To create a cavity on dovetailed casework such as a clock, I make a stop cut on the tablesaw. However, post-and-rail construction, such as a dressing table, requires a different approach. Because of the thickness of the stock and the compound curves of a cabriole leg it is not practical to use the tablesaw. Instead, after working the post blocks flush with the case sides I use a router and a straight bit such as Amana Tool number 45418. I begin by laying out the area for the column with a knife then I slowly and carefully remove most of the stock with the router. Afterwards, I complete the cavity by squaring the corners and paring to the knife lines with a long, wide chisel. |
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| Queen Anne Wine Hutch/Server | ||
I am looking to make Trifid feet for
the aforementioned hutch and have not found a "pattern" to use for it. I
have referenced both your books, Period Furniture Details, and Shaping
wood, as well as others by Vandall, Greene, and such. Are there
proportions used for creating the actual pad of the trifid foot? Can
you help? Thanks. |
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| Lonnie
replies: The trifid foot is an elegant carving that is relatively easy to create. However, like any carved element, proportions are a key to success. The best method for understanding this unique style of foot is to study several originals at museums to see what works; three-dimensional carvings are difficult to reproduce from a photograph. As a rule-of-thumb, the ankles on the carved trifid foot are more massive than that of a turned pad foot. Also, the foot itself is taller than a pad foot. Keep in mind that as the proportions of the piece of furniture increase the leg and foot dimensions increase as well. For example, the trifid foot on an arm chair is larger than the same style of side chair. After a careful study of originals it's a good idea to make several prototype legs. Study each prototype carefully; a few subtle changes to dimensions or the curve of the leg can have a dramatic effect to the completed leg. Afterwards, make corrections to the pattern and then make another prototype. Although it is a time-consuming process, shaping and carving prototypes is essential to ensuring that the leg and foot are in proportion. You may also want to consider attending my class "Building a Dressing Table". In this class we carve and shape four cabriole legs with trifid feet as we construct a dressing table. You can view the class on-line at www.lonniebird.com. |
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| Rocking Chair |
What are the design and woodworking techniques for making rocker runners
for a rocking chair? I need to repair a rocking chair that
has a busted runner that was manufactured with the wood grain running
about 45 degrees to the rocker length in the middle (maple wood).
I have aquired a manufactured set of maple runners that are
a little longer, same thickness but have more curve. I need
to determine length and balance position on these rockers to drill
holes for chair placement. - - - I guess this is getting to be a
lost art here in this country. |
| Lonnie
replies: There are no hard and fast rules for designing rocking chairs. Designing a comfortable rocking chair takes time, patience, and construction of a few prototype rockers. The back of standard chairs is angled to increase comfort as well as the aesthetics of the chair. However, too much back angle on a rocker can make it feel as though you will tip over as you rock backwards in the chair. Standard seat height is 17" from the floor; however, rocking chairs sit a little lower. This adds to the comfort and keeps the center of gravity lower. Regarding the repair of an existing chair, I suggest positioning the new rockers in approximately the same place as the old rockers. The extra length of all rockers is designed to go toward the rear of the chair. This prevents the chair from tipping backward excessively. Before boring holes in the rockers to accept the legs, I would clamp the chair to the rockers to check the balance. The chair, without an occupant, should rest in an upright position. |
| Dovetail Box | |
When making a dovetail box, how do you cut the inside rabbet for the
box bottom so that it doesn't show thru the end of a tail or pin? It
has me stumped. Any help would be greatly appreciated. |
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| Lonnie
replies: Generally speaking, when constructing dovetailed casework, I use rabbets for backboards and grooves for bottoms. When constructing dovetailed casework I almost always use half-blind dovetails rather than through dovetails. I believe that half-blind dovetails are more attractive; you see only the angled portion of the tails and pins rather than the 90 degree ends of the tails. Also, when using half-blind dovetails it is easier to hide a groove for a bottom. In fact, if you position the groove between two pins there is no need to stop the groove in either the tail boards or the pin boards; once the box is assembled the groove will be neatly hidden. In contrast, if you choose to use through dovetails you'll need to position the groove between two pins and stop the groove in the tail board. I use a 1/4" straight bit such as Amana no.45204 for cutting the groove instead of a saw. In contrast to the saw, the router bit provides a square end to the groove. To accurately stop the groove I position stop blocks on both ends of the router table fence. To cut the rabbet try the Amana Superabbet bit no.49360. The cutting geometry of this large diameter bit creates surface that is much smoother than that from a saw. To hide a rabbet I use half-blind dovetails and start the joint with a tail rather than a pin. For more information on cutting dovetails and case construction see my new DVD entitled Mastering Dovetails. View Illustration |
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| Tall chest of Drawers |
The measurements given for the base frame are longer than the case when
assembled, yet the feet and moldings are flush with the case. I
must not understand this part of the plan. Can I find more detail
for this chest of drawers? |
| Lonnie
replies: The base frame provides a way to attach the feet and moldings while still allowing for the case sides to expand and contract seasonally. The frame is flush with the case on the front & sides and is hidden from view by the base molding. As you can imagine, it is difficult to construct the base frame so that it is absolutely flush to the case. Instead, it is much easier to construct the base frame oversize and trim it flush after it is attached to the case. For the greatest accuracy I select the shortest bit that will do the job. In this case the Amana no.47101 is a great choice. View Illustration |
| Tall chest, issue#151 of Popular Woodworking |
I can't make out from your instuctions in the magazine how the 18 X 31
bottom is attached to the sides before the bottom dividers & runner\'s.
