Can you use hollows and rounds on end grain?

[Andy Kev.]

I could leave this OP as just the title but a word of explanation: if you were to make, say, a sign consisting of a single piece of wood to go on a door and you fancied putting a moulding around the edge, would H & Rs be able to cope with the end grain?

 

[Cabinetman]

I’m sorry Andy I’m still not much wiser.

 

[Argus]

I'm trying not to be unhelpful, but it depends on the quality of your timber and the quality of your H&Rs........... plus your skill and patience!

It's certainly possible to achieve, the end-grain mouldings on antique furniture and fittings attest to it and I have done it. You need well-sharpened planes and a hard but compliant and straight grain structure. Prepare the basic shape of the long-grain sides first to avoid breakout and maintain an undercut on the exit side as you proceed. My main H&Rs are bedded at 60 degrees which I found very helpful in dealing with end-grain - though most are at a lower angle.

However, for a sign, If it is just a rounded thumb-nail shape, then you can shape it with shoulder and block planes once the shape is defined.
It can help to pre-shape mouldings with rebates and Matthew Bickfords book on Mouldings is ideal for this.

https://www.classichandtools.com/ac...kford-MOULDINGS-IN-PRACTICE-LAP-BOOK-MIP.html
Good luck

 

[Andy Kev.]

I gave the example of a sign to keep it simple. It looks like it's the old idea of sharpness and taking care. I'll have a go on a couple of scraps of cherry and walnut and see if it turns out OK.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[AndyT]

Here's an old post of mine showing use of a moulding plane on end grain. Ok, it was an ovalo, but the principles are the same. Sharp plane, a sacrificial piece to prevent tear-out and take care.

Scroll down a bit, it's a longish post.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/victorian-chair-steps-wip.58381/post-691895
Or this post from the same project. It's even more long-winded but shows the alternative approach using rebates and a hollow to make the same edge profile on side and end grain. It's near the end:

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/victorian-chair-steps-wip.58381/post-705483

 

[Andy Kev.]

Thanks Andy, that seems to nail it. The sacrificial piece removes all concerns at a stroke.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

There was a fashion for using end-grain walnut mouldings on (I think) cabinetry of the Queen Anne period. Short pieces of walnut were glued to a backing piece, end grain outwards, and cut with the moulding desired in the same way that normal mouldings were worked. I suspect it helped that walnut is an easy-working timber, but it proves that moulding end-grain can be done, and done well.

 

[Cabinetman]

Sorry, hadn’t understood what the question was, could someone explain to me what hollows and rounds are pls?
I made these in end grain for the uprisers on the ends of a Chinese/Japanese altar table top I made recently, not quite finished yet, oh yes and they were cut from the same board left from the left and right from the right so that the grain would match up when they were fastened back on.

will do a breakdown of making it with pictures later. Ian

 

[AndyT]

Sorry, hadn’t understood what the question was, could someone explain to me what hollows and rounds are pls?

The most basic and useful hand planes for making all manner of mouldings. Here's an intro from Roy Underhill:

https://video.unctv.org/video/woodwrights-shop-hollows-rounds/

 

[Cabinetman]

Thanks Andy, suspected it was that, just didn’t know the term

 

[alexalexander]

Not a problem but needs care. I've cut mouldings on end grain for furniture panels and suchlike. If you are putting a moulding on all 4 sides of the sign, then do the end grain sides first with a sacrificial block to avoid tear-out. Sharp blades and not too deep a cut help.

 

[D_W]

End grain isn't a problem. In most woods, it actually cuts quite nicely with h&r planes.