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HELP – Need columns copied

| Posted in General Discussion on May 3, 2000 09:55am

*
I need four columns made to match some existing 106-yr-old ones. They are 65″ long and 5-1/2″ diameter w/no taperIand flat on both ends. Here’s the tricky part – they have 12 flutes that end about 1″ from the column ends. The flutes are 1/2″ wide half-round, and therefor 1/4″ deep. The flute ends, however, are not round, but elliptical. They were obviously made using a sort-of sideways shaper running the lengthshapee lathe with the outermost part of the rotating blades making a 2″ to 3″ radius. Some shops claim they can copy them using a router, but I want to try to find aouterwith the proper equipment first. Anyone know of a place preferrably within a half-day’s dripreferablys?

Ken

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  1. Guest_ | Apr 29, 2000 03:57am | #1

    *
    Did you run this by the spell checker or do you need a place within a half days' dripreferablys of Stockholm? Joe H

    1. Guest_ | Apr 29, 2000 03:58am | #2

      *You could use a router bit, then finish off the "eliptical end" by hand with gouges/chisels. A router could also achieve the eliptical end if it was tilted...it can be done with a jig, but it's not too practical.More likely, the flutes were either machined on a shaper or on a table saw with a molding cutter attachment. With the estimated cutter swing radius you described (up to 6" diameter), I'd venture the latter. I'd think most any shop would own a set of molding cutters for a table saw, and the profile of cut you're looking to copy is fairly common. Should they not have the profile, you can either buy a set of cutters yourself or have them ground to suit your needs. Either route is not terribly expensive.

  2. CHRIS_F | Apr 29, 2000 04:47am | #3

    *
    I AM LOOKING FOR ANY INFO ON VENEER STONE A CUSTOMER WANTS IT ON A NEW HOME BUT I HAVE NEVER USED IT BEFORE I WORK IN THE BUCKS COUNTY PA AND THE HUNTERDON COUNTY NJ AREA ANY ONE KNOW WHERE I CAN LOOK FOR A GOOD MASON. THANKS

  3. Guest_ | Apr 29, 2000 10:22am | #4

    *
    Two bits of advice...

    Stop shouting.

    And post this as a seperate thread.

    Posting in all caps is considered shouting. Shouting guarantees that you will not get responses from some. Who knows, you might have gotten the best advice from one of those people.

    Posting this inside someone else's thread is also considered rude. Called 'hijacking' someone else's thread. You are most likely to get responses if you make a new post on the board, starting your own thread.

    1. Guest_ | Apr 29, 2000 01:45pm | #5

      *Back to Ken's question.If the eliptical ends are that important to you, make your router go up a little ramp as it reaches the end of the cut. So that the router bit starts to raise up out of the material just before you're done.

      1. Guest_ | May 01, 2000 01:26am | #6

        *Ken -- I have equipment that can do what you want (I think) but I live in Oregon).If you can sent me a picture to my e-mail address, I can verify yes or no definitely. [email protected] also regularly make furniture for a friend in Chicago and ship it disassemble via UPS -- Sounds like with the size of the column that they are likewise shipable.If you want indication of the machining I can do -- check out http://www.niemiecstudios.com

        1. Guest_ | May 01, 2000 02:21am | #7

          *Nice work Stanley, I'm just north of you between Milwaukie and Gladstone.joe d

  4. Ken_Williams | May 02, 2000 02:49am | #8

    *
    Sorry,
    The text editor started acting goofy and since I wasn't a registered user, it wouldn't let me correct the errors.

    Ken

    1. Ken_Williams | May 02, 2000 02:55am | #9

      *A local wood worker has the lathe to do these properly. It has a fluter attachment that holds narrow interchangeable blades that spin sort of like a sideways planer that runs on a track the length of the lathe. I'm certain such a machine was used on the originals, though it may have been steam powered. He was going to make these using my 6X6 blanks glued up of antique heartpine. He was going to have a custom set of blades machined which was going to cost ~$300, for which I was and still am willing to pay. Unfortunately, before I got around to getting these blanks to him, he says he has retired from making columns because they are too much labor and he's getting on in years. I plan to try once more to convince him to do it even if I have to offer an extra set of hands for a day or two. I'm restoring a historic house in N. TX and need these to be exact. I'll go the router route (ehem) as a last resort. I'll post some close-up pics of the columns when I can.Ken http://msnhomepages.talkcity.com/SuburbanSt/smokinleroy/house1.html

      1. Ken_Williams | May 02, 2000 03:01am | #10

        *Stanley,Yes, your work looks like the stuff the local guy did in his shop (see my previous reply). I'd like to find somebody more local if possible, but if I can't, what would you charge? Could you make them from genuine antique southern yellow pine (I have a list of suppliers)? Also, I'd like to somehow ship you (or whoever does it) an original for more exact duplication.Ken

        1. Ken_Williams | May 03, 2000 09:55pm | #11

          *Picture is athttp://msnhomepages.talkcity.com/SuburbanSt/smokinleroy/column2.jpg

  5. Ken_W | May 03, 2000 09:55pm | #12

    *
    I need four columns made to match some existing 106-yr-old ones. They are 65" long and 5-1/2" diameter w/no taperIand flat on both ends. Here's the tricky part - they have 12 flutes that end about 1" from the column ends. The flutes are 1/2" wide half-round, and therefor 1/4" deep. The flute ends, however, are not round, but elliptical. They were obviously made using a sort-of sideways shaper running the lengthshapee lathe with the outermost part of the rotating blades making a 2" to 3" radius. Some shops claim they can copy them using a router, but I want to try to find aouterwith the proper equipment first. Anyone know of a place preferrably within a half-day's dripreferablys?

    Ken

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