STL369: Calling All Choppers! – FineWoodworking

Build a frame-and-panel door with hand tools

Bill Pavlak demonstrates how to make the frame: chopping the mortises, fitting the tenons, and cutting the haunch.

Build a frame-and-panel door with hand tools – Part 2

Having created the frame in Part 1, Bill Pavlak now focuses on making the raised panel.

From Rob:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

I’ve got a question for you. I’m working on a cabinet and wanted to put an arch at the top of the frame and panel door. Seems like a pretty common thing to do, but I’m working mainly with hard tools and can’t figure out how to cut the groove in the curved rail.

I was thinking I could plow a 1-in.-deep groove in the top rail and then cut the 3/4-in.-deep curve (leaving 1/4-in. groove at the shallowest point), but my plow plane doesn’t go that deep, and it seems like it would be pretty weak where the groove is 1 in. deep. I have a bandsaw, so I could resaw the rail, cut a curve on the front, and potentially the middle/back, and then laminate it back together. Kind of a pain, though. 

Is there a traditional way to do this, or is this not really a traditional shape/design? How would this normally be done? I’ve been waiting for an excuse to buy a trim router, but I’m not sure how much good it would do without a proper router table setup.

Don’t Fear the Hand-Cut Dovetail

In the first part of this two-part article, a modern master reveals every step of his system for cutting dovetails…tails first.

From Steve:

Falmouth, Maine, USA

I’ve been lucky enough to have two main interests throughout my life: audio production as a profession and woodworking as a hobby. I seem to notice that people who are interested in woodworking are often also very interested in sound and music, and the other way around. In your experience, do you find that to be the case, and how do you think one informs the other?

From Chris:

Mankato, Minn., USA

I’ve started cutting dovetails via the Frank Klausz method of “pins first,” which uses a chisel to chop out almost all of the waste. I like this method for its speed and ease of marking the tails, and I’ve been practicing this method by making Kleenex box covers for gifts.   The boxes are made of relatively thin 3/8-in.-thick wood, and chopping out the waste has been easy. But I am curious if it is still advisable to chisel out the waste if I was making a cabinet using thicker boards? Would you still chop away, or maybe grab a fret saw?  Thanks for the great podcast.

From Tim:

Germany

What do you consider “timeless” furniture? Is there a style of furniture or a specific piece that you think will never go out of style? Do you have tips for designing furniture that future generations might still like the look of?

I really like what we call Bauernmöbel in Germany which would translate to “farmers furniture.” I think the closest thing you have would probably be Shaker furniture? But maybe there are more styles that I just don’t know of.

Inspired by the Shakers

A collection of seven furniture projects with roots in this popular style, project plans included

Every two weeks, a team of Fine Woodworking staffers answers questions from readers on Shop Talk Live, Fine Woodworking‘s biweekly podcast. Send your woodworking questions to [email protected] for consideration in the regular broadcast! Our continued existence relies upon listener support. So if you enjoy the show, be sure to leave us a five-star rating and maybe even a nice comment on our iTunes page. Join us on our Discord server here.