John Townsend Mahogany Document Box (Session 2)
10/19/2009 to 10/23/2009
This one week class will be devoted to reproducing one of Townsend’s earlier and most unique pieces and has many of the same features found in conventional desks of the period. Behind the center door is series of ornate Newport style pigeonholes and a single draw at the bottom. Carving, dovetailing, the use of molding planes, making blocked draws, grinding custom scrapers, making the curved moldings and fitting the interior are all skills that you’ll learn in the construction of this box that will come in handy in building Newport block-front casework as well as other desks regardless of style. All materials except draw pulls will be supplied, including hand-turned feet, and the major elements will be cut to size so that you can concentrate on the carving and shaping of the decorative elements in class.
Tool list for class:
- smoothing plane
- low angle block plane
- dovetail saw
- 3/8 and 5/8 bevel edge chisels
- try square
- #49 or 50 rasp
- scraper blade
- marking gauge
- 10” mill bastard file (like you would use to sharpen a scraper)
- The following carving tools: (sweep, width in mm.)1-8, 3-8, 3-12, 5-12, 5-35, 7-5, 7-7, 8-4, 8-13, 9-10, 9-13, 11-7, 11-15, 12-10, 16-3, 25-10
