John Townsend's Pediments
There's always interest in Newport furniture. It has unique design elements and exceptional execution almost all of the time. Lately I've been referred to as a source for some of this info, so I'll go over as much of the pediment work as comes to mind. The pics are a Townsend highboy we just copied.
The pediment board is glued to the front edge of the case top and dovetailed into the case side. The size of the pediment board mimics the curve of the arch less the rabbet for the roof.
I dovetail the board in, mitre the side moldings, clamp them on, and set the roughed out arch molding blanks on the front. I cut only the mitre on these two front pieces and trace the side molding profiles on them after positioning them and clamping them in place. After carving and scraping the front moldings, leaving them long, I screw them to the pediment board.
I then position the center finial plinth in place, screw it on from the back, and run the astragal around its base. Now the circular molding location is established with a compass. The circular molding is mitred to the arch molding with a curved mitre joint ( I just draw the curved mitre in by eye form the first intersection of the two moldings to the point where it ends) I cut the mitre on the molding and then trace it onto the pediment molding. To insure these two moldings are identical you need to grind a scraper for the turned one and a half scraper for the pediment part.
Once the moldings are fit on both ends you can then cut the hole in the pediment board. Do not do it before you've fit the circular moldings! You can then cut the pediment where the two pediment moldings return back to the infill board and return the molding to it.
There will be inevitable fitting of the pediment molding at the corners and the junction of the circular molding. Also note that the dovetail angle is parallel to the pediment molding. I use scrapers, files, and carving tools to get these joints right.
I also end up adjusting the thickness of the turned moldings by planing the back so that the heights will match.
Once it's time to glue I use hide glue and spring clamps or just brads if the place is hard to get at. You can pull them out when the glue's dry, or just nail them in all the way and leave them.
The panels in the pediment are scribed to size from the existing moldings, the thumbnail is scraped on and they're glued down.
Views: 243
Comment
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Comment by Robert Champagne on December 26, 2010 at 1:24am -
Al,
When you initially position the central plinth, have you cut the pediment board at all?
Thanks, and Happy Christmas,
Rob
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Comment by al breed on November 20, 2010 at 8:16am
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Rob- I cut out a circular piece a little bigger than the finished part, glue it to the faceplate with glue and paper and turn the molding-Al
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Comment by Robert Champagne on November 19, 2010 at 5:01pm
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Al,
When you turn the circular molding, do you use a solid piece (ie with no hole cut in the middle) and then cut the molded part from the solid remainder?
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Comment by al breed on November 19, 2010 at 2:16pm
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Howard- You've got it right. The return of the pediment molding covers the last piece of veneer inside the hole.
Rob- The whole pediment is probably as much work as the cases (less the legs)-Al
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Comment by Howard Steier on November 19, 2010 at 1:51pm
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Very elegant.
Let me make sure I understand the sequence with the crown moldings.
The side molding is carved, mitered and clamped on the case.
The gooseneck blank is then mitered on the case side end, left long at the middle end, and clamped on. This allows you to trace the molding profile on the mitered blank from the carved side molding.
After this is fitted and carved, the circular molding fitted, the hole cut in the pediment board etc. etc., you then miter the medial end of the gooseneck and fit the middle return.
Do I have the sequence correct?
Howard Steier
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Comment by Robert Champagne on November 19, 2010 at 10:05am
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Al,
Great stuff. The pediment work with the moldings seems like the most complicated part of the piece.
Rob
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