Making wood moldings

[8ntruck 7,016]

@formariz has correctly suggested that we quit hijacking @Pullstart 57 Pontiac thread and start a new thread to talk discuss tooling and methods to reproduce wooden trim moldings.

 

Background:

Our house in our Mo. location went on the water department records in 1914.  While rebuilding the front porch, I found pieces of newspaper in the wall that were dated 1914, so I'm going to assume that it was build in 1914.  As I have been refinishing the window sashes, I've gotten the impression that the windows might have been built on site, or at least locally.  That leads me to believe that the rest of the trim was made locally or on site.  A good possibility that hand powered molding planes were employed.

 

Current need:

We have done some remodeling, and I want to get a decent match on the old trim.  Currently the need is for some small crown moldings to go over the doorways.  No, the currently available trim offerings don't come anywhere close to matchings.  I have found molding cutters for a similar shape, but they are about twice the size of what I need.  Custom cutters are an option.  However, I want to exhaust the standard shapes before I commit to a custom cutter.   Since the new crown moldings will not be near the original moldings, a 'close enough' match will work.

 

One possible solution would be to split the molding into 2 sections, each able to be cut with a standard cutter.  An ogee cutter for one section and a small cove cutter for the other section.

 

Machines available are a 10" table saw a Craftsman 3 blade table saw molding cutter head (1" cutter width), a 70's vintage Craftsman shaper with a 1/2" shaft, and a 1/4" shaft router and table.   The crown molding is about 1 1/2" wide by 1 1/8" tall.  

 

I'll take a tracing of the molding and post it here in the near future.

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,317]

Is there a Ma and Pa lumber yard in the area. They maybe be able to duplicate molding or is there a salvage yard in the area that takes down old building?

[8ntruck 7,016]

3 hours ago, elcamino/wheelhorse said:

Is there a Ma and Pa lumber yard in the area. They maybe be able to duplicate molding or is there a salvage yard in the area that takes down old building?

Nope.  The last ma & pa yard closed about 4 years ago.  I have run across a couple of places on the interweb - not sure if the cutter head the blades fit will fit my shaper, though.

[953 nut 55,298]

Multiple passes with some of the shaper heads you already have may yield the look you are going for. Start by casting a negative of the molding you want to match and compare the various facets of the molding to the cutters you have. Be sure to make a few extra pieces for each setup as you go along so you can reset the fence as needed in the future.

[formariz 11,987]

At the time your house was built indeed many of items in it such as sashes, cabinetry and possibly some moldings were built on site. Readly availability of such items was not easy and carpenters then were well versed and trained on making those items. Over the years due to increased mechanization and bulk availability of all items needed within a house, the ability and knowledge to make such items basically all but disappeared. 
 

 If one has the time and a little patience the moldings you need can be easily made.

Although I am not trying to advocate my methods, or as my wife calls it “ my madness” , hand tools are many times the simplest, easiest and most pleasurable way to do such a task. One does not need to make or have a dedicated plane. For short runs such as what you need for the top of doors using good straight clear material if you had access to a Stanley 55 you can duplicate almost any molding with the exception of a large crowns. As intimidating as the tool looks it is rather simple to set up and use and with a little practice and experimenting one can duplicate most moldings which is the original intent of the tool. It was introduced as an option to having a dozen or more planes in tool box each only dedicated to one specific function. In the photo below tool is in full array with all components installed but it is rarely used that way. I have over the years successfully made miles of moldings using it.
 

 

 

 

 

 

[8ntruck 7,016]

@formariz somehow, I was expecting you to offer this as a potential solution.

 

I've known about the Stanley 55 for a looong time, though, I've never actually seen one.  If I ever ran across one at a reasonable price, I would be tempted to buy it, even though I really don't have a need for one - just 'cause it is a neat tool.  

 

Just remembered that I have not yet posted the profile that I need to match.  I'll try to get that done this week.

[formariz 11,987]

2 minutes ago, 8ntruck said:

 

@formariz somehow, I was expecting you to offer this as a potential solution.

 

Is it that obvious?

 

4 minutes ago, 8ntruck said:

 

 

Just remembered that I have not yet posted the profile that I need to match.  I'll try to get that done this week.

 Yes please do it. Curious to see what you are up against. Who knows what may be forgotten here in the “archives”.