Some of the curves and scroll-work moldings on our home's exterior are
rotting away. I would like to make a template of parts that are still
intact so that I can replicate them in my shop.

The woodwork requires ladder access and I would prefer not to remove
it. So, I am looking for some good suggestions of how best to template
or trace it while it is still in place...

So I was wondering if any of you have some good tricks of the trade for
making an accurate template easily...

blueman wrote in
:

Some of the curves and scroll-work moldings on our home's
exterior are rotting away. I would like to make a template
of parts that are still intact so that I can replicate them
in my shop.

The woodwork requires ladder access and I would prefer not
to remove it. So, I am looking for some good suggestions of
how best to template or trace it while it is still in
place...

So I was wondering if any of you have some good tricks of
the trade for making an accurate template easily...


Take a picture and print it on graph paper. It will probably
take a few tries to get it cleaned up and scaled properly but
should work.

Larry

In article , yrie says...

blueman wrote in
:

Some of the curves and scroll-work moldings on our home's
exterior are rotting away. I would like to make a template
of parts that are still intact so that I can replicate them
in my shop.

The woodwork requires ladder access and I would prefer not
to remove it. So, I am looking for some good suggestions of
how best to template or trace it while it is still in
place...

So I was wondering if any of you have some good tricks of
the trade for making an accurate template easily...


Take a picture and print it on graph paper. It will probably
take a few tries to get it cleaned up and scaled properly but
should work.

Make up a square box of known dimensions and lay that over it when you
shoot. Then you can use the grid as a reference in Gimp or Photoshop or
whatever to correct for lens distortions and perspective, and when
printing to get the scaling close to 1:1.

On 11/26/2011 7:39 PM, blueman wrote:
Some of the curves and scroll-work moldings on our home's exterior are
rotting away. I would like to make a template of parts that are still
intact so that I can replicate them in my shop.

The woodwork requires ladder access and I would prefer not to remove
it. So, I am looking for some good suggestions of how best to template
or trace it while it is still in place...

So I was wondering if any of you have some good tricks of the trade for
making an accurate template easily...

spray with Pam or similar. Make up a gob (technical term) of Bondo in
an appropriate scrap box and hold till set or rig a way to keep the box
there - single drywall screw comes to mind.

--


___________________________________

Keep the whole world singing . . .
Dan G

On 11/27/2011 9:15 AM, J. Clarke wrote:
In , yrie says...

wrote in
:

Some of the curves and scroll-work moldings on our home's
exterior are rotting away. I would like to make a template
of parts that are still intact so that I can replicate them
in my shop.

The woodwork requires ladder access and I would prefer not
to remove it. So, I am looking for some good suggestions of
how best to template or trace it while it is still in
place...

So I was wondering if any of you have some good tricks of
the trade for making an accurate template easily...


Take a picture and print it on graph paper. It will probably
take a few tries to get it cleaned up and scaled properly but
should work.

Make up a square box of known dimensions and lay that over it when you
shoot. Then you can use the grid as a reference in Gimp or Photoshop or
whatever to correct for lens distortions and perspective, and when
printing to get the scaling close to 1:1.


I have two suggestions. One is a tool that I inherited. It consist of
a lot of thin strips that can be pushed against the surface. Once all of
the strips are touching the wood you have a copy of the curve.

There are also flexible strips that can be bent to duplicate the curve.
I am not sure how these would work standing a a 20' ladder to get the
piece of molding on your house.

Take a picture of the curve and then using a photo program cut and blow
it up until it is full size. Printing the full size curve to a sheet of
paper, and use that to make your template. I don't know what you are
doing but most curves could be done on 8X11 or 8X14 paper which can be
printed on most printers.

If you go the picture route make sure the camera is perpendicular to the
plane of the curve, other wise is will not reproduce accurately.

On 11/26/2011 7:39 PM, blueman wrote:
Some of the curves and scroll-work moldings on our home's exterior are
rotting away. I would like to make a template of parts that are still
intact so that I can replicate them in my shop.

The woodwork requires ladder access and I would prefer not to remove
it. So, I am looking for some good suggestions of how best to template
or trace it while it is still in place...

