Difficulty Applying a Molding

Answer entirely free from factual context

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>I'm not familiar with the chest design, but kerfing stock to encourage bending is a very common and accepted practice. I've got a kitchen baseboard that's held up to 25 or more years of two kids, five cats, and two dogs with kerfs all along its backside.

This is one area where power-based cutting tools have the advantage, because the kerf is wider (1/8" from most whirly saws, as opposed to thousandths of inches from hand-powered saws). I suppose there are ways to make that width of kerf by hand, but am not sure what they are.

Re: Answer entirely free from factual context

Tom Colligan

>Bill, I may be misunderstanding what direction of kerf you have in mind. My idea was just to use a handsaw and make 3 or 4 cuts across the two inch width of the molding - not lenghtwise for four feet. Is this what you meant? The bow is near the middle of the 50" length of the stock. Thanks,

Re: Difficulty Applying a Molding

Moses Yoder in White Pigeon, MI

>Not sure exactly what configuration your chest is but a lot of moldings are screwed onto a piece from the inside of the chest. If the proper hole size is used a screw will easily pull the molding flush to the carcase.

Kerfing

Ed Mulligan, Cape Cod

>Tom -

According to Joyce the kerfs should leave at least 1/8" of thickness in the stock. He recommends kerfs 1/4" apart for oak. Kerfs are cut with a power saw so figure kerf width of 1/8". He mentions that the result will have small facets that will show up if the finish is gloss.

You could try kerfing with a handsaw on a piece of scrap to see if it will give you enough flex.

Ed

Yep

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>The more curve you need, the more kerfing - I left about 1/8", if I recall correctly, unkerfed in the thickness of the wood. Because our baseboard section was curved altogether, I did a lot of kerfing.

Note that, between kerfs, the wood is still straight - it disappears into an apparent curve if the kerf frequency is enough to trick the eye.

Re: Difficulty Applying a Molding

Rick W

>You might try to straighten it out. Here's how I would do it: joint a wide, thick board( a 2 X 6 or something like that) and use that on edge on the inside when you clamp the molding on.That will act as a straightedge and straighten out the side. I can't guarantee that it will remove all the bow, but it will be better than it was.

You can add all the brads you want later!

Rick W

Yeabutt...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>Won't you see the cut marks in the molding after it's applied to the chest when opened?

Scott, thinking Moses's idea is on the right track...

Re: Yeabutt...

Tom Colligan

>Scott, if your question was to me, I hope nothing will show. The molding would run lengthwise and it is about 1.5" in height. I hope I can make at least minimal kerfs in the center area without the kerfs running the whole 1.5" as it would be visible then.

Moses, not surprisingly offered a smart idea. A carefully placed screw from the inside should pull the bow in and I expect to go that route. Thanks to all!