Curved mouldings - How did Neanders do them?

[Bob Easton]

What kind of tools and techniques were used for curved mouldings such as those found on some antique clocks? Or, did they use steam powered routers?

This old clock shows several different curved mouldings. It seems to me doing the inside curves would be the most difficult.

[John Borgwardt]

I just asked about the same question. My question was how did they make them fancy oval picture frames? I was told they had lathes to make the frames. John

[Joel Ficke]

I can't say for sure how the old timers did it, but I carve them and that seems to work well. The arched moldings and curved muttins/mullions on this piece were all carved. It's the same techniques used on clock tops such as the one you show.

[Bob Easton]

Fabulous work Joel! That is some very fine carving.

[Robert Rozaieski]

Yep, pretty much all carve and scrape.

[Ryan Stokes]

I'm pretty sure stanley had 1 or 3 versions of this...


http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...30&cat=1,41182

[Jim Nardi]

In Kingshott's video he talks about a clock that he made. I think he mentions using 13 planes. No doubt someone had made quite a few planes just for the job. I could easily see using 15 planes to make all those moldings. My theory is that there were large groups of makers and within the group alot of the fine mouldings would have been made by a few people with great skill. This is quite common today when you look at certain skill set's people have in large operations wether that be in office work of field maintenance of machinery.

[Brian Ashton]

I asked the question about 4 months ago but no answers.

I suspect you're half right in that there were belt driven machines machines around in the late 1700's. If I'm not mistaken the industrial revolution, at least in the UK, was really starting to heat up by 1750. Which makes you think that there would be some sort of crude shaper just as there were planers and saws around the mid 1800's.

I also suspect that most of the more common shapes that had consistent radius' were turned on lathes and then cut to size. Even those that were ellipse in shape could be turned on special lathes. It also wouldn't surprise me if there were shops that made a portion of their income from making such specialized moldings as the machines, such as the lathes, wouldn't have been cheap and then the furniture maker would build to suite the moldings.

Prior to that though, it would have all been done by hand.

All speculation of course. But I think it all comes down to the more things change the more they stay the same.

[Graham Hughes (CA)]

It should be noted that there are specialized hollows and rounds (for example, coachmaker's planes, some of which are very small and with curved soles) for jobs where this sort of thing happened constantly. But by and large I would expect them to just pull out a gouge and go to it.

[Gene DiNardo]

That's right Bob, Carve and scrape.

[george wilson]

Oval picture frames were turned on lathes with "oval chucks." This is a special chuck that has cross slides that actually move the chuck sideways as it rotates. Where the chisel is cutting,the work remains in the same place,but as it rotates,the picture frame oscillates sideways. These devices existed hundreds of years ago. There is an old,original small factory that still makes them with the old lathes and tools. I have forgotten where it is.

For curved mouldings,as said,they can be carved freehand,as is most usual. Stair makers,though,employed special,short bannister planes made of wood,with blades ground into the shape of the bannister. You could make up something like that for mouldings that aren't curved too severely.

Most makers just carve them,though. Things like piecrust top tables must be carved. The old pieces have mouldings that vary slightly as you examine them here and there,from being hand carved.

Joel,another great piece of work! Also enjoyed that nice little stool.


I was noting on the clock,that all the curves are circular. That clock was made by machine. It looks late 19th.C.enough to be into the machine age,which actually started not too far into the century. The mouldings could have been lathe turned,and then cut up and fitted into the pattern. The trefoil carvings were also machined. As long as you are doing pieces of true circles,you can easily turn them. Your chisels have to be carefully ground to fit the straight mouldings,but it was made in the machine age,and the craftsmen were no slouches.

[Dave Anderson NH]

George, the factory you are talking about is the Old Schwamb Mill on Mill street in Arlington Mass. It's a really neat place and it is open to the public and they give tours. Practically across the street is the Arlington Annex for the Restortation Carpentry Program of the North Bennett Street School.

[george wilson]

I saw a show about it on TV years ago. Yes,real,original old stuff still being used.

I've been meaning to make an oval chuck for my lathe. I don't care for oval frames,but a chuck would be handy for old fashioned screw driver handles and hammer handles. EXCEPT that the tailstock would also have to oscillate with the chuck. In fact,the whole headstock would have to oscillate,too,like the ornamental lathes used to.

[Bob Easton]

... That clock was made by machine. ... and the craftsmen were no slouches.

Yes, it's a beautiful clock ... NOT mine.

Thanks to all for the various production techniques. I won't have a lathe as large as needed for the work I intend to do, so it'll be gouges and scrapers.