Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 16 to 30 of 36

Thread: Making Plantation Shutters

  1. #16
    Another option to people having trouble making the slats is to stop by a wood shop that does mill work. Their moulder could turn out enough slats to make all your shutters in minutes. The price won't be bad since they buy lumber at bulk prices. Talk to them, make friends, and save yourself some trouble.

  2. #17
    I have woodmaster 918 made very nice slats with knife & matching tray knife!!!

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Seabrook, TX (south of Houston)
    Posts
    3,093
    Blog Entries
    3
    Simon, welcome to the Creek. Lots of good folks here and lots of good info.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Ames, IA
    Posts
    551
    Boy, a lot of water over the dam since I made the first post on this subject. I ended up making close to 30 plantation shutters, various sizes depending on the windows, all from red oak. I still have close to 15 more in process, all significantly larger, from poplar for a daughter. I can't describe how much help contributors on this site were - starting with purchase of the molding machine, great source of hardwood (and close), source of molding knives, dust collection, on-and-on. Thanks to all!!!!!!!

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Wilmington, NC
    Posts
    455
    I made one shutter. The woodworking part came out well. The painting part was a disaster as I do not have the equipment or skills to spray paint. I ordered the rest of what I wanted for my house and went onto to other projects.

  6. #21
    Bob,

    Where did you purchase your knives? I need some 3 1/2 " ones to fit a Belsaw.

    Greg

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    The Garden State
    Posts
    111
    For those of you interested in this sort of thing here's an interesting machine I picked up @ a flat belt millshop that had closed. It cuts round tennons on the end of the louvers for shutters. Basic operation is to run off the louver stock in the moulder or shaper in long lengths. Then it goes to this machine which gets set up with a length stop so that the stock runs through the head from left to right. When you depress the foot pedal the machine engages & rotates the stock cutting two round tennons & cutting the piece on the right to length. Here are some pics:


    1.jpg

    3.jpg


    2.jpg

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Ames, IA
    Posts
    551
    Greg,

    I got my knives from Tim Yunger at www.customouldingknives.com. He is located in Shaftsbury, VT; phone (802) 753-7105. I highly recommend him. Check out his website. FYI, I'm not familiar with a Belsaw, but for my application on my ShopFox moulder, I purchased the knives from the highest quality steel Tim offered (I believe he calls it a black steel) - I was not disappointed as the knives seemed to hold up well. I've bought 3 different sets and good results with all.

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Pittsburgh
    Posts
    425
    Quote Originally Posted by BOB OLINGER View Post
    Greg,

    I got my knives from Tim Yunger at www.customouldingknives.com. He is located in Shaftsbury, VT; phone (802) 753-7105. I highly recommend him. Check out his website. FYI, I'm not familiar with a Belsaw, but for my application on my ShopFox moulder, I purchased the knives from the highest quality steel Tim offered (I believe he calls it a black steel) - I was not disappointed as the knives seemed to hold up well. I've bought 3 different sets and good results with all.



    Bob,

    I have the same molder that you have. What size are the knives that you bought? Did Tim carry them or did you have them custom ground? Also; I'll assume you made a sled to carry the slat through the molder? And if so is it like the one in the link?

    Hope I didn't ask you too many questions

    Ben

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Ames, IA
    Posts
    551
    Hey Ben,

    I'm at work without access to my file or measuring, but I think the slats I made were about 3" wide. I'll check. Anyway, Tim had a couple slat profiles, maybe more by now - he will email or fax you a drawing showing the profile prior to you placing an order. He has a lot of profiles on his website, but not all. I think he makes everything to order as he'll ask what kind of steel you want and what brand/model of moulding machine. Again, I'm not a bit disappointed that all my orders were for the black nitrite steel - I ran a lot of red oak and I didn't want to deal with under performing knives. Yes, I made a sled; not sure of the link you referred to, but I just ripped some narrow slats that contoured to the slat and glued them to a piece of 1/2" plywood - worked well. Don't worry about the questions. Making plantation shutters was a challenge and good feeling of accomplishment. I got a lot of ideas, suggestions, and help from the 'creek so I'm very willing and anxious to share my experiences.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ben Abate View Post
    Bob,

    I have the same molder that you have. What size are the knives that you bought? Did Tim carry them or did you have them custom ground? Also; I'll assume you made a sled to carry the slat through the molder? And if so is it like the one in the link?

