I’m looking for some help on a treasure chest i am building. The chest is made from bloodwood. I am currently in the process of framing it with yellow heart (to look like brass straps). The pictures attached show where im currently at (the straps are just sitting on the lid and not attached yet).I made the first 2 straps by cutting 1/8 strips of yellowheart, steaming them, then bending them around a mold. I let them set then took it out of the mold, glued it up and clamped it back in the mold. Now i need to make straps for the edges of the lid. However, the sides of the lid are at a 73 degree angle. I want these straps on the sides of the lid to cover the glue joint. What i was thinking is i would have to do the same thing i did for the current straps…just much wider (probably around 3 inches). Then cut the piece at a 73 deg angle (which i have no idea how to accomplish that on a steam bent piece). Then, how do i route a rabbit in it to fit over the corner?
If anyone has any ideas or an easier way?…Im open for suggestions.
Replies
a, not totally certain i
a,
not totally certain i get all you're asking. however, have you thought about making those "straps" by using a template and router type set-up?
eef
If I understand your question, you might start by making a template draping a piece of paper over the end and scribing it. Extend the line for the overlap and width of strap and you have the pattern for making the pieces to bend. Add a very thin piece under the boards if you want the strap to overlap the end.
On the other hand do you really need these pieces. Is it going to look too cluttered with that many straps banding the top? And I wonder if you aren't going to run into problems with expansion and contraction of the chest pieces and the straps.
Peter
Its supposed to model the chest from Pirates of the Carribean (for my girlfriend). See the link for a picture below. I agree it may be a bit "busy" but thats the design. I found some dimensions online and scaled it accordingly and angled the sides alittle more to make it my own. This one is alittle bigger.
http://www.starstore.com/acatalog/poc-chest-replica.jpg
I like the idea of paper templates first to get my pieces cut accordingly. The straps don't necessarily need to attach to the top of the box and sids of the box. I just want to hide the glue joint.
a, do you understand what
a,
do you understand what we mean by router and template work? one makes an exact replica of what's wanted out of a stable material such as 3/4" plywood. next, the finished pcs are cut out at the bandsaw, but one stays well proud of the layout lines. the template is nailed, tacked, screwed or glued atop the keeper. a flush trim router bit, bearing over or under, follows your template. yeah?
eef
ps
it would be fun to carve or apply those snakes to the piece. your chest, thus far's, looking good, by the way.
Yo Ho Yo Ho A Pirate's Life For Me........I'll have that song stuck in my head now.....
I'm trying to understand your dilema. Do you want "straps" going over the lid on the left and right sides? And if so, the problem is that the ends of the lid are tilted in at ? degrees. Secondly, you want the straps to cover over a little bit of those sides to hide the glue joint between the curved lid top and flat lid sides?
Wheew! If that's what you mean......I would make it in two parts.
First, I would make the part that goes over the curved lid the same way you just made the other pieces only wide enough to go back and cut them in what will be a kind of parobolic shape that stays flat with the curve of the lid top. I would make a card stock template of that piece to make sure things are looking right before you cut any wood. The edge of the piece closest to the lid end would need to be in the same plane as the end. Handplane?
The second part would be a flat arch as wide as you determine that would sit at the edge of the lid side and cover over the first piece. That could be a bent lamination of a few pieces. No matter how you slice it, there will be some hand work to get those parts to mate - up. You could spend forever getting router jigs and garbage put together. For a one off operation, just not worth the time and effort because you would probably need to make rights and lefts of the jigs......Uggggghhhh!.
You could probably use the cardstock template to mark the inside of the curve and carefully walk the cut through the bandsaw. You may even want to get close on the joinery (miters?) on that machine and fine tune with chisels and block plane. In my opinion, the easiest way to match the other "straps" that will be coming up the front and back to meet them.
Hopefully this makes some sense - or else just disregard as jibberish......
Have fun,
Paul, a Pirate chest making veteran.......
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