Barley Twist layout

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C

carheir

Member
I am restoring a table that has a center post , four legs and connecting stretchers that are all carved barley twist.  One of the stretchers is missing and I need to make a new one but having never made a barley twist, I am stumped on how to layout one.  Any help  would be appreciated.

Mike
 
Mike,

I have never done it myself but I watched Ernie Conover carve a barley twist at the FWW Williamsburg Conference last year.  Ernie worked fast!  It would seem that layout and a little technique are everything to a successful process.  Looks like it would take a bit of practice! 

I have forwarded a file to your email with some information you may find helpful for the layout, etc.

Kent Ryan
 
Here is a  link to a Woodwrights Shop segment on making a Barley Twist Table.
http://www.pbs.org/wws/schedule/26season_video.html
Mike
 
first you measure the distance from centre to center of a twist, on the good rail, say its  ( 2") ,you mark out your new rail in 2" sections all its length, then you make a small, "nick" on one corner (to take  sewing  thread)and another at the opposte end and corner, now fix the thread to one end,and twist it around the stock so it crosses your 2" markes,till at the other end,and fix it in the pre, made "nick" (you made there),now with a pencil, mark it (by following the  thread)rotate  till at the opposite end. now this pencil line is made into a saw cut( follow your good rail for the depth) then a rasp can be used to follow this saw cut. etc,etc.
 
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