Does any one have the original design for these legs?
I am certain that they are not the way the current Stickley factory is making them.
Where they like the one, I drew in the attachment?
Thanks
Sean

...looks like the original pattern - from the ca1914 L&JG catalogue

Yes thanks.
Now at what size whould these leg start?
1 3/4" on up?
Thnks Sean

quote:

Originally posted by sean:
Now at what size whould these leg start?
1 3/4" on up?

The biggest no-name maker dimension I have on a leg post is 2 3/8" but for L&JG 1 3/4" sounds about right..we would need a "real" expert to confirm that one - someone who has handled alot of L&JG, like Rago or Cohen - you could probably email Jerry Cohen with this question because he has been helpful to me on a couple of things, if you keep your questions quick and to the point - let me know if you need a link/address

The reason I ask is that I am going to order a custom cutter and was hoping to use just one cutter for 1 3/4" to 2 7/8" with a 5/8" core.
Do you think this will work out.
Thanks Sean

quote:

Originally posted by sean:
The reason I ask is that I am going to order a custom cutter and was hoping to use just one cutter for 1 3/4" to 2 7/8" with a 5/8" core.
Do you think this will work out.
Thanks Sean

Another good question. I assume you mean some type of router table or jointer bit. Sounds and looks like a serious piece of hardware - not anything I have significant experience in, but maybe someone else here - maybe Ralph Jones; he has a nice shop set-up and I think lots of millwork experience. I imagine the original process back in 1914 was actually a few steps of table sawing and planing, to get the correct shape. Good Luck, and if it works out post some pics of the results.

Yes it is going in to a shaper 5 hp. So I can get it in one pass.

Thank Stonecat,
I can have this cutter made any way I like.
However, once made...
Therefore, if any one thinks it should look any different please chime in.
Looking for the small details
Thanks
Sean

Hello Sean,
I concur with stonecat on this matter as I just last year, refurbished one similar to what you mentioned.

Respectfully,

Ralph Jones

This might help. Just a coincidence - I was surfing some furniture sites and found this detail pic of a headboard post for a bed that was identified as a Stickley 3/4, but no more detail than that. You can see a bit of a finger in the pic to give you an idea of scale, and you can see the relative difference between the centre piece and the 4 face pieces.

Wow Thanks alot! Stonecat
This is the first time I have seen such a big center core.
Do you think this was typical of the time? Neat, only if I was so enthusiastic about spelling.
Thanks Sean
It is all in the minutiae.

Again, only someone who has handled several L&JG pieces over the years would have a feel for what dimensions were used for what pieces, and at what stages in the company history. Logically, the bigger the core, the thinner the face pieces, would be a way to look at it. Thinner face boards would make your 1/4 cut wood last longer - two pieces 3/8 thick, instead of one piece 3/4 thick. The face pieces look to be about 3/8 in the picture. This might have been an issue later in the period as the white oak forests were getting depleted of bigger trees and 1/4 cut became a little harder to find. However, the thinner pieces might also be more prone to warping and cracking. If I'm not mistaken, Gus Stickley started using veneer for his 1/4 cut look at some point.

The way I understand it, was that Gus Stickley started with veneers. Then Leopold at L.&J.G started the quadralinal legs and brought over to Gus Stickley.
My concern is with the core being to large across the flat sawn direction. Because white oak moves 10% tangential flat sawn, and the quarter sawn or radial direction 5% so the bigger core would seem to want push apart the leg a little faster a crossed flat sawn direction. Maybe that is why the new legs have a small core.
I am with you. That I need to do more home work
Thanks again Stonecat
Sean

I didn't know the 10% and 5% rules - thanks, a good nugget of info. Maybe if you make the core just a hair smaller in one direction to account for the straight grain movement, and then rely on each of the face pieces moving (shrinking) more or less together, to keep the lock around the core.

See next couple of messages for pictures of where I am at in this project.
Seam

Heres another.
Sean

One last one.
Sean

Excellent - what's your stain and finish method?

Sand to 180-grit stain with Sherwin Williams BAC oil stain mixed to Fayetteville, French polish (piece of wood in a linen cloth and a 2# cut shellac)
Then wax with Briwax Tudor Brown (don't like the ebony
not right for me) then I go over it again with my fade Rag (the wad of wool and linen cloth) this time with some alcohol and what ever shellac is in the fade or muneca then one more cote of wax and bufffff. Just like that.
Sean

Here is the finished bed.
I will be making two more.