Goddard Townsend drawer blades

H

HSteier

Well-known member
How were the double beaded drawer blades on Goddard Townsend chests made in the originals? Were the beads formed with a scratch stock and then the background between the beads chiseled or removed with a small router? I think a router would be unstable on a narrow (7/8") drawer blade. I think a scratch stock that did both beads at the same time would be unwieldy.
All thoughts appreciated.


Howard Steier


 
Howard,
I have done this several times. I use a scratch stock that cuts only half of the width. It is double the work to cut both sides but I find that I get better results. For example, if your drawer blade varies by only a little in width (7/8") and you use a full profile scratch stock you may not get a full bead on the side opposite of the scratch stock fence. It takes only a few minutes more to do both edges/sides (and it is a good workout!). If the flat between the beads has a slight ridge use narrow card scraper or narrow chisel to smooth it out.


Dennis Bork
Antiquity Period Designs
 
profile of the scratch stock only includes the beads. I have had good success cutting both beads at once. Use a #1 x10 to chop the channel, then clean it out with #2 or #3 8-10 mm. the depth is well defined by the scratch stock. The hardest part is the transition from the convex block to the straight portion as the scratch stock tends to chatter giving a poor transition. I have the advantage of access to a milling machine so I make the scratch stock from a thin Lie-Nielsen scaper blade. Use a 5/32 diameter milling cutter. Leave 5/1000" between the bead and the channel which is milled to the same depth as the bead = 5/64". Matt Doucette shows how here: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...91A3C6DB25092562A7AA91A3C6DB2509256&FORM=VIRE
 
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