Somebody posted this site earlier for design ideas...
Great design ideas and I love building benches, but how in the world did they create the top for this bench ???
I'm sure it's machine done...but how ???
Note the bevel in the middle.
Seems it's a flat top with a curved bevel along the front bottom edge. If I were to do that, I'd draw the curve I wanted along the front edge, then attack it with a spindle sander or rasp.
That is attractive.
Not sure we are looking at the same picture. I see a TV Stand not a bench and no signs of what your describing.
Confused!
Sorry ...wrong link showed up...
This is what I was looking at:
Belt sander, Spokeshave
Router following a template.
I really like that detail. Some asian designs have curved ends on the tabletop that require a thicker piece of wood. This curved bevel doesn't duplicate that, but gives a visual impression of it. Attractive and an efficient use of material.
"Pat Barber" wrote
Probably a CNC machine, since they do production furniture. But, you can do the same thing, as Leon says, with various combinations of belt sander, ROS, etc, and/or a spokeshave/pullshave like this:
IIRC, David Marks did something similar on one his projects using the router/jig concept, and there are also many examples of him using various shaves, an electric ball grinder, and even a side grinder, all as a sculpting tools on his shows.
Based on production mathods, I'm ready to accept the CNC method.
A belt sander and a router "could" do most of it. This was my first thoughts when I saw it.
I really found the detail pretty neat even in a plant setting. The bench has some nice lines and I think the seat really sets it off.
It would appear that they use that detail in several other items.
Sw> Probably a CNC machine, since they do production furniture. But, you can do
It looks to me like what we used to call (in the jewelery industry) Illusion Filing. Where you make something APPEAR to be thinner/thicker by the way you beveled an edge.
Funny, I looked at the first link and wondered if you ever got around to making that TV stand. Didja?
K.
This is what I was looking at:
I'm not sure I see the problem. Could you point it out for me? Lou
Pat,
It's a little hard to tell from the picture, but I think that the top has a slight arc to it in plan view. In other words, looking down from the top, the shape is not rectilinear, but rather the long axis bows out (has an arc). If, and I repeat IF, I'm correct about the shape of the top, it's easy to do.
First, while the top is still rectilinear, (before you cut the arc), you cut a bevel down the length of the top. I've done it with a hand plane, but it can also be down on the table saw with the top on edge and the blade angled. Then, once the bevel is cut, you cut your arc from corner to corner. To maximize the effect you're seeing, you leave the center of the arc at the maximum width of the rectangular plank, and the end points of the arc are placed wherever your bevel ends. The longer and shallower the bevel, the more exaggerated the bevel appears. Here's a link to a picture of one of my tables where I did this. I'm sorry that my description is not easy to understand. Like many things in woodworking, it's harder to describe than to do.
I'm pretty sure you're right Rick...that's how it appears to be.
The thicker the top, the shorter the overall length and the "flatter" the bevel cut will make it exaggerate the effect.
Mike
Even if the edge is straight, it's still possible using a variation of the technique:
First make the top 1/2" or so wider than the finished size. Cut a long smooth curve from the side, going from nothing the the ends to 1/2" deep in the centre - use a bandsaw, belt sander, router, whatever. This curve has a vertical edge so is easy enough to shape.
Then cut away the angle from underneath - evenly all the way along, so probably a router is best for this step.
Finally rip the edge straight again, 1/2" in. At the ends you will have no cutaway, in the centre you'll have half an inch of full undercut.
I'm sure there are easier ways, though!
Excellent idea... and you build some pretty cool stuff.
I would have never come up with that idea and I suspect you are right.
The little bench is a nice looking piece but the top really sets it off.
What bevel angle are you using to make that first cut and how do you lay out that arc ?
I gotta make up some MDF tops to fool around with this concept.
Great idea...
Rick Ste> Pat,
I would have sworn you were talking about the thinning toward the middle of the bench seat, similar to a sculpted chair seat, and not the beveling of the ends, as below?
Actually, it should and is a very nice "edge" effect indeed.
Hard to tell from the pictures, but I viewed that particular bench as having been "sculpted" as you would a chair seat, probably mistakenly.
Another possible solution: A piloted chamfer bit that with a template that is concave, coinciding with the edge of the workpiece at the middle (full depth of cut), curving to add the width of the bevel (totally disengaging the bit from the workpiece) at the ends.
I'm doing a bookcase for my kid at the moment and it call for a really severe cut back edge on the top.
The top starts out at 1.5" thick and cut's back to 3/8" on the outer edge.
It's a nice look but what a pain in the wazoooo.
The author of the article(FWW Book) used a dado stack and cut most of it away with that and then went at it with a sander.
The saw does remove most of the stock but that sure leaves a LOT of fine tuning to make it pretty.
I'm gonna give this guys' idea a spin with a few pieces of MDF just for fun...
I have also thought about vertical panel raising bits on a horizontal router table.
Sw> Actually, it should and is a very nice "edge" effect indeed.
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