Gooseneck moldings

[zacc]

I just spent the entire day working on a gooseneck molding with a small bead at the bottom.  I figured out to rough it out using a router and a variety of different bits.  When I go to scratch out the bead, it crumbles on the curved part of the molding.  I spent yesterday researching scratch stocks to make sure that I understood sharpening and use, but it didn't help.  Any suggestions??

Thanks

[rococojo]

hi zacc, can you post a diagram of your design,just to get correct to what you are referring?
 I could gess the problem? but to help others,and talk it through, a diagram would help.

[zacc]

How do you post a diagram on this page?

[MikeWenzloff]

Hi Zacc,

When you reply using the Reply button, there is a text link at the bottom of the reply box called "Additional Options..." When clicked, there is the ability to upload a graphic with a maximum size of 165 KB and a per-post limit of 4 images.

So, make your graphic or scan a drawing, make sure it is below the 165 KB limit and attach the image to your post. There is a browse button that will allow you to navigate on your computer system to the location you saved the graphic.

Also, let us know what kind of wood you are using.

Take care, Mike

[msiemsen]

Zacc,
Is it possible that you are working against the grain?
Mike

[zacc]

Mike:

When I layed out the moldings, I made each side in one piece.  In other words, I layed out the gooseneck plus a long run to stretch around the side of the clock hood.  I don't see a way to lay it out where at least a part of the molding is running against the grain.  Yes, this is the part that I'm having the trouble.

[msiemsen]

Zacc,
Usually they are mitered at the corners.
Mike

[HSteier]

I recently completed a gooseneck molding for a Conn. highboy in cherry. This molding was the first that I had attempted with the bead (astragal) at the bottom. This step-up precludes using a series of router bits or a shaper to make the bead. I carved the molding, leaving the bead square and then carved the surface of the squared bead with back-bent gouges and #5's with an inside bevel. I then made shaped scrapers to fit the cove above the bead, and the bead individually. Tedious work, but excellent results. Once the bead is mostly formed by carving there is very little tearout from scraping and you can usually switch directions where needed and go with the grain.
The only other solution I can think of is a CNC router, not much of a "period" technique.

Howard Steier

[mikemcgrail]

The bead's grain direction seems like to me it is always changing directions, so I have some scrapers ground with oversize beads so that I can hold the scraper in such a way as to only be working one side(top or bottom) of the bead at a time. Then, I usually end up going in the opposite direction to work the other side of the bead. Some good carving pieces of walnut will occasionally scrape easily with the exact size of bead ground on the steel, but it seems the softer stuff like mahogany always needs to be sort of "snuck up on" from each side. My scrapers are just pieces of old saw steel with different parts of the molding cut on edge; i.e. I am only working on the bead part or I am working on the cove part- not both at the same time. I don't think you could scrape the whole mold at once as easily, but I have really never tried. I like to use a router with just a series of rabbetting bit to hog out the gooseneck and get the flats close, a big gouge on the cove and a v-gouge on the top side of the bead to help the scraping. Using the series of rabbetting cuts with the router, I usually have the bottom edge of the bead in decent shape. I think this is about what you are doing, also.  Hope this helps.

[CBWW]

For what it is worth- I have seen where the cove and bead on the bottom of the gooseneck is done as a seperate piece and applied after the large cove is formed. 

[rococojo]

as a diagram is missing to discus the problem, I attach a clock hood with the moulding attached
which I found on the web.

  hope this helps some
                        Rococojo