Good Layout, Good Lines, Good Job

Below the paywall: The Stick Chair Traveling Circus.

Fancy moulding details like the one above look intimidating to beginners. They’ll ask: Did you use the Lie-Nielsen No. 66 beader to make that? Can you show me the specialty moulding planes that make that profile in cross grain?

As is typical in hand work, it’s not about esoteric tools. Instead, it’s about drawing a good line and working down to it with simple tools.

Here’s how I made the above moulding – start to finish – in about 15 minutes.

Good Layout

I make a pattern for the moulding shape on thick paper, usually a postcard, and cut it out with scissors. I force myself to make four or five different patterns because sometimes they get better with each attempt. And sometimes they get worse, and I use the first one I drew (while muttering to myself about wasting time).

The layout tools aren’t fancy. Get thee these cheap circle templates from Mr. Pen. They are one of the most-used tools hanging on our wall in the bench room. You also need a ruler, a mechanical pencil and (as mentioned) scissors.

The photo above shows how to lay out ogees and oh-shits. (Pro tip: Arcs are good for Roman mouldings as shown here. For Grecian, get some ellipse templates, too. And if you want the Complete Set of Plastic Cheater Layout Tools, get a few small flexible French curves, too.)¹

Good Lines

Trace the moulding shape on every surface possible. Here I traced it on the inside of the curve, then the outside of the curve, then I joined those two layouts. I also joined the beads on the top and the end of the curve on the end grain.

Crisp lines that meet perfectly result in crisp results. You know this; I’m just reminding you.

Now join your layout lines with saw kerfs. The kerfs define the beads, and they break up the waste in the giant cove. I’m using a Dozuki saw here because that’s what I travel with. Any small crosscut saw will do.

Good Work

The rest of the work is waste removal. After I make the kerfs, I then make one diagonal sweeping cut with the saw to remove the bulk of the waste. You could use a coping saw to do this. Or use the saw in your hand.

Next remove the rest of the waste with a narrow chisel (I’m using 1/4" here). No mallet violence. Just push the chisel. Work down until the kerfs almost disappear.

Now shape the beads with the same chisel. Note that when you do this on a curved part, you have to pay attention to the grain direction. Half the cuts are from the inside of the curve. The other half are from the outside. If the above explanation doesn’t make sense, you’ll figure it out as soon as you do it wrong (and then you’ll never do it wrong again).

The last shaping operation is with a rasp or two. I used a cabinet rasp from Auriou. Followed by a modeller’s rasp. After that, it’s just a little finishing with some sandpaper wrapped around a dowel.