the cover of the journal, which features a woodworking article written by mike

Earlier this spring I wrote an article about how I shaped the curved legs for my Walnut Cabinet. The article was published in The Journal of the Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers and is available to view by clicking on the image at right.

In the article, I describe the entire process of making the curved legs, from design to final shaping.

Why did I design this piece with curved legs? Because the curves lend a nice bit of elegance and refinement. And it's another way to add a level of individuality and personality to my work. Breaking out of the rectilinear and into more curvaceous forms is important to me as a furniture maker. I hope the article provides insight into the process.

Happy reading!

I recently finished this cabinet and wanted to post some pictures. It is made of black walnut and maple (birds eye and curly), with a bit of East Indian rosewood used for the decorative beads.

The design started from a sketch, and I worked on it in CAD and then moved to full-scale drawings. I spent a lot of time working out the details, such as the top panels of crotch walnut that flank the single drawer, the mother of pearl inlay, the fixed stile to the left of the door. I also spent a fair amount of time on the curved legs – designing curves that were subtle, yet graceful. After many iterations on paper, I made a full size leg template which allowed for further refinement, and doubled as a pattern for shaping the legs later on.

To achieve the curves in the legs, I heated the bottom portion of the legs with steam then bent them over a form, a process called steam bending. After a week or more of drying, I shaped the legs to the template, starting with the bandsaw to rough out the shape, then refining with hand planes and spokeshaves.