What tools to make a moulding

[morfa]

I'm trying to make a couple of shelves to go above our fireplaces.

The wife found a shelf that she liked (see photo), but it wasn't wide enough. So I foolishly went 'that'll be easy for me to make'. But I'm not really sure what kind of tool - plane? Will do the job. Any ideas?

I'd be hoping, I could do the moulding on two pieces of wood and then stick them together, to get the depth and effect. Which seems sensible to me at least.

 

[AndyT]

Well, the glib answer is a moulding plane, but that may not be very helpful.

It's hard to tell the scale from your photo but it looks like a standard cornice moulding which will be a stock item at any decent timber merchant; you could buy whatever length you need and edge your shelf with it, mitreing the corners if needed.

If, on the other hand you want to make a moulding like that on the edge of some wood you already have, you will need a rebate plane, and at least one hollow and one round plane. (Unless it's tiny, in which case you need to find a moulding plane of that exact profile.)

The best explanations of how to go about it are on Matt Bickford's blog here: http://musingsfrombigpink.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[morfa]

Scalewise, it's quite thick, it's about 3 inches thick. I was thinking that it'd be a moulding plane. I know I could probably buy the moulding, but I'm looking to buy the tools to make them again in the future.

I already have a 1" rebate plane from Workshop Heaven - http://www.workshopheaven.com/tools/Muj ... Plane.html

Would that be ok for the rebate plane?

As for the hollow and round, I guess it's 'to ebay!'. I'll need a big size, any idea what number a 1" or 1 1/2" hollow & round is?

 

[Racers]

The numbers go up in 1/16" so 16 is an inch 24 is 1 1/2"


Pete

 

[AndyT]

That rebate plane looks ideal. Do have a good read through Matt's stuff first and practise on some non-precious wood!

 

[Graham Orm]

I know we're under 'hand tools' here but surely this is a job for a router table?

 

[Cheshirechappie]

That's getting quite advanced.

Couple of ideas - to save making mouldings, can you glue a piece of timber to the back of the shelf (maybe with dowels or similar for reinforcement) to make up the required width? As it looks like the existing piece is painted, it should be possible to trim the new piece back to the existing quite neatly after the glue has dried, then cover the additional wood with paint to blend the joint.

If the moulding route is preferable, first step would be to trace the moulding profile onto a piece of card, and determine what the radii actually are. The numbering system for moulding planes is, frankly, all over the place - as Pete says above, they go up in 1/16", but not all makers followed that sequence right through. Quite commonly, they went up to 12 (3/4" radius), then in 1/8" increments. So 1" radius would be number 14, and 1 1/2" radius number 18. Don't be at all surprised if you find other planes stamped with those numbers, but of different radii, though. There wasn't much standardisation. The good news is that if you have a plane slightly under the required radius to make a hollow, you can get by, and vice versa for a round.

There's a book by Matt Bickford, too. 'Mouldings in Practice' - Classic Hand Tools can supply. Not cheap, but very good indeed. It's the expanded version of his blog that AndyT linked to.

Good luck if you decide to have a go. It'll take a bit of trial and error and practice, but once you get there you'll have quite an advanced skill to your name!

 

[morfa]

Cheshirechappie - The piece in the photo was made out of chipboard and has already gone back to the shop, it was bought from Homebase. So I'm looking at replicating it. Doesn't have to be 100% exact. Closeish would be ok.

So I'll get a bunch of easy wood (poplar) and a couple of large hollows and rounds and make sure I've got enough to do a couple of attempts. I'll be painting it, so I can fix any iffyness with a bit of filler and a lot of sanding.

I'd seen the mouldings in practice book, looks good. If it's worthwhile, i'll buy it.

Thanks for the suggestions, i'll post up a WIP when I get started.

Grayorm - If I had a router table, then I'd probably use it. I don't have one tho.

 

[Graham Orm]

Good luck, keep us informed on progress.

 

[Richard T]

This is the best I can find on making mouldings -

http://www.pbs.org/woodwrightsshop/video/3000/3002.html

Far more complex than what you have in mind but then maybe you'll find yours easier in comparison.
Gives a lot of examples of different planes and what can be done with each re moulding.

 

[custard]

The best explanations of how to go about it are on Matt Bickford's blog here: http://musingsfrombigpink.blogspot.co.uk/

Incidentally, I believe Matt Bickford has a DVD that will shortly be released as a companion to his excellent book. What with this DVD and the imminent release of the new Lie Nielsen honing guide I'm having trouble getting to sleep at nights!

 

[morfa]

Well I have 6 hollows and rounds on the way (£10 each, seems like an ok price). Wood has been bought. I'll post up a WIP once I'm actually started.

 

[bugbear]

This is the best I can find on making mouldings -

http://www.pbs.org/woodwrightsshop/video/3000/3002.html

That's excellent - I really must get round to watching the new stuff PBS have online.

BugBear

 

[Racers]

I use this link to St Roy http://video.pbs.org/program/woodwrights-shop/

Pete

 

[morfa]

Daft question (haven't been able to try yet as the planes haven't arrived) but can moulding planes (halfs and rounds) plane the end grain?

I'm planning on doing the moulding all the way round the shelf, so was just going to cut a piece of wood to the right size and then just plane it with the moulding plane to get the shape. Will that work?

 

[Richard T]

Easier if they are skewed - if not some working with gouges I should think.

 

[AndyT]

It depends. With nice mild wood and a sharp edge it can be done. You will need to clamp on a sacrificial piece on the far side to prevent splitting. I did some end grain moulding in my library chair project.


https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/victorian-chair-steps-t58381-45.html

 

[morfa]

For anyone in the future, if you're using something suitably soft (eg poplar) then you probably don't even need the sacrificial piece on the other side. The blades weren't even very sharp really. It's all worked quite well. Will post up the WIP with photos.

 

[Shrubby]

search for Pekka Huhta's posts - he ran lots of mouldings to fit out his house in Finland
Matt