    Hope I didn't ask you too many questions

    Ben

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Pittsburgh
    Posts
    425
    Bob,

    Thank you for the reply, I'm very interested on this entire subject. I have not only been watching here but on the Festool site a fellow was making some also. I agree about the knives. I always buy the best performing material that I can. I've found that good knives go a long way. I'll most likely use Cherry when I do get this off the ground. So if I'm thinking correctly and please correct me if I'm off base here. On the first pass for one side the board is square and you are taking it off the top as we know who have used these machines. Then on the second pass you use a sled? That would mean you would move the knives up/adjust the height to account for the sled correct? Or, now that I think about it you could use the sled on both passes couldn't you? but wouldn't the board/slat be positioned differently on the second pass because it's not square any longer and would sit down into the curvature of the sled? Just thinking this through and you'll probably tell me I'm thinking too much. If at some point you can post a few pictures I know I'd appreciate it. I'm sure others are curious also. I'd like to see the sled you built.

    On another subject of these if the slats are 3 inches what are the dimesions of the frame that holds the slats?


    Again thanks Bob for your help with these questions
    Ben

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Ames, IA
    Posts
    551
    Ben,

    I'll try to get some pictures taken, then try to figure out how to include them in a post. Meanwhile, I ran the blanks cut for slats through the moulder without the sled on the first pass. Then I installed the sled and ran the blanks on the other side, adjusting the depth of cut with the goal of getting a nice clean cut slat. It's a bit of trial and error, but I'm sure you can make it work. By the way, if you plan to use cherry to make shutters, they should turn out beautifully!!!!!!!

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Allen, TX
    Posts
    2,017
    Quote Originally Posted by John Toigo View Post
    For those of you interested in this sort of thing here's an interesting machine I picked up @ a flat belt millshop that had closed. It cuts round tennons on the end of the louvers for shutters. Basic operation is to run off the louver stock in the moulder or shaper in long lengths. Then it goes to this machine which gets set up with a length stop so that the stock runs through the head from left to right. When you depress the foot pedal the machine engages & rotates the stock cutting two round tennons & cutting the piece on the right to length. Here are some pics:


    1.jpg

    3.jpg


    2.jpg
    yeah, i'm pretty envious of that, saw one of those at work on the woodwright on PBS when he was in a window/door shop that all ran on old belt driven machines.

    i'm gonna have to build 18 shutters in the next few months and that would make it so much easier to have them be functional.
    Last edited by Neal Clayton; 04-12-2011 at 4:41 PM.

  14. #29
    Thanks for the reply Bob. I went there - looks like he makes th knives for the Belsaw but not the counterweights. My unit is a little archaic so I got to have those.

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Ames, IA
    Posts
    551
    That is an amazing machine!!!!!!

Similar Threads

  1. making pen boxes - how?
    By Frank Fusco in forum General Woodworking and Power Tools
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 06-26-2006, 12:27 PM
  2. making project match the house
    By Dick Phillips in forum Project Finishing
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 01-15-2006, 3:37 PM
  3. Making a pattern
    By jon harriman in forum General Woodworking and Power Tools
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 01-04-2006, 3:10 PM
  4. Question on making a cut
    By Steven Kamp in forum General Woodworking and Power Tools
    Replies: 19
    Last Post: 12-20-2005, 8:52 PM
  5. Making a Better Coping/Dovetail Saw
    By Bob Smalser in forum General Woodworking and Power Tools
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 10-08-2004, 4:06 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •