Eliptical Ceiling

summertime

Hi, this is the first of 4 frames that will form an eliptical vaulted ceiling, I cut them with the router ,2no 3/4in bearings , and a T shaped jig, If anyone interested will post pics and explanation. The frames will be clad in roof laths( 1in by 1 1/2 in), then 1/4 in fibrous plaster board
Will post more pics as job progresses

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reveivl

Yeah, I'm interested, post everything you can be bothered to. Love looking at this stuff, Rich.

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karma_carpentry

I'm interested, too. Not only is this a great project with unusual (for me) techniques, but it's also a peek into construction in a different country.

I'm interested in the jig you used for cutting this oval, as well as any other pics you want to post.

jmic

Post them, Post them, Post them! Nice job.

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Joe

hatchet

Would be very intersted in comparing methods. We did an elliptical ceiling in a large house in Colorado (elliptical in plan and in partical elevation). Partial elevation as it was only the perimeter.

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Rich
WIT Construction Co.
Superior MT Contractor

Mr. D

i fixed and eliptcal ceiling today that the framers just couldn't get right. had to match the elipse window in the entry of the home.

elipses and radius are lots of fun. i never thought building skateboard ramps as a kid would help me 15 years later in life.

summertime

Hi, this is my method of cutting a 13ft diameter elipse, borrowed ideas from varrious places, place ply on floor cut to width of room, mark diameter, find center mark height, cut strips of 1/2in mdf.pin onto ply as picture, just a bees wing wider than 3/4in wide bearings, fix floor board to router as if going to cut circle. place cutter on one side of diameter. mark center vertical chanel of T shaped jig, turn over screw bearing to underside of board with spacer washer between wood and bearing, move cutter to max height, mark horizontal arm of T jig, turn over screw in second bearing, your ready to go, place cutter on left side of ply, plug into power, with an assistant making sure the bearings dont jump out of the channels, sweep the router in an arc.
I only had cutter projecting 3/8in, then jigsawed down center of 1/2 in router cut roughly, not going near the line, then had 3/4 in cutter with a top bearing( pattern following cutter) trim the rest of the thickness of ply exactly to the cut made by router,
Made 5 frames like this, accurate true elipses, nice shape, not like the uneven ones you make with string and two pins, string streaches and both halves are not simmetrical, springtime@ntlworld.com any probs.

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reveivl

sweet, thanks for that, Rich.

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Big Dave

That is just too cool. I've got a little jig that I made that will mark ovals and then you have to cut with a jigsaw. I've always wanted to add a router to it but haven't had the chance yet.

Is this your own idea or did you get it somewhere else? Just curious.

Dave.

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summertime

Hi Dave, and all, trend make a cross shaped jig, but only want top half of elipse so did a T shape and theirs is for smaller sizes, some jigs have dados cut into MDF, some have alluminium channel let into board, so gathered ideas from different places. found out the board has to be quite rigid and not flexable, will post pictures of work done tomorrow, the shape looks good when veiwed from the side

summertime

Hi all, picture of job ready for 1/4jn fibrous plasterboard( dry wall)
this area , is called the snug, bit of a wacy name, only usualy find a quite small out of the way room, in a Pub, its going to look great, American black walnut panneling, with hiden door to the left, through which you go to get at the utility room (mud room) , cornice around top with lights shinning over the ceiling, the skirting will be walnut with real silver inlaid banding, cant wait to get some offcuts of that in my woodburning stove.
There is going to be a fireplace in the back wall, you can see the flue pipe

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karma_carpentry

Big Dave, I know you wouldn't need it, but you might find it useful - in the book "Woodworking the right technique" by Bob Moran, there's a good plan for a build-it-yourself router trammel for cutting ellipses, but it's not nearly as impressive as this big one by Summertime.

Big Dave

Thanks Karma. This is something I will probably never use but I like to learn new stuff every day. My feeling is if you don't learn something every day then you are wasting your life. I've got a router jigs and techniques book that gives me a jig to make ovals. I just never thought of expanding it to that size.

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Do one thing at a time, do it well, then move on.
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letgo

That will look very nice-- Great work and I love that jig!!

clampman

Summertime,

No question that's the only way to cut ellipses. For those of you who are interested and have high speed connections, I've got 3 free videos that have been on my website for a while showing that exact process. Here's a link to my video index - video numbers 3, 4 and 5 show drawing, making a jig, and cutting the ellipse. No registration or hassle involved - just a high speed connection. Even the lower resolution versions are real clear.

I'd watch the cutting one first- it's the shortest. The jig one shows how to set up the router and is much easier to watch being done than trying to read about.

Like Summertime says, it's the only way to go.

http://www.miterclamp.com/Woodworking_video_index.htm

Regards,
jimc

go dart

summertime gets poster of the month award. interesting, informative, pictures and old school craftsmanship. thanks summertime keep us posted

reveivl

jimc, thankyou from the other coast, that was informative, brief and entertaining!!!

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From where does knowledge come? If you need to know what is in a box, you could ask someone (not reliable), you could pray, (not useful), you can consult with the scripture (not helpful) or you could open the box (science)

72chevy4x4

summertime, do you not use the metric system for measurements? Is it common for carpenters (anyone know the answer) in other parts of the world to use the metric system?

Nick H

Chevy, yes we have the metric system in the UK but I, like most guys I work with, use both imperial and metric alongside each other. If I measure something and it works better as an imperial measurement then I'll use that, by "works better" I just mean it falls on an imperial division like 1/4 or 1/2. Also if you are dividing measurements it can work easier on one system than the other. It sounds confusing but its something most older brits are used to having grown up with imperial and then switched to metric ( in the 70's).
My favourite example is an exchange I heard between two older carpenters, one asked the other "whats 6 feet in metric ?" , the reply was " 5 feet 10 and a 1/4 ".

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72chevy4x4

many years ago I had a wonderful tape measure which had both metric and imperial markings-I loved it. Have looked for one since, but none are as easy to read. I actually preferred using the metric for general wood working projects since halving a length was easier as was getting most measurements (to a millimeter). Thanks for the info.