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Those of you who follow my work know that I’m often inspired to create a frame when I go into Diane’s studio and see a work in progress. Well, recently I saw a dancer that she was painting and immediately thought Flamenco and visualized the fans I’ve seen Flamenco dancers use. Next thing you know I’m searching the net for pictures!! Once I found a picture of the fan to use the next hurdle was figuring out how to make a pattern and transfer that to each corner of the frame. Adding to the challenge is that the frame has a 15° slant to it so using a compass wasn’t an option. The frames size allowed for a circle with a 2″ radius so the first step was to use the Pages program and print off a couple of circles of that size, that’s the gray piece in the right photo. I’m a big fan of using plastic from lettuce containers to make my templates. The paper is attached to it with spray adhesive then cut to shape. For the circular piece in the center I used a 7/14mm gouge to not only cut the template but also the wood. The outside was carefully cut out with scissors and the location of the frame miter was marked on it as well.

Line the template up with the sight edge and the miter to draw the circle (3/4 of one actually). you need a way to divide the circumference into an even number of parts. The only way I know to do this is to use dividers , if you’re not familiar with these they’re the black tool in the right picture. Set up the dividers on paper, not your wood — you’ll be doing a lot of trial and error work to do this so paper is easier to erase! As a furniture maker I use them a lot to divide a given space into equal sized parts and layout dovetails. To use them you “guesstimate” a size you think would work, adjust the dividers to that size and then “step it off” from end to the other end. The goal is for the last step off to end exactly at the end of the piece. Until it does you’ll need to make very small adjustments spreading the legs more or less until you get equal sized fan blades. Keep the dividers at that setting, you’ll need them for each corner. Note: I’ve tried to explain this the best I could but it is confusing, here is a LINK for a short article I found on the net.

Here are the tools used. After using the template to draw the outer circle and the inner circle on the wood I first used a 7/14mm gouge to outline the inner circle. Start at the sight edge and use the dividers to divide the space, I’d suggest using a pencil rather than the point of the divider as it could show in the carving. Now, use a flexible straight edge lined up with the corner of the miter to draw a line to the marks you made using the divider. See the picture, top right. This line is the high point of the fan blade.

Once your corner looks like the left hand picture it’s time to divide the fans — I strongly suggest only doing two blades at a time to save confusion. Measure and make a mark at the center on one blade. Use the dividers to mark the centers of all of them, you may need to eyeball and adjust if it doesn’t look quite right to your eye. The right hand picture shows the arrows drawn to remind me which way the slope goes. Here’s the order that worked for me and the tools I used for this project:

• Use 1F/8mm skew to cut angled line from outside to middle line at the bottom of 2 blades, draw your arrows to indicate slope direction
• Use 3F/6 to cut to desired depth at end of the blade. I also used a 2/10mm and 2/14mm to blend the carving into the rest of the frame
• I used what I call my golf ball skew, it’s an old Marples skew fitted with a golf ball which lets me make curved or straight free hand cuts. Make a straight cut down the middle line from the inner circle to the end of the fan blade
• The goal is to have a tapered cut that slopes to the middle line and down to the end. For me, the best tool was a 3/4″ very sharp bench chisel. Take very light cuts and work from both sides trying to stop your cut before hitting the other side. Definitely practice these, you can’t put the wood back!
• You will probably need to deepen the cut at the end of the fan blade to maintain a sharp edge.
• The grain direction changes on every cut due to the miter and to add to the challenge my profile has a 15° angle too.

I needed a lot of practice before I got what I considered acceptable results. The profile is about 3″ wide and what I call my 15° profile. I plowed a 1/4″ bead on the sight edge for a detail and also to create a definite stopping point for the fan. The tool I started with at first was a 1/16mm double bevel skew since that’s a “carving chisel”. Wasn’t happy with how it worked, difficult to create that smooth slope I was after. Then tried a 3/4″ cabinet chisel and it gave a much smoother cut. Also easier to hold and control than the fishtail skew.

