| Walnut Coat Rack -- Shaping the Legs |
From "Wood Works"
episode WWK-304 |
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Shaping the Bent-Laminate Legs Once all four of the bent-laminate legs have been made (using the techniques shown in the prior segment) they can be cut to size and shaped. The feet are given a flat resting surface, and both ends of each leg are cut with a stylized curve.
Materials: Belt sander
Band saw
Jointer
Coping saw
Pattern-maker's rasp
Carpenter's square
Straight-edge
Carpenter's pencil
Carpenter's tape
Safety glasses or goggles
Note: Cut sizes may vary. For exact measurements, please contact David Marks through his Web site -- information below under Resources. Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses when working with wood, saws, drills, routers, etc.
Cutting the Curved Stock To Make Four Legs
- Once both of the pieces of curved leg-stock have been removed from the bending forms, a belt sander is used to smooth the edges and remove any excess resin that squeezed out during glue-up (figure A).
- Before the legs can be cut to size, one edge must be cleaned and flattened to provide a perfectly flat surface that will ride against the fence of the band saw. Once the glue has been removed, place the curved leg on the jointer. Follow the arc of the curve as the sanded side of the leg passes over the knives of the jointer (figure B). The jointer will smooth the surface, and make a perfectly flat edge.
- At the band saw, place the jointed edge against the fence. With the fence set 1-1/2 inches from the blade, cut the stock (figure C) to produce two legs (figure D).
- Using the fresh cut on the second leg as a reference, put it against the fence and trim away the remaining glue on the outside edge.
- Run each of the newly cut legs through the drum sander (figure E) to produce flat and parallel surfaces.
- Repeat these steps to create the second pair of legs.
Shaping the Feet and Tops of the Legs
- For the feet of the finished rack to sit level and even on the floor, cuts must be made on the feet to create a level surface that will rest flat against the floor. To do this, the curved legs are placed on the original plywood template for reference, and a straight-edge is used to make layout marks that will parallel the floor (figure F).
- Woodworker's Principle: Wood has a natural spring-back tendency, so final bent-laminate pieces may not match their original template exactly. This should not be a problem as long as the curve is reasonably close to the original design. With bent-wood lamination, the rule of thumb is: the thinner the laminate, the better the wood will retain its curved shape after glue-up. Since each of our laminate layers in this project were cut to just 3/32-inch, the legs held their shape well.
- With the layout marks made for the feet, clamp the leg to the table-saw fence to ensure that the end of the leg is perpendicular to the fence. This allows a perfect 90-degree cut to be made on the foot (figure G), so that the rack will sit level.
- The next cut serves to shape the toe of the foot while, at the same time, cuts the foot to the proper length. A 1-1/2 inch foot on each leg will provide the stability necessary for a sturdy coat rack. To create the curved cut for the toe, a small curved template is made from 3/4-inch MDF. Place the template so that the end is 1-1/2 inches from where the curve of the leg meets the 90-degree cut, and draw an outline of the curved form (figure H).
- With the mark made, cut the curve using a coping saw. This specialized saw has a very narrow blade that's perfect for making precise, curved cuts. Clamp the leg securely in a vise to hold it steady as you make the cut (figure I).
- Finish shaping the curve, by hand, using a pattern-maker's rasp (figure J).
- Cut the curves for the tops of the leg in the same fashion. First, lay the leg on the template.
- Transfer the layout line from the template onto the top of the leg -- using the straight edge of a carpenter's square to transfer the mark all the way around the leg (figure K).
- Using the layout mark as a guide, use the small, curved template to draw the arc.
- Cut the curved end using the coping saw (figure L).
- Repeat these steps for all four legs.
In the segment that follows, the center post is made for supporting the four legs, and the coat rack is assembled.
Sponsored Resource
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RESOURCES :
Fine Woodworking
A magazine devoted to high-quality craftsmanship in woodworking.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
The Small Wood Shop (The Best of Fine Woodworking)
Author: Helen Albert (Editor)
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561580619
Woodworking Techniques: Best Methods for Building Furniture from Fine Woodworking
Author: Editors of Fine Woodworking magazine
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561583456
Mastering Woodworking Machines (Fine Woodworking Book)
Author: Mark Duginske
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 0942391985
David Marks Website
David Marks, DIY's Wood Works host, is a master woodworker. For more information on cut sizes and project details, please contact him via his Website at www.djmarks.com
Popular Woodworking
F & W Publications, Inc.
Website: www.popularwoodworking.com
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