how do you do a quatrafoil

[wallace]

Hi all, the lady of the household has requested I make a plate rack and on the side she wants the quatrefoil. How is the best way to do them. I tried doing a template and then routing but it looked pants. So how do the big boys do them?
This is what she wants


Mark

 

[carlb40]

I guess this is where hand tools come into play. I would say looking at that some form of gouges are needed depending on the size of the pattern required.
You could probably route out the centre section and then do the carved part with the gouges.

 

[wallace]

thanks Carl, I'm sure I have some carving gouges tucked away somewhere. I'm doing it in maple so it should be a bit easier than the oak in the pic

 

[xy mosian]

I think hand tools would be fun, well interesting anyway. If a machining route is needed then my two pen'orth would go like this:- Using a template rout the center shape. If a cutter can be found to match the bevel ( is it flat or curved? ), use a template to shape the inside of one leaf, rotate and repeat. The points of the outer shapes are the tricky bits, either 3D routing or a careful chip carving exercise.
Have fun.
xy