Arched Pulls -- My technique and result

[Jerry_in_SD]

Regarding alternate ways to fabricate the arched pulls,  I am nearing the completion (installation starts week from Monday) of my Greene and Greene inspired kitchen.  I have 15 drawers that needed pulls and I decided that the arched pull looked the best.  This was a year ago so I did not have the benefit of Darrell's new book.  I did a web search and came across Dorset Custom Furniture blog in which he describes how he fabricated his arched pulls for a G&G inspired sideboard: 

 

http://dorsetcustomfurniture.blogspot.com/2008/05/detailed-steps-to-make-greene-and.html

 

The instructions are a little brief but I got the general idea and created a prototype. 

 

 

 

I made curved router fences for both a 10" and 14" pull.  A convex fence is used to route the bullnose on the bottom.  A concave fence (which matches curve of convex) was used to route the roundover on the top.  Unlike Marc's technique, there is no routing between the fence and bit but like Marc's technique, a lot of sanding and shaping to round and smooth over the entire piece. 

 

 

I did not cut the square holes prior to bandsawing and shaping but did those after.  I put the pull on a board and shimmed the board to be level then drove the square chisel (yes, used Darrell's Lee Valley design) perpendicular to the workpiece.  I did not want the ebony plugs non-parallel to the pull surface.   (Yes, I used William Ng's technique for creating ebony plugs using drill).  

 

This is end result:

 

 

 

This is result on drawer

 

 

 

And this are a few pics from a pantry:

 

 

When all done, I'll post project in gallery in forum.

[TerryMcK]

Great result SD. So you just use the fence as normal with the bit embedded where the half-hole is and then just push the flat stock through. When it hits the curved surface of the fence on the other side of the bit it has no where to go apart from follow the curve?

Do you still need feather boards?

[ChetlovesMer]

I think that looks great.

I also think your solution was brilliant. I have to admit I would not have thought to do it that way.
That's why I love woodworking and this forum. Everyone "sees" a different method to get to the desired result.

[Jerry_in_SD]

Great result SD. So you just use the fence as normal with the bit embedded where the half-hole is and then just push the flat stock through. When it hits the curved surface of the fence on the other side of the bit it has no where to go apart from follow the curve?

Do you still need feather boards?

No feather board was needed.

Steps I took were as follows:

1. I made a template of my curve on 1/4 mdf. When I cut the curve in the middle of my piece of mdf it gave me the concave and convex curves templates.

2. I used the template to pattern route my fences. The fence material needs to be thick enough to support the width of my pulls which were 1 1/4. My pull stock was 6/4 cherry planed down to thickness.

3. I traced the template curves on my pull stock.

4. I cut the curve on the bandsaw.

5. I then used the convex fence to cut the underside cove using bullnose bit on the router table.

6. I made a jig screwed to a spare x cut sled so I could cut the material away from the curved cove part so it was straight. The cut was made so the blade takes no material from the center of the pull.

7. Then using my curve template, I traced a line 1/4 in from top of cove and parallel to the cove cut.

8. Returned to the bandsaw and cut along the line. The pull is now roughed out.

9. Using a sacrificial push board, rounded over the end grain of the pulls.

10. Used the concave fence with a round over bit to round the top long edges of the pull.

11. Now used sand paper to round and smooth all sharp corners and edges.

12. Now repeat starting from step 3 15 more times. Actually I batched these out. I ain't that stupid!

For ebony plugs, I had a curved surface so I shimmed a support board so I could drive the square punch perpendicular to the pull surface.

Hope that is more descriptive.

[Jerry_in_SD]

I think that looks great.

I also think your solution was brilliant. I have to admit I would not have thought to do it that way.

That's why I love woodworking and this forum. Everyone "sees" a different method to get to the desired result.

Thanks, but 100% of this idea goes to the folks at Dorset Fine Furniture who posted this technique on their blog. One of these days I hope to have an original idea of my own! But when you think of it, us guys doing Green & Greene inspired work owe the inspiration to the Greene brothers and fine craftsmanship to the Hall brothers and guys like Darrell Peart and Marc.

[Jerry_in_SD]

And I should mention William Ng over in Anaheim from whom I've taken G&G project classes. I would highly recommend his school as we'll.

[PeteJr]

Very good material SD and thank you very much for the website recommendation.  I will incorporate these into my next project.