Hand Cutting Rafter Tails for My Pergola
Another interesting building project is underway at my farm.
In a back corner of my farm, I have a small woodworking shop, a dedicated space where I store and use some of the equipment and tools needed for various building tasks. For the last several weeks, carpentry master Dimitri Logvinski of Logvinski Construction LLC, has been working there to create beautifully carved cedar rafter tails, or tailpieces, for an upcoming pergola restoration project. So far he's hand cut about 80 pieces - all based on a design I conceived and drew.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- Up in the loft of my workshop are all the finished rafter tails. Rafter tails are also called outlookers, outriggers, lookouts, or tailpieces. They are the decorative edges where the rafters cantilever outside a pergola’s frame.
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- The beautiful 13-foot wooden boards I’m using are from Medford Cedar Products in Southampton, New Jersey.
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- Dimitri works in pairs. Here are two undone pieces of timber on the workbench.
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- First, Dimitri measures out the wood and determines how much to cut off at one or both ends.
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- Some of that decision depends on the board’s visible knots. These areas are much harder to cut through than the rest of the wood and are best left avoided if possible.
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- Dimitri draws the design at the end of the piece of wood using a template.
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- I designed this tail myself and drew it out for Dimitri. He and I agreed it was the best look for our project.
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- Dimitri uses a Skilsaw, or handheld power circular saw, to cut the extraneous wood off.
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- Then he uses a jigsaw to cut out the design. A jigsaw is another handheld power tool that cuts curves, shapes and lines in wood metal, plastic or ceramic.
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- Dimitri has a very steady hand. Notice he also holds the end of a vacuum hose, so the dust created is contained right away.
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- Any leftover pieces are saved for other projects – any ideas?
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- This is the wood after it is cut, but it is not done yet.
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- Here, Dimitri uses a belt sander to smooth out the widest areas of the wood.
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- He also sands down the edges. A belt sander is good for aggressively shaping and finishing the wood. It uses an electric motor and a continuous loop of sandpaper to smooth out the surfaces.
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- A finer sander is used next to get into smaller crevices.
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- Here is the tail after it’s been sanded with the portable tools.
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- Dimitri then uses a sanding sponge, which is a foam block wrapped with fine sandpaper. He goes over the edges again by hand to make it even smoother.
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- And then finally, he sands down the area with sandpaper.
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- Dimitri does the same process for both sides of each board. It takes time and precision to get them all complete, but each one comes out perfectly.
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- And here is Dimitri with one of the finished products. And it’s just the beginning. In future blogs, I’ll share the building process. Be sure to stay tuned.
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- Fine craftsmanship is art. It involves manual dexterity, technical knowledge, and a passion for the job. Take time to appreciate the craftspeople in your area. Thanks, Dimitri.
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