Thoughts on bits to make this molding

[chopnhack]

Hello all! Haven't been around much, working too much of late...

I have been entertaining the thought of reproducing this molding or as closely as possible for an upcoming? project. I am not matching existing molding, so close is good enough.

I can't quite make out from the photo, if the bottom part of the molding is made from a finger nail or thumbnail bit or roundover, the perspective is a little hard to view. I think this is followed by cove with a small bead molding on top.

I understand that the piece was probably originally produced on a shaper, but I would like to see if I can make this with my router.

Let me know what bits you think can be used.
Thanks.



image courtesy of google
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...TKQfnjNpk4M%3A

[cabinetman]

It's like you think. Looks like a ¼ round, then a cove, and the little one at the top is a small ½ round.

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[chopnhack]

Thanks Mike! The two lower ones were throwing me a little, they looked skewed... The bottom one looked more oval than round and the cove looked more stepped back as it went up, not really an equal cove. Could be the picture though.

[cabinetman]

The quarter round can be done on a taller piece,giving the illusion not consistent with the profile. The cove above it is likely set out towards the radius, compounding the look of the offset.

The top of the cove could have been cut off making it look like it was skewed. IOW, it could have been an oversized cove to begin with.

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[chopnhack]

Very good observation cman, thanks!

[woodturner]

I can't quite make out from the photo, if the bottom part of the molding is made from a finger nail or thumbnail bit or roundover, the perspective is a little hard to view. I think this is followed by cove with a small bead molding on top.

It's a little hard to be certain from the photo, since the photo is taken at an angle and that will distort the perception of the molding. However, if you look at the joint line between the mouldings toward the right side of the photo, it appears that the lower moulding is an angled segment of a quarter round while the cove appears to be a conventional cove and bead.

If you just want to get close, you could just use the regular quarter round and cove router bits. An alternative would be a multi profile bit such as this, which is set up to make these kinds of compound mouldings in fewer passes.

The moulding could also be built up from stock mouldings if you prefer. In period furniture, for example, moldings are often built up from simple coves and beads, since hollows and rounds (wood moulding planes) were common and complex moulding planes were much less common as well as much harder to use, due to the wide blades.

[cabinetman]

I have a few of the multi profile bits, and I find the problem with them is you're limited to the profile provided for the section(s) you are using. It may be a cove or a radius that you need, and whatever the size is of what's on the bit is what you get.

I prefer to use individual bits, which gives the latitude for height of the stock, and individual profiles which may suit the project better.

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[Black wallnut]

Are you thinking of stacking the molding? Like this?



two boards routed and then glued together.

[chopnhack]

Are you thinking of stacking the molding? Like this?



two boards routed and then glued together.

Thanks for the illustration BW, I know cabman said it, but the pic. clearly shows it. Thanks to both of you and yes stacking will make it much easier. With any luck I might have something to show before the year is up!

[cabinetman]

Chop...here is an old thread that discusses built up moulding. It may be an interesting read for you. It's a common procedure in custom work. Since you have a sample of what you want, it makes deciding on the profiles and sizes a bit easier.

On a new moulding, I start off with drawing it out full size (a section view...which is like you have the moulding and cross cut it, and are looking at the end). From that, you can decide how thick each level layer should be, and how deep to make it in order to fasten/join it to the others in the mix. With making that decision, you can manipulate the forward/aft positioning of each piece to change its aspect to the other mouldings in the build. A wide variety of looks can be attained by using the individuality of each piece.

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