So I was wondering if any of you have some good tricks of the trade for
making an accurate template easily...

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...=1,42936,42958

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...=1,42936,42958

--
www.eWoodShop.com
Last update: 4/15/2010
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)
http://gplus.to/eWoodShop

So I was wondering if any of you have some good tricks of the trade for
making an accurate template easily...

Trace onto stiff white cardboard?

DanG wrote:
On 11/26/2011 7:39 PM, blueman wrote:
Some of the curves and scroll-work moldings on our home's exterior
are rotting away. I would like to make a template of parts that are
still intact so that I can replicate them in my shop.

The woodwork requires ladder access and I would prefer not to remove
it. So, I am looking for some good suggestions of how best to
template or trace it while it is still in place...

So I was wondering if any of you have some good tricks of the trade
for making an accurate template easily...

spray with Pam or similar. Make up a gob (technical term) of Bondo in
an appropriate scrap box and hold till set or rig a way to keep the
box there - single drywall screw comes to mind.

Body plastic is pretty thick stuff and may be difficult to properly get
molded around intricate lines. The idea is good though - but I'd probably
look in craft stores for some kind of cheap stuff that is more fluid
(though... not too fluid), that could be poured or injected into the box to
make a mold. That expanding foam insulation sold at DIY stores may work -
sets up fast and expands to fit its surroundings. I'd just make sure to get
the kind meant for doors and windows that does not expand forcefully.

--

-Mike-

knuttle wrote:

I have two suggestions. One is a tool that I inherited. It consist
of a lot of thin strips that can be pushed against the surface. Once
all of the strips are touching the wood you have a copy of the curve.

Used to have one of those (though, who knows where it is now...), and I used
it to make contours to fit the logs in our house. Works very well. Just
requires some patience since you're working in 6" segments.


There are also flexible strips that can be bent to duplicate the
curve. I am not sure how these would work standing a a 20' ladder to
get the piece of molding on your house.

First off - anyone working off a 20' ladder needs a preliminary piece of
advice - GET SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT!


Take a picture of the curve and then using a photo program cut and
blow it up until it is full size. Printing the full size curve to a
sheet of paper, and use that to make your template. I don't know
what you are doing but most curves could be done on 8X11 or 8X14
paper which can be printed on most printers.

Still gotta get up on that damned ladder...


--

-Mike-

Swingman wrote:
On 11/26/2011 7:39 PM, blueman wrote:
Some of the curves and scroll-work moldings on our home's exterior
are rotting away. I would like to make a template of parts that are
still intact so that I can replicate them in my shop.

The woodwork requires ladder access and I would prefer not to remove
it. So, I am looking for some good suggestions of how best to
template or trace it while it is still in place...

So I was wondering if any of you have some good tricks of the trade
for making an accurate template easily...

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...=1,42936,42958

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...=1,42936,42958

The first link is the one I used to have. It worked very well, but you have
to be careful not to bump any of the fingers and dislodge the profile, since
there is no way to lock it in once the profile is set. A little care
though, and the tool works wonderfully.

--

-Mike-

I would think scaffold rental would be an option, to reasonably access
the work. Scaffold rental, here, is $10/set/week (scaffold boards not
included).

If the work is that high up, the repair work doesn't need to be
perfect. I would assume no one will know it's not perfect at that
distance. .... But I can understand you'd want it fairly exact. I'd
want exactness, also.

Sonny

Sonny wrote:
I would think scaffold rental would be an option, to reasonably access
the work. Scaffold rental, here, is $10/set/week (scaffold boards not
included).

If the work is that high up, the repair work doesn't need to be
perfect. I would assume no one will know it's not perfect at that
distance. .... But I can understand you'd want it fairly exact. I'd
want exactness, also.


You're as bad as those guys that suggest working off of ladders. Sheese...

--

-Mike-

On 11/27/2011 12:15 PM, Mike Marlow wrote:
Swingman wrote:
On 11/26/2011 7:39 PM, blueman wrote:
Some of the curves and scroll-work moldings on our home's exterior
are rotting away. I would like to make a template of parts that are
still intact so that I can replicate them in my shop.

