Leaf Molding Project & Clamp

[Mark Yundt]

I've bid on a carving project requiring 590 ft. of carved molding. More accurately two strips of molding, each being 590 ft long. The process is moving along nicely and has arrived at the point of needing some samples. I played with the molding a bit but naturally I didn't have the ideal way to hold it for efficient carving, comfort and accuracy that is needed for a project of this size. So I designed a clamp to hold the molding.
The pieces are rather small so I needed something that would hold them securely, not mar them and allow me full access without being encumbered with clamps , screws etc.
I built this clamp which will serve the needs completely. It's made from Cherry and is straight forward in the construction. You can see in the photos it's a sliding vice arrangement tightened by knobs at the back. This keeps the entire front free of any obstacles. The knobs are just two pieces with a square nut capture in one piece and glued together. The rod passes clear through each knob.
Threaded rod was inserted into the back of the base section with the sliding "table" slipped over them. The knobs in the back are tightened or loosened as needed to secure or release the moldings. The little curved pieces in front of the knobs are merely thumb pulls to allow you to slide the "table" back as it's a bit snug. The reason it's a bit snug is because I added two ( was originally three located further back ) screws which keeps the sliding table secure against the bottom piece.
I mounted it on a Lee Valley adjustable base to allow me to adjust it to the perfect height and angle for good carving. The moldings are simply inserted into the gap near the front , tighten the knobs and the molding is secure.

The moldings as you will see are 3/8ths and just over 1/2 inch in width. So I'm actually carving two pieces of molding each requiring 590 ft. so you can see the need for a quick and efficient way of holding it. Turns out that equates to over 8,000 leaves on the larger piece and over 21,000 of the smaller leaves that will need to be carved.
I made up some aluminum templates to transfer accurate patterns to the moldings. I'll also have to make up some patterns for the mitered corners and as I carve I'll have to adjust the patterns to have the design end up perfectly in each corner and be uniform across their lengths.

These molding are just for some custom built Mahogany doors for a residence on Park Avenue N.Y..

[Mark Yundt]

Here are the aluminum templates I made for transferring the pattern to the moldings as well as a photo of the molding captured in the clamp. Shown too is some Egg & Dart molding I've carved for another job which required 900 ft of it in Basswood, Oak, Pine, and Cherry. Fortunately I didn't have to do this job alone!
The lesson I learned from doing the E&D was that an efficient clamping set up allowed me to knock out 8-10 ft a day ( sometimes much more ) depending on the wood being carved.
The early samples shown here told me any other system just wouldn't do as these are rather ratty looking simply because I didn't have them secured allowing me full control of the carving.

[Mark Yundt]

Besides this project I'm still moving on with some other work that has just hit the shop. Here I have a drawing for the top of a cabinet door. I'll fit the carving on to the mullion strip as well as carve the edges to be captured on the surrounding routered edge along the top arch and side panels. This is my own design.
Also there are two ( only one shown as they are just mirror images) panel inlays for an over mantle framework. I'm showing the 'designers' drawing he sent to me in the allotted space and the drawing I proposed to fill the space. You just have to love Acanthus leaves and some flowers thrown in to fill up an area.
Also shown is my design for two arches over some cabinetry where here too an inlaid panel needs some filler.

[Roger Strautman]

Mark, I'm glad you received a go ahead for this project. There is no looking back now. LOL! Nice molding jig! I might have to try this for my next moldings.

How did you cut out the small patterns?

The cabinet door project looks very similar to the one I had but I'll bet you didn't use MDF?

[Brian Ashton]

Looking forward to seeing the progress pictures

[Mark Yundt]

Oh no Roger,, this isn't approved yet. Still in the bidding process and just submitting samples. All part of the process.
For the patterns I generally just use an xacto. But in this case I used a small burr.
The cab. door project is very similar and you're right , I won't use MDF to carve.

[Mark Yundt]

Gee, thanks for the update. Unfortunately too much time elapsed once I realized the spelling mistake, trusting spell check and not being able to edit a post after a limited amount of time.
Yes,, it should be moulding. And here too it came up as not spelled correctly. I goofed.

[Mark Yundt]

OK, here are my samples of the moulding. As you can see they are quite small. The larger of the two has a leaf basically the size of my thumbnail. And I could fit two of the smaller ones in the same space. I mocked them into place over the scale drawing they sent to get a general idea of how it will look. I"m sure the company building the doors will make up a true sample using the correct trim and wood.
I've got the large design down to using 4 chisels and the smaller one takes 3 chisels and each with the fewest amount of cuts. I'm sure this ( not the chisel count) will go down with repetition of the design should I get the contract and start carving.
To do the mitered corners I made up some 45 degree , left and right aluminum templates to locate the corners properly. In cases like this they'll give me the outside measurements needed and I'll lay them out on continuous strips of moulding which will be later cut and fitted.
They generally don't fall on even increments so I'm sure some stretching or shrinking of the design over the run will need to occur.
For example they might need a piece 25 +3/16 inch for one run and 18 + 7/8ths on another run. The same pattern won't fit either measurement. Fun stuff huh?

The cuts need to be fairly clean as very little sanding can be done and uniformity counts. Once you see this from normal viewing distances instead of micro views it looks pretty neat.

[Mark Yundt]

Just an update. I got the call earlier today that I got the contract. It'll be a busy summer!

[Roger Strautman]

Good for you and Good luck!!

[Mark Yundt]

Thanks Roger! I have a feeling I'll be seeing these things in my sleep.
Now, just turn myself into a human typewriter ( anyone remember those?) and start cranking them out. Cut, cut , cut ,cut,,, PING,, return,, cut ,cut,cut, PING return, ad nauseum...
Glad I built the clamping device for these. Now I think I'm also getting a hydraulic vice as well to mount it on just to make things easier yet. The Lee Valley one just won't cut it for this volume.
Yeah, like I need an excuse to buy more tools.

[Mark Yundt]

Yup,, just snagged a Wilton power arm #303.

[Roger Strautman]

Yup,, just snagged a Wilton power arm #303.

I bought one of those awhile back for $150, maybe I should have said stole. LOL! They are well worth the money.

[Mark Yundt]

That had to be a really long while ago!
A friend bought a couple not long ago and found they were knock offs and they even had the Wilton name on them. Once he had them they didn't work as well as his original piece. I got a decent price on mine and I'm hoping for the best. The ones I've seen were just great. There are several variations of the power arm and some are quite reasonable depending on the model.
Roger, mind showing a pic of how you attach carvings to it. The post offers several possibilities that I'm considering.

[Roger Strautman]

I'm struggling with my Internet connection but will get pictures ASAP. Sorry!