How is the corner of this case made

ttalma

Well-known member
In this post from the Anthony Hay blog (http://anthonyhaycabinetmaker.wordpress.com/2013/08/13/walnut-desk-and-bookcase-part-i-the-bookcase/) they show added corners at the top of the door.

The pictures clearly show the grain is at an angle to both the rail and stile, so if they were to glue it it would be gluing on end grain.

How is this piece attached? I was thinking the rail and stile have a a dado their entire length, and the angled piece has a tenon and then was glued in place, but how would the door be assembled then?

I have a few ideas how this would be made but none of them seem likely or easy to do. If anyone knows how this door is made please share.
 
If you click on the photo and enlarge it you can see that the pieces are not added on. They are part of the top rail, scalloped out just like the apron on a table. It is easier to do it this way and you do n ot have to worry that the pieces will fall off.

I've made other style secretaries and this is the way I made the doors.

Dennis Bork
Antiquity Period Designs, Ltd.
 
Maybe I'm looking at the wrong thing, but they sure look like they are added to me. The grain doesn't match and there is a bit of a joint line.  What am I missing?

Tony (whose eyes may be a bit blurry from allergy/sinus meds!)
 
yep, it can be easily seen as not part of the rail or stile, and I think the inside of the door can be seen in another view where there is no corner block on the inside(at least I think that's the top inside of the door). Looks sort of like, that outside piece is a bit of a coped glueblock. I would doubt it were separately tenoned on an old piece. Would like to see the original now.
 
About 1/2 way down the page I linked to there is a shot of the inside showing a pine cleat for the backboards. You can see the back of the opened door in the picture.

There is no indication of a corner block on the backside.
 
In the text the author tells you that they are applied:

On this early desk, Scott employs an applied half-round molding to conceal the seem where the doors meet.  Later, this was replaced with lapped stiles.  The raised panel arch is set into a straight top rail with applied pieces to echo the panel’s curve.  On subsequent bookcases with a Scott attribution the arch is “flattened” and the top rails are made from a single piece with a curved lower edge.










 
Chuck I read the article a couple of times and don't recall seeing that. Thanks for pointing it out. The panel is Rectangular, and the corner pieces are applied. I am still a little unclear on where the pieces are applied. to the panel or the rail and stile? wouldn't seasonal movement cause these to pop off if applied either way? perhaps this is why he did it differently on future pieces?
 
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