The woodwork requires ladder access and I would prefer not to remove
it. So, I am looking for some good suggestions of how best to
template or trace it while it is still in place...

So I was wondering if any of you have some good tricks of the trade
for making an accurate template easily...

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...=1,42936,42958

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...=1,42936,42958

The first link is the one I used to have. It worked very well, but you have
to be careful not to bump any of the fingers and dislodge the profile, since
there is no way to lock it in once the profile is set. A little care
though, and the tool works wonderfully.


It works great, but you would need three hands to use it on a ladder. If
evolution works, there will be a woodworker species with at least that
many one of these millennia.

--
www.eWoodShop.com
Last update: 4/15/2010
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)
http://gplus.to/eWoodShop

On Sunday, November 27, 2011 9:59:23 AM UTC-8, SonomaProducts.com wrote:
So I was wondering if any of you have some good tricks of the trade for
making an accurate template easily...

Trace onto stiff white cardboard?

Or, scribe (hold up the cardboard and use a dividers-style
compass to draw the profile), then cut the cardboard to
make a better fit; re-scribe with smaller divider
setting, and the second cut is usually a good fit.
Cardboard won't last, though: maybe scroll-saw patterns
in plywood, and nail 'em to a rafter somewhere.
Houses last centuries.

To scale it correctly include a yard stick or 1 foot ruler in the pic
That way you just scale back to that size.

On 11/27/2011 7:19 AM, Larry wrote:
wrote in
:

Some of the curves and scroll-work moldings on our home's
exterior are rotting away. I would like to make a template
of parts that are still intact so that I can replicate them
in my shop.

The woodwork requires ladder access and I would prefer not
to remove it. So, I am looking for some good suggestions of
how best to template or trace it while it is still in
place...

So I was wondering if any of you have some good tricks of
the trade for making an accurate template easily...


Take a picture and print it on graph paper. It will probably
take a few tries to get it cleaned up and scaled properly but
should work.

Larry

On Nov 27, 4:14*pm, Swingman wrote:
On 11/27/2011 12:15 PM, Mike Marlow wrote:



Swingman wrote:
On 11/26/2011 7:39 PM, blueman wrote:
Some of the curves and scroll-work moldings on our home's exterior
are rotting away. I would like to make a template of parts that are
still intact so that I can replicate them in my shop.

The woodwork requires ladder access and I would prefer not to remove
it. So, I am looking for some good suggestions of how best to
template or trace it while it is still in place...

So I was wondering if any of you have some good tricks of the trade
for making an accurate template easily...

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...=1,42936,42958

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...=1,42936,42958

The first link is the one I used to have. *It worked very well, but you have
to be careful not to bump any of the fingers and dislodge the profile, since
there is no way to lock it in once the profile is set. *A little care
though, and the tool works wonderfully.

It works great, but you would need three hands to use it on a ladder. If
evolution works, there will be a woodworker species with at least that
many one of these millennia.

--www.eWoodShop.com
Last update: 4/15/2010
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)http://gplus.to/eWoodShop

Not really - the template gages can work one-handed, or with minimal
second hand help, with a little planning. Make sure the fingers are
lined up straight before you climb. Then, just gently press it into
the shape and it will retain the outline.

RonB

In article ,
blueman wrote:
Some of the curves and scroll-work moldings on our home's exterior are
rotting away. I would like to make a template of parts that are still
intact so that I can replicate them in my shop.

The woodwork requires ladder access and I would prefer not to remove
it. So, I am looking for some good suggestions of how best to template
or trace it while it is still in place...

So I was wondering if any of you have some good tricks of the trade for
making an accurate template easily...

I have seen people spray the existing surface with silicone mold release
and use body filler to make a mold. Also seen the same thing done
with plaster. Alternatively something like saran wrap can be used.

I have not done this myself to replicate any wooden moldings, but
have used it to repair plaster moldings and to make reverse-contour
sanding blocks for wooden moldings.


--
Better to be stuck up in a tree than tied to one.

Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - lwasserm(a)sdf. lonestar.org