Can you help me understand this? Also will the poplar color that the
bottom is made out of stand out against the cherry? |
| Lonnie
replies: I'm glad to hear that your constructing the chest. Once you've completed it you'll have an heirloom piece of furniture. A chest of drawers, like all fine casework, is essentially a dovetailed box. When stripped of the moldings, feet, and drawers the chest is four slabs of wood which are joined with dovetails at the corners. To save cost, interior parts, such as the bottom, are commonly made of a secondary wood such as poplar. To hide the poplar bottom glue a strip of primary wood along the front edge before cutting the dovetails (see photo on page 59 of article). Once you've cut the dovetail joints glue together the box and add the dividers and runners. Then add the other details such as feet and moldings. I hope that you enjoy the process. Building a chest of drawers is a rewarding experience. View Illustration |
| Pennsylvania Secretary | |
How do you attach the waist and base moldings to upper and lower cases
of your PA Secretary? Are they nailed, glued, or both? |
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| Lonnie
replies: When attaching moldings to casework it's important to observe the grain direction. If the grain in the molding is parallel to the grain in the case you can glue the molding in place. However, when the molding is cross-grain to the case it must be applied to allow for seasonal expansion and contraction to occur. To attach moldings cross-grain I first apply a generous amount of glue to the miter and I also glue the molding for the first inch or two adjacent to the miter. I allow the end opposite of miter to "float". I secure the opposite end of large moldings with a screw from inside of the case; to allow for wood movement I use a slotted hole for the screw. To secure the end of a small molding I use a small cut nail. |
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| Bookcase with proud crown molding |
Having made my first crown molding on a solid oak bookcase, I was confronted
with the gluing from both outside as inside corners. -Ton W. |
| Lonnie
replies: There are two methods for attaching crown molding to the top of a chest or bookcase so that the top is attractive and functional. They each depend on a different type of crown molding. Furniture crown molding can be triangular, or flat like an architectural crown. If the molding is triangular it is mitered and applied to the case after the case is assembled. The top of the molding is flush to the top of the case and the case dovetails are exposed. If flat crown molding is used it is mitered and attached underneath the top. The top overhangs the molding and, visually speaking, it becomes a part of the crown. To fully create the effect the edge of the top is shaped with an ogee or other simple profile. With either method it is not necessary to clamp the crown molding. Instead, I simply apply glue to the back of the molding and the miter joint and hold them into position for a minute until the glue sets. Ordinary yellow glue grabs and sets quickly so it is a good choice for this type of application. If the sides of the case are solid wood you'll have to allow them to expand and contract seasonally. I do this by applying glue to the molding only for the first couple of inches beginning at the miter. At the opposite end of the molding I insert a screw from inside the case to hold the molding. Remember to slot the screw hole in the side of the case; this will allow the case side to expand and contract seasonally without splitting. View Illustration 1 View Illustration 2 |
| PA Tall Clock | |
Several weeks ago you were kind
enough to supply the hardware list to complete the PA
tall clock. Once again I have to impose upon our
kindness to help me with a few questions.
I am at the point of joining
the lower case to the waist case. I am finding the distance
from the face of the waist section to the lower case face to
be 2 3/8 inches. Now when I make a similar measurement
from side to side I find the measurement to be 2 1/2 inches.
In other words, the gap the lower molding will be covering is
not typical on all three sides. I have been back over my
work and haven't found any dimensional errors. Am I missing
something?
Also, probably a rookie question,
but what is the proper location of the bracket feet under the
base moulding? I assume they are set back slightly to leave a
reveal at the top edge of the foot.
