Shaker Sconce - Cutting Out the Pieces

Cutting the Curves

Using the templates I make last week, I traced the outlines of the back and sides of the sconce onto the 1/4" and 5/16" walnut stock I had prepared previously. With a 1/8" wide blade installed on the band saw, I used the machine to rough out the curves on these pieces, taking care to cut on the waste side of the line. I tried to stay about 1/8" outside the line to allow some material for trimming while minimizing the amount of wood wasted.

Trimming the Back

I used the templates again to trim the pieces to final size. Clamping them to the roughly shaped sides and back, I used my trim router fitted with a ball-bearing guided pattern bit for the final shaping. If I decide to make these sconces in quantity, I think it will be worth my while to make permanent jigs to shape these pieces. It would be more efficient if I could clamp the parts onto a more thicker and more durable pattern which I could shape by means of a router mounted in the router table. I would also make the pieces a little wider than necessary as I had some trouble with splintering at the edges, and could have used more material to allow me to trim off the defects.

Cutting a Rabbet on the Router Table

The original sconce appears to have used simple butt joints held together by brads and/or glue. I decided to rabbet the back and sides for added strength and to refine the appearance of the piece. I made the rabbets using the router table with a fence. Those on the sides of the back piece go only part way and I used a stop block, shown in the photo, to ensure that the length was consistent. It was also necessary to square up the top end of these stopped rabbets with a chisel to mate precisely with the sides.

The Finished Pieces

I sized the bottom piece by fitting it to the back and sides rather than trying to fit it by measuring. I softened the front edge of the bottom piece using a 1/8" round over bit in the router table in imitation of the original. In the end, I had parts for two complete sconces, ready for final sanding, glue up, and finishing.

Clearly, there are economies of scale to be realized if I make the sconces in larger batches. By doing multiples of each piece while I have my machines set up for a particular operation, I can save myself from having to do the time-consuming set ups as often. I can also save wood by laying the pieces out more efficiently for cutting. If this design proves popular, I will need to address all of these issues. For the present, I need to move on to the final assembly and finishing process. To be continued...