Making Traditionsl Sash windows

[rhrwilliams]

So I had a long winded thread a while back about sash window research from 1720-1750 ish . Anyway I got round to making them finally this weekend. I've had so much help from various people I thought I better document what I have done in case someone else may find use for it .

I've used a drawing from Jacob as the rough basis , although I have changed a few dims to make similar to some windows I found locally . I've never made a sash window before and didn't know what that would look like on the house so made a mock up first out of scrap wood I had knocking about ... a few cock ups but got them out the way in the mock up.

Here is mock up





I ground two sets of profile cutters , one a for a 18mm glazing bar and one for 14mm. I'm using the 14mm one as I like it .
Simple Cutters like thes are actually much easier to grind than I thought. Took about 20 mins .



I then made a full size rod on plywood to match my drawing I made on CAD



Then spent what seemed like forever planing timber for cill and box . Then machined the parting Bead groove and tongues for linings . I used a single £10 Euro cutter for everything from forming rebated to cutting the tongue .



Then a big stack of wood appeared . Cut the housings in the cill and box frame head

 

[deema]

Looks really good. Great to see the sash frame linings being properly made with tongue and groove joints rather than just nailed to together butt joints.

 

[rhrwilliams]

Thanks

Right so , machines all the rest of the timber inc the face lining detail.



and the curved top piece. I just cut this with a panel saw and curved it with a No.4 plane on the skew, seemed to work ok.

Cut the little hole thing for the piece of wood between the weights.



Cut the sash pocket. I just did it with a thin saw as I don't have a sash pocket chisel. Here is how....Bore 2 small holes in parting bead groove. Gut down Line. Then mark out ends and cut both sides. Knock out the middle with hammer , or tease it out with a chisel.





Cut the pulley holes. I wish I had a small router for jobs like these. But I don't so just got on with it.



Then put the thing together on the bench, checking its square. I squared it up, nailed and glued linings on and mitres face linings.
I then glued blocks on the corners to make it super strong.....I did wipe the glue off.





There will be a delay till I make the sashes as I have a few more boxes to make first.

 

[bugbear]

Great information and pictures!

BugBear

 

[rhrwilliams]

So I have made 4 more boxes. Now onto the sashes.

Rough cut a load of sawn timber to size and plane up to size.


Then spend a long time very accurately making a width and height rod with all the markings on it. Mark up all the timber. I additionally did a full height drawing on my plywood as I didn't want to make any mess ups. Ive found the rod to be really important for accuracy. Ive made a few where I have not used a rod and instead used the bottom rail as the rod, but its quicker in the long run I find if making more than 1 !



I then use a marking gauge to set all the mortice / mould / rebate lines.

I then cut the mortices. I used a morticer and tidied up with chisel. For the thinner pieces such as the glazing bars I just mortice with the chisel as I find it quicker.

Then onto the Spindle Moulder and cut the mould and rebate. I have made a mini fence to to glazing bars. One side is for the mould and flip it over for the rebate. Basically I have done this as a) It is far safer as you can use it without your fingers being anywhere near the cutter b) it produces a better cut as the pieces don't wobble about over a big opening.

I make sure thin bits like glazing bars are extra long as the rebated end that comes out last is hard to get perfect , so I just make it long and cut it off...again also safer. (note - I am not preaching safety advice here and I know non limited cutters are not recommended / no power feed not reccomended etc etc so don't take advice from me on safety on dangerous machines!!)



Then I cut the meeting rail. I used a overhead planer to get the angle then a table saw to cut the rebate. I also formed the angle on the bottom rail on the overhead planer also. I like the overhead planer its great for rebates, angles etc etc and very very easy and quick to set up.



I then cut the tenons with a saw, or a chisel ...whatever is easiest. Then frank the bottom rail / top rail. Picture paints a thousand words;



Now to scribe....Ive struggled with this in the past , but its actually very simple, so will try to go into as much detail as possible. This is the scribe for the bottom rail , its sometimes called franking. Glazing bars will be dealt with by a separate method. Insert the tenon and line it up with the mould.....use a sharp pencil to trace the mould from the receiving piece;



Then use a gouge.......but if you don't have a gouge like me......use a small chisel to carve out the shape of the receiving mould;



TO BE CONTINUED

 

[mikefab]

Nice thread. Thanks

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[thetyreman]

looks very good so far, subscribed!

 

[rhrwilliams]

Ok so firstly, I was emailed by a forum member who suggested a better way of doing the haunch / Franking, where the material is taken from the rail, not the stile. Here we go (thanks Katelwood).



Next the glazing bars; Here is how I do it. I find this way I can get a super tight fit. Im sure there are other ways to do it too.
I put 3 lines in it , marking out the area of the scribe. The extra line is so I can get the dimension of the quirk.



Then cut it with a coping saw



Then cut the glazing bars. I mark them as one bar , then split last.



Then if its too tight, nibble a little out the glazing bar which the scribe goes into.



Then I pinned the corners of the bridle joint with a 1/4 inch dowel.



Glue up and wedge....



DONE ...Almost, I need to cut the rebates in the sides for the sash chords etc but will do this later.





There will be a 3 week ish delay while I finish the rest of the sashes and await delivery of a load of handmade cylinder glass.

 

[rhrwilliams]

Oh also, I cheated and bought parting bead from the shop. I was going to make it but forgot to order the spindle cutter. I am glad I bought it as frankly life is too short.

 

[RogerS]

Very elegant. Delighted with your thin glazing bars.

 

[rhrwilliams]

Thanks Roger. 14mm glazing bars ! I was going to use the cutters I copied from you a few years ago, but the smallest I could get the bars with those cutters was 18mm.

 

[RogerS]

Thanks Roger. 14mm glazing bars ! I was going to use the cutters I copied from you a few years ago, but the smallest I could get the bars with those cutters was 18mm.

Damn...you beat me by 1mm