Lid Profile and Battens

2013.12.10

I intended to use a molding plane from the collection to decorate the lid, but there just wasn’t anything appropriate.  Most of the profiles were too large, and otherwise didn’t lend themselves to turning a corner across the grain.  For instance, I considered a 3/8″ quirk ogee, but the quirk would plow through the ogees at the corners.  I could miter a strip of applied ogee molding, but that’s too fancy for a chest like this.

So I opted for something much simpler.  I used the skew rabbet plane to create a shallow rabbet along the front and sides.  Then I rounded over the arris with a couple cornering tools.  I bought them from Lee Valley several years ago but this is the first time I’ve tried them out.  There’s a little finesse involved, and of course they don’t like going against the grain, but otherwise not bad.  The larger tool creates an eighth-inch radius.

Shallow rabbet on six board chest lid
Rounding over edge of lid with cornering tools

2013.12.13

The offcut from the bottom board became the source for two battens for the lid.

Offcut from bottom board to be sawn into battens for the lid
Battens for six board chest lid

The battens are nailed to the lid.  The nails are intentionally long so they can be clinched (or clenched); that is, bent and nailed back into the wood similar to a staple.  The battens along with this very secure nailing technique help keep the lid flat.  There should be about 1/2″ of the nail protruding, but I ended up with less, which made it more difficult to bend the nail with pliers.  I used my shopmade doweling plate as a backer while I hammered the nails back in; otherwise the roseheads would dig into my workbench.

Nail through batten and lid
Clinched nails through batten and lid

This is the first time I’ve clinched nails and boy does it show, right on the top of the lid in the most visible place.  Hopefully the milk paint will make them not so glaringly obvious.