I have a project I've been working for a while.  Its been a bit of a challenge for me.  The carcass is done and it's time for the drawers. I'm in a bit over my head. As the title says I need your input on tools and techniques to shape this drawer front.  I have included some photos to help clarify what I'm trying to accomplish The first picture shows a practice piece of wood and the basic shape of the Block Front drawer.  

 

 

The Second picture I'm pointing to the area of most concern.  This it where the flat area transitions to the curved part of the drawer front. I'm having much trouble make in nice clean sharp transition in that area. 

 

 

The third photo explains/shows what I what to achieve. (the drawing on the left).  The drawing on the right is what I don't want. I want of avoid have small inside radius you get as when you route inside corner.

 

 

 

I have also included a like video link to further help you under strand my goal. If you go to the 7:30 mark you can save so time.

 

 

 

Edited January 11, 20197 yr by Warped & Twisted

Looks like an interesting build

kerf the face on the TS across the width to the junction of the radii and the flat a skosh shy of final line...

now cut the radius and the flat on your BS..

clean the profile up w/ a LA rabbet or shoulder plane...  a flat or round spoke shave may work a little better for this...

 

 

 

@Warped & Twisted ...

to get a final sharp transition between the radius and the flat use hard sanding blocks or a pad sander...

a ''round'' sander such as an ROS will soften the transition ...

this may help...

go to the 4:30 mark...

 

 

Edited January 13, 20197 yr by Stick486

Rich, this may not be the answer you want, but you are such a precise woodworker, I have seen your work in the past, it's clean, and professional, you may be having a hard time trying to get perfection in that area that you are working on, and that may be bothering you a whole lot, and believe me I can relate.

So I would say this to you, you are never going to get that line perfect, but you can get it near excellent, with a flat file. This may be a good time to invest in flat files that act like mini hand planes yet you won't have to worry about tear out of which on a project like this, would be hard to recover from.

For cases like this I would use a Japanese file smooth cut. I have one I have used to clean up lines on my chairs and I love it, you just tell it what you want to do, and it does it.

Mine can be found here at: Iwasaki - 4" Fine Cut Flat CP Wood Rasp

 

The one you may want to purchase, that has a longer surface that would reach across your drawer front as you file/plane would be this one: Iwasaki - 8" Flat Smooth Cut CP Wood Rasp

 

The beauty of these files are a couple things, firstly, the teeth are just like hundreds of little planer blades, they are that sharp. So you are not grinding or abrading the wood as in traditional western files, but you are actually cutting the wood as you stroke the file across the surface, you can even see tiny shavings come off the file.

The second wonderful thing about these files, is there are no cutting edges on the edges of the files, as in western files typically have.

So, with the absence of cutting edges on the edge of the file, you can file right up to that transitioned trouble area you are in, and the edge of the file will not cut into the material you don't want it to cut into.

 

Also the finish is smooth, you may not even have to hit it with sandpaper, and if you do, it would be very minimal so you would not have to disturb that line you just created with the file. If you can find that 8" in a fine cut, that would be better, but you may only get a 6" in fine cut from Japan Woodworker, but if you google around you may find another distributor that sells an 8" in fine cut.

 

I love my 4" Iwasaki, it's gotten me out of many trouble spots just like you are in.

 

But at the end of the day Rich, remember, it's hand made.

 

EDIT: At about 9 minutes into the video, I just noticed the fellow spells it out pretty good on how that transition is to be performed, I like that method too!

I just perused the internet for 8" fine cut, and it looked promising. While doing so I saw the Iwasaki's called floats as well, I forgot about that, they are floats in all practical purposes! They are so accurate, that tool makers of wooden hand planes use these files to tune up their sharp edges in their woodworking tools such as Krenov style hand planes.

 

 

 

+1 on the Iwasakis. Excellent files. Saved my bacon a few times.

Thanks you John and Gene for the information on the files. As special thanks to John for pointing out the "you are never going to get that line perfect," You are right but I have to try.

 

And of course thanks to stick for posting the video. It looks like my next task is to order me some now files.

 

On a side note @ 7:45 this morning another 5.0 earthquake. Seem like mother nature is relentless.

 

 

 

Edited January 13, 20197 yr by Warped & Twisted

A little side note or history about this project. Back in January of 2010 bucket list post/thread. In that thread I had listed this project. If you do follow this link you'll have to scroll to the top of the page to see the entire thread. 

 

 

 

Edited January 13, 20197 yr by Warped & Twisted

have you had a chance to play w/ this???

Just now, Stick486 said:

have you had a chance to play w/ this???

Not really, nothing worth posting any way. You'll be first to know. Us old people are slow.

8 minutes ago, Warped & Twisted said:

Us old people are slow.

I know...

Talking about files....

For the people that don't know.

You can sharpen of metal and wood files.

Just soak them in a jar of old battery acid over night.

Clean with water and baking soda and coat with light oil.

Good to go.

The acid removes a small amount of metal and make them sharp again.

 

1 minute ago, Kevin Beitz said:

Talking about files....

For the people that don't know.

You can sharpen of metal and wood files.

Just soak them in a jar of old battery acid over night.

Clean with water and baking soda and coat with light oil.

Good to go.

The acid removes a small amount of metal and make them sharp again.

 

Now that one I am trying, thanks Kevin!

I saw another little tip along the same lines, if you are using a file on metal, before filing the metal, rub some chalk on the file, and the metal does not clog your file teeth. Haven't tried it yet, but I will next time.

I know the local sharpeners won't sharpen files anymore. The chemicals  I assume and the insurance. A lot of files around that could use it. I found the duller the file the less I ruin stuff these days..