Here’s one corner of the 18″ x 24″frame freshly finished with RMP finishes milk paint in Arabian Night Black. I’ve used their product on quite a few frames and like its appearance. You can mix up a small amount so there’s very little waste. To apply it they sell quality foam brushes which leave a nice finish. I usually apply 2 coats and then smooth them out with a 2500 grit nylon pad. To seal the milk paint my preference is OSMO 3043, satin. A thin coat is applied with a chip brush and then wiped dry with blue shop towels. Don’t rub it down too hard, some of the milk paint will come off and you’ll see it on the towel! After 24 hours or so, apply another light coat and since the first coat sealed the milk paint there won’t be any transfer. I’ll post a picture of the completed frame and painting on my Instagram once they’re both dry and assembled.

 Jessica's spice rack is basically done. A little bit of sanding in the AM and it will be ready to paint. She is going to order the paint from the paint store but I don't know when or if she has done that yet. I'll find out later on tonight. Now that that is behind me I have two more projects on the horizon. One is a box or something like that for my sister Donna and the other is still simmering on the back burner. News and pics on the 11 o'clock news.

fitting the back

Ripped the back based on the measurements and it didn't fit. I had to trim a few more frog hairs off the width and height.

width fit, height didn't

The bottom right corner was the culprit. A few shavings with a blockplane and I got it fitted. Glued and nailed it off.

sigh....

When I routed the rabbet I filled in the shelf dadoes with a scrap. What happened was the router sent the filler flying and I hadn't noticed it. When I did the other five I taped the filler in place. That worked and since this is the back I'm leaving this as is.

nope

The 1/2 pattern I made for the first spice rack wasn't working on Jessica's. It was too high and I didn't like the size and flow of the curves on it. Time to make a new one - this one will be the same size on the height.

hmmm

This isn't visible when looking at the spice rack when it is vertical. I will fill the gap in with paintable caulking. I'll get a tube the next time I go to Lowes. BTW - I am giving this to my sister Donna. Her birthday is next month and I asked Jessica where she bought her spice containers.

1/2 pattern done

I like this one a whole lot more. I especially like the size of the middle and where the two outboard curves intersect it. 

subtle difference

The one for Jessica's spice rack is the one I'll do again if anyone else in the family wants one. The spice containers will be taller then the outside curves. On the white one they are taller than the spice containers.

back cooking

No screws again but I did explore using dowels. Biscuits was nixed right away due to the 1/2" thickness. Thought of using bamboo nails but the rabbet was playing havoc with the brain bucket so I nixed that too. Relying on glue only just like the first one. Used the cutoffs to give a parallel grip for the clamps.

new brush

While I was waiting for my paint at the store I saw this brush and bought it. It is a square brush with a tapered end. Worked like a charm for painting the 90° places. According to the pics on the cardboard sleeve it came in, it is a sash brush. I'll be trying it on my next 'window' project for sure but it sure worked a treat painting this.

almost done

I am still surprised by how easily and quickly I whacked this out. From looking at the pics I was expecting it to be more difficult and longer to do. Stopped here to think of the moldings - 1/2 rounds or the ones I bought at Home Depot.

the winner is....

Decided to use the HD moldings. After all it is my interpretation of the pic Jessica sent me. 

sigh....

I had one nail from the back blow through the shelf. Thankfully this will be painted and this sin will be hidden under putty and paint.

a hiccup

I had to take one more swipe and this was my reward. I will fill this in with wood putty and paint over it.

done

I applied the molding just like the pic showed them. Mitered at the top and bottom and butt jointed everywhere else. It doesn't look that bad and doesn't offend me as much as I thought it would.

one of two

This and one other piece 1/2 this length is all that is left. Used up more of it then I thought I would.

back burner project

I have two of these and I was thinking of making two more glass door cabinets. I was playing around with the layout for the lites.

the next project?????

Why not a two door cabinet? This would be an interesting cabinet build and something I haven't done before. By the time I killed the lights I decided this will be next. A two door cabinet with a drawer (or two drawers) underneath them. Or maybe one drawer (or two drawers) above them? 

another dead end

I checked the switch again for continuity and it varied. A couple of times it looked good but if I moved it the reading went out to lunch. Plastic gets brittle over the years and I would bet a lung that is what is wrong with this switch. Moot point now.