I realize you're a busy man but I would appreciate any comments you care to share. Especially concerning joining the two cases. I am in a quandry and not sure as to how to proceed. -Stephen S. |
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| Lonnie
replies: Congratulations
on making such good progress on a challenging project. To make
the space around the waist equal on all three sides simply
plane some off of the back edges of the waist. The bracket
feet are located so that the ogee curve of the foot flows into
the base molding; they are not set back.
The
base molding profile is an ogee. However, the ogee profile
from a router bit positions the foot too far away from the
case. Instead, I use a custom ground steel cutter for the
shaper. You can use the Amana shaper cutterhead #61068 with
blank knives 64RM599 (50mm)
and have the profile ground at a sharpening shop.
View Illustration |
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| Frame-and-panel construction |
It's a great thing to be able to post a question to you online. At the
moment I'm working on a bookcase in louis xvi style. therefore I use
quite a lot of solid wood panels in oak, due to hold the piece in an
acceptable weight I try to minimize the thickness of the panels. could
you give me a clue to the thickness without having the chance that the
panels will be too thin. the size of the panels are 24 inch in breadth
and about 35 inch in length. I thought to make the thickness 12 mm =
a bit less than 1/2 inch. would this be ok? |
| Lonnie
replies: Thanks for your comments on my articles; it's good to hear that you're enjoying them. Frame-and-panel construction has been popular for centuries and for good reason; it's an attractive method for creating a large, stable expanse of solid wood. The thin panel is fit in a groove within a thick frame; as the panel dimensions change with the seasonal changes in humidity the panel "floats" within the rigid framework. Because it is both stable and attractive the frame-and-panel is used for doors, wall paneling, construction of casework such as roll top desks, and even headboards for beds. Regarding the panel thickness, panels are commonly 1/2" to 5/8" thick, so I don't believe that the thinness of the panel is an issue. However, a 24" wide panel has the potential to expand and contract considerably, depending on the fluctuations in seasonal humidity. As a rule-of-thumb I allow 1/16" of room for expansion on each edge of a 12" panel. 24" is a wide panel so it's important to provide plenty of depth within the frame groove to allow for expansion. Another option is to create two smaller panels. |
| Tall Chest: Carcase Construction | |
In the November 2005 Popular Woodworking, the bottom part is 7/8 x 18
x 31, should it be 7/8 x 18 1/2 x 31 with a rabbet for the back of 1/2. |
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| Lonnie
replies: When constructing furniture casework it's necessary to cut a rabbet along the back edge of the top and sides of the case in order to conceal the backboards. However, it's not necessary to create a rabbet along the bottom; the bottom of the case is hidden from view. This also explains why the sides and top are primary wood, such as cherry, and the bottom is a less expensive secondary wood. When installing the backboards I simply attach them to the edge of the bottom. When cutting rabbets in the top and sides of the case as well as the edges of the lipped drawers I use the Amana Superabbet #49360. The increased mass combined with the superior cutting angle creates a much cleaner cut than ordinary rabbet bits. |
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| Chippendale arm chair |
I would like to purchase a measured drawing of the
Chippendale arm chair featured in your furniture gallery. I enjoy yourarticles in Fine Woodworking and Popular Woodworking. |
| Lonnie
replies: I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying the articles. While I don't have drawings of chairs that I sell I do teach a class on the chair. If you're interested in a brochure on my school and a schedule of classes please visit my website at www.lonniebird.com. |
| Dished Tabletops |
I'm working on a tilt-and-turn pedestal table with a dishrim top. I'm
having trouble figuring out how to make the profile on the rim. It
has (starting from the outside) a rounded section, then a fillet,
then a cove, then a small shoulder which connects to the dished bottom. |
| Lonnie
replies: Dished tabletops have a raised, molded rim. Although the raised rim creates a dramatic effect, it is typically not very high above the rest of the surface. Although the shape of the molding profile can vary, it often consist of a bead and cove which are separated by small flats called fillets. Years ago, round tabletops with a raised rim were turned on a lathe. Today it is much more efficient to use a router. But first you'll need to construct a simple jig. The jig suspends the router over the workpiece on a pair of rails. To shape the rim, the workpiece is slowly rotated on a hub while the router remains fixed in place. After each cut the router is repositioned along the rails, clamped in place, and the process is repeated. A straight bit is used to true the perimeter of the top and dish the interior. Roundover and corebox bits are used to shape the molding profile. The tool numbers for the bits are located on the drawing. For full details on constructing the jig and routing the top you can refer to pages 143-144 in my book "The Complete Illustrated Guide To Shaping Wood". View Illustration |
