The arched pull was typically placed evenly side to side and just a little high of center. Predrill for # 6 wood screws (length depends upon drawer thickness) in each of the three bar holes. Using a piece of scrap to register the desired location, glue and screw the pull to the drawer front.
Ebony Bars
Machine the ebony bar stock in long square lengths about 1/64" oversize in width. Using 150-grit sandpaper, impart a slight “pillow” shape on the face side. Ease the edges very slightly, and then sand through the grits until 600 is reached. Buff the face on a buffing wheel with white rouge. Cut each bar to length, about 1/64" longer than the individual holes. Slightly ease the just cut edge with 320-grit through 600-grit sandpaper, and then take to the buffing wheel. Slightly back bevel the inserting face, and then spread a little glue around the perimeter of the hole. Tap the bar in place with a plastic headed mallet, leaving the polished face slightly proud of the surface. The pull is finished!
The arched pull celebrates usefulness and beauty in equal measure. It does not shout above its place in the order of things, but quietly performs both its functional and aesthetic purposes with a touch of genius. It is simple elegance at its finest!
26. Slightly back bevel the inserting face.
27. Tap the bar in place.
28. The pull is finished!
Chapter 2
Large Proud Finger Joints
Proud finger joints are yet another example of how the Greenes took an object of utility and turned it into a thing of beauty. There are a variety of uses for finger joints and each application demands a unique perspective to match the intended use. Visual weight and scale of the piece must be taken into account. If the application is for a major structural component, the fingers would be bold and expressive, as covered in this chapter, while fingers for a drawer, as covered in my last book, would be relatively restrained.
The triple finger joint used as the example here would easily apply to a fireplace surround or the base of a cabinet. One of the few examples of an original Greene & Greene design employing a finger jointed base is the letter case for the Ford House (1908). This piece was relatively small and meant to sit on top of a table. The fingers were accordingly scaled down to match the overall size of the design.
One of the few known examples of an original Greene & Greene design that used a finger jointed base is the letter case for the Ford House (1908). Courtesy of the Gamble House.
Our application here involves pieces that are much larger in size than the Ford Letter Case. In scaling the detail up to match the size of the design, I looked elsewhere within the work of Greene & Greene for larger and bolder fingers. The Gamble House entry and stairway offer some very good examples, each nuanced to its specific usage.
Keep in mind the example given here is but a starting point. Depending upon your application you may need to modify your fingers in a number of ways. Use your best judgment together with existing examples to determine what works best for your situation.
Gamble House finger joint as used on the entry stairway. Courtesy of the Gamble House.
Two slight variations of the finger joint as used on the main stairway in the Gamble House (1908). Courtesy of the Gamble House.
1. Back up the cut with fresh material to avoid blow-out.
2. First cut one side then flip edge for edge and repeat the cut from the other side.
Mill the Stock
To start with, mill some stock to 1" thick and 3¾" wide. Because the fingers extend proud by ¼" at each end, add ½" to the required overall length of any given project. Be sure to mill out some extra scrap to be used for setups.
Accuracy
My method for cutting the fingers works off the center of the stock. In other words, the stock is machined, then flipped—and referenced off the opposing edge for a subsequent step. As long as some simple guidelines are followed this method works very well and avoids the problems associated with tolerance error buildup.
First of all, the parts must be machined to precisely the same width and be dead on square. The stop used to set the cut must hold its position exactly. If it is bumped and moved even the slightest amount all subsequent cuts will be unacceptable. The cut must be backed up with a fresh material to avoid blowout. And this last one may seem simple, but it is a common cause for woodworking grief. Be sure the stock is accurately registered against the stop. The slightest bit of crud lodged in the way can cause big trouble. Blow out the area around the stop after every cut.
Cutting the Fingers
To start with, set up the widest possible dado in a sled, to a cutting height of 1¼". Clamp fresh back up material to the sled and set a stop to create a 7⁄8" “notch cut.” Make a test cut with scrap material and check the cut for accuracy. If your dado head is good and sharp (unlike mine at this time), you should be able to make the cut without band-sawing away any of the material. If you are having difficulty pushing the material through, go ahead and relieve the cut first. Once a good cut is achieved, run the actual base stock, first cutting on one side then flipping edge for edge and repeating the cut on the other side.
A. Base Fingers
Layout for round-overs, ebony peg locations,and size of fingers.
3. Making matching fingers.
4. Lay out the centerlines.
To make the matching fingers, move the stop over so that it makes a cut 7⁄8" in from the edge. Run some scrap stock making two passes (as before) first referencing off one edge then the other. There will be a small amount of material left in the center; for now just use a band saw to remove it. Test the cut against the previous cut for fit. Adjust the stop as necessary until the two pieces fit together with only a slight bit of friction. Run the actual base parts, referencing off both sides, then remove the