The Technique of FURNITURE MAKING

Traditional legs

Various other traditional leg shapes are shown in 198. Figure 198:1 is the plain turned Jacobean leg; 198:2 shows the twist, both of which were a feature of oak-work. Part of the twist (198:2) can be done on a slow-running lathe, but the normal procedure in handwork is to turn a cylinder to contain the twist and, while it it still in the lathe, wrap a piece of string tightly round it, spiral fashion. A pencil is then drawn along the string and the spiral sawn down just short of its greatest depth with shallow cuts either side. The hollowing is then done with suitable gouges and rasps. A typical inverted cup leg of the Walnut period is shown in 198:3 built up of sections to save wood, with the spigot ends in the thinner sections entering suitable holes in the thicker; alternatively side pieces can be glued on to a central shaft to form the cup, but the differing grain patterns will show. Figure 198:4 is the Flemish Scroll leg sawn out of the solid and cross veneered, and 198:5 the hock leg. Both types are intrinsically weak in the grain and modern practice would prefer a laminated construction, either of three equal sections glued together with grains slightly opposed, or two sections sawn from one thickness to preserve the run of the grain and a thin central veneer with grain opposed. Figure 198:6 is a typical Hepplewhite cabriole leg in the French fashion; 198:7 an eighteenth-century mahogany leg with inlaid panel of contrasting veneer edged with a boxwood line; 198:8 shows a fluted leg and 198:9 a plain recessed leg in the Adams style. Figures 198:10, 11 are both Sheraton, the former almost contemporary in appearance, and the latter turned and reeded in th& cup. These curved reeds must be carved by hand, and 199 shows a similar operation to part of a mace stand made some years ago in the writer's workshops. Many of these leg patterns are still used in reproduction-work, but apart from this they can still serve as an inspiration to modern designers, for all have an intrinsic lightness and grace.

Moulded legs

Moulded legs parallel or tapered with the mouldings stopped or running through can be worked with the spindle-moulder/shaper if suitable jigs are made up, or made entirely by hand. In the case of simple flutings these can be worked first, either with a round moulding - plane or scratch stock, and the leg tapered after; although if the fluting is very shallow it will have to be deepened slightly at the tapered end or the form will be lost. It is, therefore, better to taper first and then mould, supporting the leg in a suitable cradle (200:1), with the leg wedged as in 200:2 so that the sides of the box are parallel to the main axis of the leg. It will also have to be packed up, and 200:3 shows the method of arriving at the amount of packing required. The section of the leg top (A) and the bottom (B) are drawn out full size, also the exact shape of the moulding at the top. If lines (x) are then drawn from the extremities of the mouldings to the centre point, then the intersection of these lines with the outline of (B) will yield perpendiculars to cut the arc at (C) and (D), and it is only necessary to support the leg at its lower end to this level (200:4). The moulding is then worked with a scratch stock as in 200:1, using suitably shaped scrapers to deepen the profile at the lower end, if necessary. A typical stopped fluted leg is shown in 200:5, and 200:6-9 illustrate other leg sections with the scratch-stock cutters necessary to work them. These cutters are usually made from old saw - or scraper-blades, and can be square ended and burred over, as in the standard scraper, or ground like a plane - iron and then burred, which gives a cleaner cutting action. On the other hand the square - ended cutter can be rocked slightly and will cut on both the forward and backward strokes, and may prove to be the better tool with difficult woods.