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View Full Version : Ideas Please - Sleigh Type Curve



jerrbitt
08-11-2008, 12:37 PM
My daughter, who is expecting, wants a sleigh type cradle. See attached.

I was thinking of the profile of the curve and having the CW do the carving on a piece that would be roughly 36" x 3" x 2". I'd want to end up with a final thickness of the lower part of 3/4" to mate it to the two end pieces I'll build.

A fellow wooodworker suggests I simply rout out the curve in the 8/4 quarterstock I have.

If you recommend the CW, should I use the carving bit or a special router bit of which I have some 1/2 bits and I do have the 1/2 adapters for the CW. Seems to me that using the 1/16" carving bit would take "forever."

Daughter and I would appreciate your suggestions.

cnsranch
08-11-2008, 04:17 PM
My guess is that you haven't gotten any responses, because you're tackling a pretty big job that's very involved.

If you're talking about the head and foot boards, that's a pretty sophisticated woodworking project. If you know how to create a cabinet door, that's basically the process for creating the headboard. Your rails (vertical pieces) are curved, the top stile is as well, while the bottom rail is straight. The trick comes with the panel - the big piece in the middle. With a sweeping curve like the one in the pic, you have to take several thin pieces, form them to a mold (usually made out of MDF backed by 2x2's or 2x4's), glue them up, let them set, then fit them into the rails and stiles.

That all said, you may be able to use the CW, but since it can't carve larger than 14.5" or so, you'd have a two or three piece carve to glue together. And that, my friend, is probably way above the pay grade of you and me. There are some guys that can tackle it, but not many.

If you have the proper tools, the conventional way can be done without a ton of skill, but I've found that doing a project like this "one-off" becomes expensive, due to the forms, etc. you have to build and then never use again.

Every time I go to the store to buy wood for a new project, my wife goes "there's another $200" - and, usually, she's right. I can always buy furniture cheaper than I can build - that is, until I found the Carvewright.

BOL, let me know if I can help.

supershingler
08-11-2008, 06:03 PM
there is a really nice crib in Wood Magazine's august or sept of 2006 that make a great gift

it is very sturdi and not hard to build(if i can do it any one can)

but the great thing about this one is it makes into a toddler bed and also into a full size later so basically your making that grand child a bed of a lifetime

i have recieved may complements on this one that i made
and my daughter loves it

good luck

kendall

badger
08-12-2008, 06:20 AM
A fellow wooodworker suggests I simply rout out the curve in the 8/4 quarterstock I have.





I beleive I see the piece you are referring too. If you are comfortable with the router I would use that. One reason it would be quicker and save carve time on your machine. Now if you wanted to add a relief to the head and footboard yes you can that on the CW.

The CW basically is just another tool in your shop to assist with your projects not replace them.

That is a nice design and I would love to see the finished project. Good Luck with it.