Question for part 2

[Barefoot1]

So I have picked a pattern for the top of the box and just need to mill the Cherry. What I want to do cut the scroll work and attach it to the oak top and then use a round over bit to blend the two edges. So . . . Should I do the round over first? If so how would you attach to cherry to the oak so it stays in place during routing and then how do you separate them to do the scrolling or would do the scrolling first then attach and rout? The edge will not be fragile from the scroll work so I am not concerned about that, what I am concerned about is screwing up the top after scrolling because my router skills are not what they should be. What would you do?

[Tor]

You really need a router table to do this properly. I would prefer to do the routing after myself, so that the two pieces can be firmly glued together for the routing (not that I expect them to separate, but I would be concerned about them fitting back together in exactly the same way. A ridge at the join would be a definite possibility.)

Tor

[Barefoot1]

Tor,

Yes I have a router table and a 3hp Freud Plunge router. I too am concerned about getting them back together correctly if I do that first but I heard something about using hot glue and then separating them after but not sure how that works. I think I am more concerned about screwing up the finished scrolled piece.

[Tor]

If you have delicate parts in the fretwork, you could try some of the delicate surface painters tape (not the 14day stuff) to give a surface to slide on. Make sure there is no more than one layer anywhere. I would not be particularly concerned, even without the tape. If you use tape, remember that the slightest thickness will change the cut of the router. The hardest part would be if the roller on your bit doesn't properly catch the boxtop. In this case, setting your fence properly will be essential, and making a zero clearance auxiliary fence my be worthwhile, if the top doesn't span the gap well.

Tor

[workin for wood]

I would scroll the picture, then glue it to the oak permanently, then do your round over. I'm not crazy about how the look of this is going to be though, nor am I crazy about your wood choices. Cherry and oak are not very desirable as a team. Cherry and maple would be better. I would prefer that the round over does not curve through both pieces, for aesthetics. Looks weird when two contrasting pieces meet in the middle of a curve. If your box has to be oak, then I'm going to pick walnut for your scrollwork. That's all I can think of really..nothing really goes with oak but oak itself in my opinion.

[Barefoot1]

I have decided that cutting, gluing and rounding will be the path. The Cherry is Brazilian Cherry and is very red in color and should provide a good contrast between the lid and the scroll work, I think it will look good together. The round over is to provide a unified look to the piece. Again, I think it will turn it pretty good but who knows, only doing it will tell.

[azbison]

I love oak. I love working with it and I love the smell of it when it's fresh cut. But as pointed out above, it's hard to find a partner to build with. Walnut and Maple are a given, but what I've done is look through woodworkerssource.net and see what woods would work well together and match them up by hardness. When building something I don't want to sand it and dig a furrow in the softer wood and not touch the hard stuff. For Red Oak, you might try Merbau or Sirari. Zebrawood would be interesting. Mesquite could offset it nicely. I would not recommend leoparwood, I tried scrolling that and I could not do anything without it burning badly.

I attached the spreadsheet I use ... if its of any help....

[Barefoot1]

So here is what it looks like. Not affixed yet obviously but I will get to that this week.
foxbox.jpg

[JohnB]

G'day Thomas,
Looking good there.

[Tor]

Looks like you are coming along well with that. Can't say I'm wild about the wood combo, but there are so many ideas of how something should look, I think it will be great.

Tor