How would you go about making something like this?
- Thread starter Beau
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ajs
Established Member
I suspect I was thinking along the same lines as akirk but hadn't realised the taper, it isn't apparent in the photos. A proper view of the fluting so we can see cross section would be helpful but fundamentally you need to decide on subtractive or additive construction, i.e starting from solid and carving the flutes out or starting with a blank and attaching moulding. The former will inevitably mean building some form of cradle to support the posts while they are routed and to serve as tool guide.
First things first though... is this a listed building?
First things first though... is this a listed building?
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Do you have a lathe ?
Jacob
New Luddism. Wake up and resist.
Are they wood, it looks like cast iron to me?
Do they bear much weight?
Do they bear much weight?
johna.clements
Established Member
Maybe a wrought or cast iron column with timber cladding!
The mark near the top could be rust.
This could be a bit more complicated than it first looks since they appear to be supporting a canopy or the roof.
That type of column isn't uncommon here, but what's left is usually just cladding around a post. The cladding changed from wood to metal over time and now they're not as common.
Are there any codes you have to deal with if you replace pillars like that? If so, then doing whatever the engineer or inspector likes at this point is probably job 1.
Are there any codes you have to deal with if you replace pillars like that? If so, then doing whatever the engineer or inspector likes at this point is probably job 1.
No idea if it's a listed place but I will leave that to the owner and just do what is asked of me.
No iron inside as they have now dug out some of the rot and gone almost right through it! They have a builder on site doing other works who will prop things if need be.
I do have a lathe but nothing like long enough but I do have another idea. I have a bandsaw mill to which I could attach a router to use as a large router sled. First I could fix a couple of indexing pivots (16 points needed) to a couple of bunks that are far enough apart. Then bandsaw mill a multi-faceted "pillar" and then attach a router to the mill to add the molding but again not sure how the molding works with the taper.
This is the type of mill I have which might be adapted to do the work? Portable Sawmills | Woodland Mills UK
No iron inside as they have now dug out some of the rot and gone almost right through it! They have a builder on site doing other works who will prop things if need be.
I do have a lathe but nothing like long enough but I do have another idea. I have a bandsaw mill to which I could attach a router to use as a large router sled. First I could fix a couple of indexing pivots (16 points needed) to a couple of bunks that are far enough apart. Then bandsaw mill a multi-faceted "pillar" and then attach a router to the mill to add the molding but again not sure how the molding works with the taper.
This is the type of mill I have which might be adapted to do the work? Portable Sawmills | Woodland Mills UK
Jacob
New Luddism. Wake up and resist.
Basic rule of conservation work - he does need an exact replica, if at all possible.
What tends to happen if you don't do a good replica, even at the client's request, is that you get the blame, and vice versa; you could get the credit!
Best way to find out how to make it would be to take one away and have a good look at it on the bench. It's usually possible to see exactly how they did it and it'll probably be easier/simpler than you think.
rogxwhit
Established Member
I did a similar job a couple of years ago. They needed four off. I made a carrier jig to replicate the taper from scraps of wood, ply, & mdf, whatever was to hand, and at one end of it I made an index plate with holes according to the no of flutes. The stock, having been roughed to an octagonal section on the sawbench, was fastened to the jig by its centres at each end. A pin (screw) was inserted through one of the indexed holes and into a hole in the stock.
The cutter shape was two arcs flanking a point, so I was milling the groove and two half-beads on each pass. Why not a bead cutter? Because I wanted to taper the beads with the column.
Spindle one pass, rotate stock one index position and repeat ...
The accuracy of the result was dependent on that of the index plate.
Whole job was quick & economic. Joiner who commissioned me was happy, & so was his client.
The cutter shape was two arcs flanking a point, so I was milling the groove and two half-beads on each pass. Why not a bead cutter? Because I wanted to taper the beads with the column.
Spindle one pass, rotate stock one index position and repeat ...
The accuracy of the result was dependent on that of the index plate.
Whole job was quick & economic. Joiner who commissioned me was happy, & so was his client.
That's very helpful.
"The cutter shape was two arcs flanking a point" do you mean something like this? I am thinking if it's tapered I need a fairly flat arc so it doesn't come to a point and the thin end. Hope that makes sense Trend 7/06X1/4TC Flat ovolo 12mm radius
Jonm
Established Member
Difficult to see the size of these pillars and what they are supporting. They appear to be supporting a large truss. How are they fixed top and bottom. I think it needs a structural engineer for both the temporary and permanent works. If this goes wrong who will your friend look to for recompense, you or the builder?
Edit- From the photos, this looks massive, maybe it is a lot smaller than I am envisaging. Actual dimensions would be helpful, height/diameter of column, spans of those trusses.
Edit- From the photos, this looks massive, maybe it is a lot smaller than I am envisaging. Actual dimensions would be helpful, height/diameter of column, spans of those trusses.
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rogxwhit
Established Member
No, that's too shallow, and it produces a flat-bottomed groove. I just flipped through the Wealden cat and can't see anything appropriate. I was using a spindle moulder and if it wasn't a stock cutter (can't remember) I had a grinding facility.
The cutter shape must accord with the particular sample, anyway.
Here's a pic with the columns in from the joiner, he's turned the bosses himself that'll go top & bottom. The wood he supplied for the job was sapele.
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rogxwhit
Established Member
Entasis ...
My columns had a straight taper, but I could've easily added a curve via the edge of the jig that ran along the spindle fence.
My columns had a straight taper, but I could've easily added a curve via the edge of the jig that ran along the spindle fence.
Jonm
Established Member
It looks like a repair has been done to the LH column near the top. Top of columns appears to go in to a collar in the cast iron? truss. Cannot see how bottom of pillar is fixed. No doubt the pillars were installed with the truss. Method of installation and fixing details at top and bottom is needed to determine exactly what needs making.
rogxwhit
Established Member
Just occurred to me that a wooden column could function as a foundry pattern ....
