Dug up an article

Re: Dug up an article

Very enlightening read! Gorgeous leftovers and, do you still have all your fingers?

Thanks for discovering this gem.

Re: Dug up an article

Yes, somehow that bandsaw photo reminds me of ones I've seen of Sam Maloof sawing compound curves freehand on the bandsaw. I guess it's safer than it looks, although the rule of thumb (no pun intended) remains that if it feels even remotely unsafe, DON'T DO IT!

Ellis

Re: Dug up an article

Ellis......this is the type of furniture that has me in woodworking.......it is beautiful......and yet, it serves a purpose.......it's attractive and utilitarian......and it's unlikely that you'll find one just like it in a furniture store.......

Re: Dug up an article

Nice cabinet, Ellis! Can you expand a bit on the spline construction of the door frames/panels? That looks like a really interesting technique.

Frame and panel: another way

Hey Brad, thanks for the kind words. 

I used the spline method because

• It provides a visual transition between woods of different color, value, and contrast, in this case walnut and chestnut,
• You can raise the panel with a router or tablesaw by simply molding the edges, without a tongue getting in the way.
• You only need one grooving setup to work both frame and panel.
• You can use the spline to space the field of the panel away from the outer frame. The contrasting color adds an element of complexity to the appearance.
• It saves panel material, since the panel is suspended in the opening, not extending across the transition space and into a groove in the frame. These panels would have had to be a full inch taller and wider if they were simply tongued into the frame.

I think of this type of construction as a variation on the theme of "panel in frame in frame," where the inner frame provides a buffer zone between the panel and the outer frame, providing even more visual and functional advantages. Here's an example of another variation.

Note that the panel is the 18" wide part with the raised carving. The frame immediately around it adds elements of width and depth, and its asymmetry adds another dimension. Plus, since there are now two floating transitions around the panel in all directions, it splits up the amount of expansion room that you need to provide between the three components.

Ellis