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George Ellis Moulding planes William Fairham

An open and shut case

Fairly busy with the day job at the moment, but in my spare time I’ve been reading some excellent woodworking books and been giving a bit of thought to how things open and close. The drawings and captions below are from the excellent ‘Woodwork Joints’ by William Fairham. Very interesting to see some variations in shutting joints described in details. So often you get your best impression of a piece of cabinetry by how well the doors or drawers close. I like the attention to detail and variation in these closing joints.

The joint here is a fairly intricate type, and is often used on jewellers' showcases. The end at the right hand is slightly rebated to receive the frame, and both the rail and the end are grooved with a plough plane. A separate bead is made and glued into the groove of the door frame (D), engaging the groove in the carcase end when the door is closed. The shutting stile and the end are worked with a hook joint (E), and if carefully made they are practically dust-tight.
The joint here is a fairly intricate type, and is often used on jewellers’ showcases. The end at the right hand is slightly rebated to receive the frame, and both the rail and the end are grooved with a plough plane. A separate bead is made and glued into the groove of the door frame (D), engaging the groove in the carcase end when the door is closed. The shutting stile and the end are worked with a hook joint (E), and if carefully made they are practically dust-tight.

This is a hook joint, used on good-class joinery and cabinet work. A pair of special wood planes are required to make the joint in a cheap and efficient manner. The cost of a pair of 5⁄8-in. hook joint planes is from 6s. to 8s. They are of similar size and general appearance to the ordinary ovolo moulding plane.
This is a hook joint, used on good-class joinery and cabinet work. A pair of special wood planes are required to make the joint in a cheap and efficient manner. The cost of a pair of 5⁄8-in. hook joint planes is from 6s. to 8s. They are of similar size and general appearance to the ordinary ovolo moulding plane.

This joint is a special type of hook joint as used on larger work. The joint may be made by using the plough plane, the rebate plane and a suitably-sized bead plane, the loose tongues being inserted as shown and fastened by screws and glue.
This joint is a special type of hook joint as used on larger work. The joint may be made by using the plough plane, the rebate plane and a suitably-sized bead plane, the loose tongues being inserted as shown and fastened by screws and glue.

This is a rebated joint with loose tongue-slip and astragal mould, suitable for frames over 11⁄4 in. in thickness. The loose tongue-slip is glued into the right-hand door frame.
This is a rebated joint with loose tongue-slip and astragal mould, suitable for frames over 11⁄4 in. in thickness. The loose tongue-slip is glued into the right-hand door frame.

This drawing shows a shutting joint used to prevent permeation of dust to the interior of a drawer. The drawer front is grooved and engages a suitably-formed slip which is screwed to the bearer as indicated in the illustration. Occasionally some difficulty is experienced when fitting the slip to a narrow drawer, but this can always be overcome by putting in the screws from the top of the bearer instead of from underneath.
This drawing shows a shutting joint used to prevent permeation of dust to the interior of a drawer. The drawer front is grooved and engages a suitably-formed slip which is screwed to the bearer as indicated in the illustration. Occasionally some difficulty is experienced when fitting the slip to a narrow drawer, but this can always be overcome by putting in the screws from the top of the bearer instead of from underneath.

One of the other books I’ve been reading is the superb ‘Modern Practical Joinery’ by George Ellis. In his book, Mr.Ellis writes with great clarity about on airtight case work. If you are one of those people (like me), who spends as much time studying the superb cabinets in museums as studying what’s inside them, it’s a very interesting chapter. I’ve made a pdf for download if you are interested to see it, as the book is now out of copyright.

I’ve seen various moulding planes over the years that can help you achieve dustproof joints and recently saw a lovely set of airtight case moulding planes, which I wish I had bought. If you have a proper set (they need to be paired planes), then I would be interested in seeing them. For the time being I’ll have to swoon over this lovely line-up until another set surfaces somewhere…
airtight case joint moulding planes

I would also be very keen to have the chance to study some good quality airtight cabinets built from the late 19thc and to take some photographs of details. Perhaps someone can help with access to the basements of London’s museums, or a kindly antique dealer might have a few dismantled carcases stored in a room. I know the renowned makers Holland & Sons of Mount St were supposedly charged with making good cabinets for some of London’s museums. However, the last time I saw some of their work for sale, the prices suggested there won’t be many of those left lying around!

In the meantime, big thanks to a reader of the blog by the name of Tom Kenyon. He read this post and suggested other readers might benefit from reading the chapter on making airtight cases from Volume 7 of The Modern Carpenter and Joiner and Cabinet Maker edited by G Lister Sutcliffe and published in 1902. He’s right, the drawings are superb and are paired with excellent explanatory copy. He has been kind enough to provide me with scanned pages as a downloadable pdf (10.5mb). Thanks Tom. (I think this is out of copyright now, so is ok to share for educational purposes).

(Addition)
Pictures below show a group of 9 airtight case-making moulding planes by MOSELEY of London, part of a private MOSELEY collection.

Moseley Airtight Planes 1

The gentleman’s ‘curio cabinet’ of the 19th century was developed and enlarged by museums to house their exhibits. Well before the days of air conditioning and effective chemical methods of conservation the main emphasis was placed on reducing the flow of air and associated dust and damp which could otherwise lead to the decay or degradation of fragile exhibits. Hence the airtight joint was adopted by the museum sector.

Moseley Airtight Planes 2
Moseley Airtight Planes 3

This group includes a set of three planes to make single joints plus a set of three to make double joints. Because of the accuracy required all planes were fenced. A fourth plane, the combined hollow and fillet, was used to form a separate piece inserted to the head and foot of the case and forming a stop.

Moseley Airtight Planes 4
Moseley Airtight Planes 5

The other type of plane required to form the joints where the door stiles meet is the hook joint plane, this group includes the two fully boxed and long brass fenced examples shown above and below.
Moseley Airtight Planes 6

Airtight planes sometimes appear, mainly as single items and rarely in completes sets in excellent condition such as these.

Moseley Airtight Planes 7

Further details on airtight case-making and these specialist planes by Mark Rees can be found in The Tool and Trades History Society’s Journal No.4 from 1987.