Manual of Purpose-Made Woodworking Joinery

(Barry) #1
Boxframe windows and double- hung sashes 57

sashes in Figure 4.1(a), which was given a 900mm
width × 1200mm height × 120mm depth. Therefore,
the section views A- A, shown at 4.1(b) and B- B, at
4.1(c), if lined up and set apart to 1200mm, with the
meeting rails C- C, at 4.1(d), set midway between
them, would be almost what a detailed vertical section,
(drawn on a rod) would look like. The main differences
are that – on a rod – the mortises would be drawn on
the ends of the sash rails, as indicated by crosses in
Figures 4.4(a) (b)(c) above and the housed pulley- stile
height shown. The detailed horizontal section, (drawn
on a rod) would comprise of section D- D at 4.1(e)
and E- E at 4.1(f ), lined up and set apart to 900mm,
with the glazing bar F- F at 4.1(g) set midway between
them. Although there would not be a need to indicate
tenon lines on this view, the mortise of the glazing bar
might be shown between the edges of the rebate and
the ovolo mould.

Marking off and marking out
If producing a one- off boxframe window, as in
Figure 4.1(a), ideally the marking out should be done
after the components have been cut slightly oversize
to length, planed all round (par), but not yet moulded
or rebated. The procedure would be:


  1. Position the sill on the rod and – with a sharp,
    ordinary HB or 2H pencil – carefully mark off the
    positions of the overall sill- length (which should
    include the back linings, as these are seated on the
    sill); then mark the two positions for the pulley-
    stiles, that are through- housed and side- wedged
    into the sill (with a 1 in 10 (6°) wedge slope added
    later on the boxed- in sides of the stiles); then,


equal to approximately half the thickness of the
pulley stile (10mm).


  1. Turn the stile over to its face- side and – by using
    the parting- bead groove as a relief area for the
    stopped saw- cuts – crosscut the square, vertical cut
    at the bottom and the square, sloping cut at the
    top to the same half- thickness of stile as before
    (10mm). Note that these two cuts are the most
    difficult because the parting- bead groove is usually
    only 6 or 7mm deep (traditionally ¼ inch) and you
    may need to counterbore two more 6mm Ø holes
    in the groove for the final 3 to 4mm saw cuts.

  2. Position the pulley stile vertically in a bench vice
    and, from the face- side, insert a coping- saw blade
    through the break- through point of one of the
    relief holes in the parting- bead groove, recon-
    nect the blade to its frame and carefully rip down
    the centre of the groove until you reach the other
    break- through point. Although the line of the saw
    cut should be as straight as possible, providing it
    is kept within the width of the groove, it will not
    be disastrous if it wanders slightly in places. Any
    deviations will be hidden by the parting bead. Note
    that, if preferred, instead of a coping saw, a jigsaw
    with a fine- toothed blade could be used.

  3. Next, lay the stile face down on the bench, place an
    offcut of 25mm par timber underneath, just below
    the lowest cut of the pocket, and give one sharp
    hammer blow at the base of the pocket. This will
    break the two small sections of short grain and
    release the pocket.

  4. Finally, plane off the edge- tongue and replace the
    pocket back in position on the pulley stile, with a
    central countersunk screw through the bottom lap
    joint.


Construction details: drawing the rod


Figures 4.4(a)(b)(c): In Chapter 2, which covers
joinery rods, setting and marking out, it was stated
that some jobs – like one- off doors – can be made
by marking out the components directly, without
the need for drawing a rod, laying the compo-
nents on the rod, marking them off, then marking
them out. However, a boxframe window, because it
comprises separate parts, is not one of those jobs
and – to be able to arrive at the position of the
meeting rails (in relation to equal glass- height for
each sash), the mortise- positions and shoulder- lines
for the sashes, pulley- stile heights, etc – a rod is
required that gives a detailed full- size vertical- and
horizontal- section.
As an example, such (scaled) section views have
already been drawn here, related to the boxframe and


Figure 4.4 (a) Size and position of mortise and haunch
to top sash rail, as marked on rod; (b) similar detail
marked on rod for bottom sash rail; and (c) mortises
marked on rod for meeting rails with joggles. Note that
only the vertical position (top and bottom) of the meeting
rails would be required if dovetail joints were being used.

(a) (b) (c)
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