Any Greene & Greeneologists out there? Design help needed.

Rennie Heuer

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I'm making candle stands for our church to match the altar suite I built a couple of years ago. The design is based on a G&G hall table published in Popular Woodworking by Robert Lang.
DSCN0678S.JPG The candle stands will replace the ones shown here that are essentially an oak dowel stuck into an oak disk. The wood being used is Lyptus with bloodwood accents.

Here is my question. I need to join the upright with the angled crossbar that holds the candles. Considering the entire design is rooted in G&G, I thought the joint should not be flush, like this, DSCN1299.JPG but rather have the meeting edges rounded over and softened like this, DSCN1298.JPG. Going back to my G&G books, this seems to be the preferred method to handle a joint like this. I have also considered using a square peg or two at the joint. The joint will be a M&T.

Here is the 'real' wood that the stands are being made from DSCN1300.JPG DSCN1301.JPG

Opinions? Direction? Suggestions?
 
What I'd do:

1. Make the lower (vertical piece) about 3/8" thinner than the angled piece, splitting the difference between the two sides. However, this might make the piece look top heavy...

OR 2. Add a cloud lift feature to the angled piece, leaving the two the same thickness. I can't tell from the pics, but if the two are the same thickness, I wouldn't put roundovers accross the joint.

I don't think I'd add any square pegs on that joint, but I would make it a through mortise and use two dark wedges, maybe leaving the end of the tenon a little proud and rounded.

Probably left something out, but thats my 2 cents.
 
Hi John,

I thought of making the vertical a little thinner, but you're right, it might look top heavy. Perhaps if I were dealing with something a little wider in the vertical....fiennes-104.jpg, although, it's worth a try. I'll play with my samples a little and see how it looks.

The through mortise won't work as there will be a candle directly over the center of the joint - 7 candles in all.

Interesting that you would not round over the joint and I'm by no means settled on the idea either. I was thinking of something like this fiennes-123-41.jpg for the joint. Soft, rounded intersecting edges.

Perhaps I have a design flaw in keeping the slanted and vertical the same size? Thanks for your input:thumb:. Give me more it something comes to mind.
 
Yeah, I bet you could get away with having the vertical part thinner if both were wider, like in the first picture of the banister. That sounds confusing... You could probably offset the joint inwards on the lower piece if both were wider. As to the other pic, I think those joints all have offsets, except where they meet the metal bands. I'm not sure I've ever seen any G&G pieces with a non-offset joint that had a roundover accross it, but I haven't exactly made a study of it.
 
Yeah, I bet you could get away with having the vertical part thinner if both were wider, like in the first picture of the banister. That sounds confusing... You could probably offset the joint inwards on the lower piece if both were wider. As to the other pic, I think those joints all have offsets, except where they meet the metal bands. I'm not sure I've ever seen any G&G pieces with a non-offset joint that had a roundover accross it, but I haven't exactly made a study of it.
You make good sense. Unfortunately, the candle stands, 50" from floor to cross bar, would probably not lend themselves well to being much wider.

I have even given some thought to using the Blacker Brackets as described in Darrell Peart's book (one of my favorites). Greene_and-Greene_class2.jpg frontcovercover.jpgThe 10 degree angle might be a bit of a hassle, but....... who knows?
 
. The design is based on a G&G hall table published in Popular Woodworking by Robert Lang.
View attachment 10526
Here is my question. I need to join the upright with the angled crossbar that holds the candles. Considering the entire design is rooted in G&G, I thought the joint should not be flush, like this, View attachment 10528 but rather have the meeting edges rounded over and softened like this, View attachment 10527. Going back to my G&G books, this seems to be the preferred method to handle a joint like this. I have also considered using a square peg or two at the joint. The joint will be a M&T.

Opinions? Direction? Suggestions?
Hi Rennie, :wave:
If G&G preferred the roundover on most things I would round it over.
I like the idea of some square pegs. I am happy you are involved in doing a project like this. I don't know how far along you are so I am leary of offering too many ideas. We all have opinions:D , direction questionable:rofl:
and suggestions??? Well how far along are you?
Shaz :)
 
Hi Rennie, :wave:
If G&G preferred the roundover on most things I would round it over.
I like the idea of some square pegs. I am happy you are involved in doing a project like this. I don't know how far along you are so I am leary of offering too many ideas. We all have opinions:D , direction questionable:rofl:
and suggestions??? Well how far along are you?
Shaz :)
Jointed, planed and rough cut to length. Basically what you see in the last 2 pictures. I can post some more tomorrow.
 
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