Moulding around a curved cabinet: need help!

[poto]

Hi Folks,

I'm in the middle of a complete kitchen and bathroom remodel (no, I'm not doing it myself - I need it finished this year!). One of our floor cabinets has a curved open shelf on the floor, extending from the left front of the cabinet in a constant 12 inch radius to the wall. We'll have wooden flooring butting up to this curved shelf.

I'm wondering how to get some maple quarter round to curve around the base of this shelf to cover the gap with the flooring. I was thinking of either
1) cutting kerfs in the back of the quarter round to make it bendable, or
2) putting a whole bunch of straight pieces together with mitered ends to make a curve.

I'd really like your thoughts and advice, and alternate suggestions!

Thanks in advance.

Poto

 

[monte]

or......

3) Re-sawing stock maple (not quarter round) to a bendable thickness (perhaps 1/8th inch).
    then laminating them together against a template with a bunch of clamps (to the inside radius of where it would sit, the one closest to you from the wall)
    Jointing the bottom edge (the side that goes against the floor)
    Then routing the curve of your quarter round onto that laminated part.
    then carefully cut the ends to fit.

    Presto, a very clean part.
    (now keep in mind that I do a lot of curvilinear work in my shop, Nick or Per might have other thoughts........)

    Monte

 

[nickao]

Making cuts in the back is simple and if it works is a fast fix.

Another way is to just get or glue up a big piece of Maple the thickness being  the height of the base shoe or more. The width being enough to draw the entire radius length on it. After drawing the inner and outer radius, cut close to the line with a jig on the outer radius first and clean it up on disc sander(outside curve) Then router the profile. . Or just clamp the piece down and swing a router for the first outer(side away from the cabinets) cut. Then round it over.

Next, cut the inner profile with a jig(or Band Saw) and clean it up with a spindle sander to fit exactly or again you can swing the router for the inner radius, but do this last. Sand up as needed.

It will be one piece of curved base shoe. No bending. Remember to  round over the edge first before cutting out the entire piece. It will be much easier to handle.

This is one of many ways  do it.  Actually, I would probably kerf cut the back, throw some glue on it,  bend it in, and tack it off. Its fast and if it does not work out you can always take another approach.

I will look for pictures of the next steps. As you can see in the pics below this is nowhere near a 12" radius, but the same approach can be used. If using a router for the curved cuts make the piece a lot bigger and do not cut it so tight like I do in this example, unless excellent clamping methods are used.

Nickao

 

[poto]

Great suggestions Monte and Nick. Thanks. It hadn't occurred to me to route my own curved quarter round, but it makes a lot of sense. I don't have a spindle sander, but I'm sure I can figure out a way to smooth the inside curve. Of course, that means I need to buy the trammel unit for my OF1010...

 

[nickao]

Great suggestions Monte and Nick. Thanks. It hadn't occurred to me to route my own curved quarter round, but it makes a lot of sense. I don't have a spindle sander, but I'm sure I can figure out a way to smooth the inside curve. Of course, that means I need to buy the trammel unit for my OF1010...

A trammel is nothing but a stick connected to the table and attached to the router on the other end. Easy to make.  I have a setup I was going to post next week that shows how to use one of the holes in the MFT as the pivot point and with a scale on the table almost any radius can be cut  with a router in a matter of minutes, with minimal setup.

The holes also provide for excellent clamping for a jig like this. This type of operation is one of the key reasons I started using these tables.

Nickao

 

[Qwas]

Great use for the tabletop holes. I'll have to remember that. Thanks.

I've been wanting a trammel for the router but haven't had a need yet. Figured I would build one when the time came. Now you got me thinking of a new way to build one.

 

[poto]

I made a trammel for cutting circles for a dog-bowl holder last year: it was a dowel and a screw. Worked great, but made me nervous...

 

[Chris Hughes]

yep, like Nick described.  It really is that easy.  I would prefab a blank arch to the outside radius.  This will make the process of putting a 1/4 round profile super easy.  Use your trusty circle jig to draw the inside radius and band saw or jig saw to cut the curved 1/4 round off the blank, "Bob's your mother's brother", you've got some nifty architecture.  I've used a few types of jigs.  Rockler makes a flat "base" style plate that has holes drilled at 1/4" increments.  It never dawned on me to build a jig like Festool's but now when I build new jigs I will replicate their style.  Chris

 

[nickao]

The way I describe to make this curved piece is made to order for use of the Festool Vac clamp.

Holding down hard  to clamp pieces like this is what vacuum clamping is best at. Heck, with a Vacuum clamp you could route the inside and outside radius and cut the round over last. Knowing the little curved piece is firmly held to the table. This is almost impossible with traditional clamping methods and not very safe.

I want that Festool Vac system, anyone want to ship one overseas to me? ;D

Nickao

 

[poto]

I would guess that if you're going to route the curved piece, you'd want to make the blank out of several pieces so that - over the 90 degrees of the curve - you don't end up with the grain going across the piece. It would make it pretty weak, and not finish very nicely?

 

[Eli]

I don't think I'd kerf the back of a piece of 1/4 round. I don't think it would bend flat, the back would pinch together but that would make the top bow out and the bottom edge dish. Strip laminating the exact curve, jointing the bottom, and routing the roundover was the suggestion I like the best.

You could get a piece of hardboard to match the curve and use a pattern bit to clean up the laminated piece before rounding. Make sure you make the curve form a little tight even, after it comes out of the form it will spring out a bit.

 

[Per Swenson]

Hi All,

Back kerf on inside corner radius.

Laminate on out side corner.

This works for me.

Below is a 3 piece inside corner, back kerfed.

Then stuck in a hot shower for 30 minutes.

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

This ain't pretty. But as they say in Joisy, good enough for paint.

Per
[attachimg=#]

 

[Per Swenson]

Because it was painted,

I was able to to cut a 1/4 inch of the 90 to bend it around the outside,

rather then laminate it.

This ain't fine wood work folks,

this is, we have to pay some bills stuff.

Per[attachimg=#]

 

[Eli]

How much caulk is under the paint?  ;D

 

[Per Swenson]

Caulk?

Bondo ;D

 

[monte]

Poto...

You never did mention whether this was going to be paint grade or clear wood?
If it was paint I like what Per suggested.
I'd be curious what his clear wood alternative would be.

by the way whatever way you go, it might be a good idea to angle the end cuts of the piece your putting in "out" to the back,
and follow reflectively the angles to the straight sister pieces to lock it in.

 

[nickao]

I assumed this was a wood finish - Maple with a clear finish, not paint grade. If this is paint grade get a piece of MDF it  will bend around the radius. That crap is as floppy as can be.

Nickao

 

[monte]

Nick...."ditto" on what you said.

.......it was more of a rib to see what Per would do in a clear wood alternative.

 

[nickao]

Well, if I was just installing on site I would tell the darn cabinet company to get the trim I needed out to the job site. They sent a curved cabinet, the curved or bendable pieces should come with it too.

Going back to the shop to make it "one piece" from a blank  is losing money in that situation! Most guys come to install and do not bring the tools to fabricate. I definitley would take what was provided and wet it and bend it before I tried making something up. Customizing trim is normally not in a cabinet install bid. And time is money.

Nickao

 

[Brice Burrell]

Poto...

You never did mention whether this was going to be paint grade or clear wood?
If it was paint I like what Per suggested.
I'd be curious what his clear wood alternative would be.........

I'm not going to answer for Per, but my guess would be: carpentry.