Green & Green Settee Part XII

The last thing to do before the major glue-up is to install the ebony plugs on the arms.

I only mark the center of each plug.  Then I use a template with different square sizes to draw out the plug locations.  Helps to keep the plugs somewhat level.

  

 

I am using Veritas plug cutters.  These work great.  Although the next photo does not show it, I also use a square to position the plug cutter for the first hammer strike.  After that the square is no longer needed.

With the plug cutter positioned, I install the drill bit and twist the drill bit by hand  to mark the center location.  I remove the plug cutter then drill down about 5/16".   The photo above shows the plug locations immediately after drilling.  Then I use a small chisel to clean out some of the wood.  I find the plug cutter will not penetrate deep enough unless I clean out some of that wood.  Then I re-install the plug cutter and hammer down to get clean shoulders and back with the chisel to remove all those goobers at the bottom.

I recommend reading Darrell Peart's book on G&G techniques, in particular the part about preparing the plugs.  He uses a jig on a disc sander to define the initial pillow - then swipes by hand using the higher grits.  I do not have a disc sander so it is all by hand.  This is a rather tedious endeavor.

I start with 120 on a hard surface.  I find it does not take too many swipes - but no matter how careful I am I have to fiddle around to get all the shoulders even.  This is where Darrell's jig would save a lot of time. Then I put 150 sandpaper on a sanding pad and make a couple swipes.  The sanding pad helps to define the pillow on the top.  Then I remove the 150 paper then use the 220 pad directly.  Then I use 320 and 600 on the sanding pad.  Only a couple swipes are necessary.

I use a buffer on a dremel tool to buff the top (with some buffing compound), cut the plug by hand with a fine saw and a make shift MDF miter jig and then bevel the sides.  I cut the plug about 1/4".

Note that I also install plugs at the various other locations on the legs and rear posts.  When finished with the plugs, I'll go ahead and buff the ebony spline.

TIME FOR GLUE-UP!  At least for the base. 

The sides are already glued up.  I did not photo the glue-up.  Glue-up is somewhat stressful and having someone follow you with a camera can be annoying (even though that person may be myself).  I ran one or two practice runs just to make sure the clamping strategy is in place.  If a joint binds I want to make sure I can deal with it appropriately.

I did the base glue-up in 4 steps.  1)  Glue the sides together (already done) 2) glue the center rail to the front and back rails  3) then glue the center assembly (i.e. center rail, back rail, and front rail) to one side assembly  4) then glue the whole contraption to the other side assembly.  All the joints were 90 degrees except for the center stretcher.  I had angle blocks taped to the side stretcher to create a 90 degree clamping surface for the center stretcher.

After glue-up I installed a round dowel from below into the center stretcher tenon and then capped it with an ebony plug from above (I cut the holes before assembly).  The round dowel actually penetrates the tenon.  The ebony plug is decorative.