Thought about buying a used router off eBay for parts but I would probably run into the same hiccup with the switch. 

accidental woodworker 

last night

After dinner I went back to the shop and chopped out the pins. Went together off the saw. One corner wouldn't seat fully but a few gentle taps with a mallet and it closed up. Glue up came in the AM.

success

Laid out the shelf positions and all of them agree with a 32nd or less. The tallest spice container is 3 1/8" tall and the four shelf openings are about 3 5/8" strong. A 1/2" of clearance should be enough without excessive dead space.

marking the length

Marked the length one frog hair over. I was surprised that with these 3 shelves installed it didn't square up on its own. It was easier squaring it up with them than without them. 

glued and cooking

I will always double check the diagonals after clamping. I have been bit too many times with the clamps pulling it out of square. Less than a 16th off between the diagonals clamped which is better than without the clamps.

hmm......

Sanded it down with 240 and got another coat on it. Brush strokes were a lot less visible this time. I will be putting a 3rd coat on because I can still see 'whitewashed' pine.

)&(^%@%(+@(^%+_

One more rabbet to go and the router )&Q$)(*&^@%_)@*%&@ quit.

checking the switch first

Big open with the switch off as expected but with it on, I was reading 5-6 meg ohms. The switch is toast and I still had one more rabbet to rout.

it worked

I removed the leads from the switch and jumped them together with a piece 14 gauge house wire. Router worked which made me feel better. There is a variable speed control board that could have been the problem too.

Taped the jumper together and finished routing the last rabbet. I checked 3 sites for replacement parts, 2 of them didn't list the switch at all. The one site that did list it had it as having no replacement. 

However, they did have the part number and the manufacturer number. But the part number given was a dead end as was the manufacturer number. It looks like I'm stuck up sh...t creek with no paddles.

glued and cooking

The dovetails had cooked for about 4 hours. I ripped the shelves to width and glued them in place. The spice containers are 2 1/4" front to back. The width of the of the shelves are 2 1/2".

still sharp

Used it to square up the four corners. Not as sharp as it was when I did the first spice rack but still sharp enough to do the 2nd one. The web was thinner on this one and the corner with blue tape blew out pretty good. All four corners broke but this one needed some tape to hold it together.

in the AM

I will let this coat cure until tomorrow. I'll sand it down again with 320 this time and I'll roll on another coat. Hopefully it will be the last one.

accidental woodworker

new spice rack

She wanted the four shelf rack. The outside (stiles/rails) are sawn to finished length with the shelves being over a wee bit. I will do the finished length after I get the shelf dadoes done.

it fits

I might not use this molding but in case I do, it fits on the edge minus a frog hair or two. There were two small flats on either side of the molding that I sawed off on the tablesaw.

I like the 1/2 round molding a lot (used on the test spice rack) and I'm thinking of using them instead. However I don't like the 1/2 round moldings I'm getting off the astragal plane. One side of the round isn't as deep as the opposite side. It takes a fair bit of sanding to get the 1/2 round symmetrical.

tails done

These are easy to whack out. I only have to chop the center waste and saw the two half pins.

 I got the pins sawn but not chopped out. Ran out of time so I'll chop the waste in the AM.

the first spice rack

Made a road trip to the paint shoppe this AM and picked up a quart of 'super white' gloss paint. Got the first coat on it before the lights were killed. It is going to take a minimum of two coats. 

I could see brush strokes after it was dry to the touch. The paint guy said this was self leveling with no brush strokes. I think I'll roll on the 2nd coat and see hows that looks. Another possibility is to use a rattle can. I think the paint shoppe makes rattle cans too. Spraying would lay down smooth sans brush marks.

nope

The spice rack pic has what I am assuming is stencil work. My wife has played around with them but all the stencils she has are too big. I searched on Amazon last night but I didn't have any success finding smaller stencils. I also wanted curved ones  to lay against the curves on the stop rail. There were none of them to be seen and I gave up after searching for an hour. 

accidental woodworker