# Beveled end cap on exterior beam



## Frank O (Aug 30, 2007)

I don't know that this falls under trim carpentry, but for lack of a better idea on where to post it ...

There is a large horizontal beam running across the front entrance of our 104-year-old California cottage. Each end of the beam was capped by a rectangular piece with four bevels to make it kind of a low-slung pyramid:










One cap is missing, and the other (above) has a major split in it. It's about 9.5" wide and 11.5" high.

To make these caps, would the carpenters of a century ago just have at it with a handplane to create the four beveled surfaces? If I wanted to create new caps today, is there a faster or easier way to machine this? (Not thinking the 10" blade on my table saw is big enough to cut these even with the right jig.) Or are pre-made caps easily available commercially?

I'm sure there are better words to describe this than what I'm using, but as you can see I'm in the dark here ...


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*there would be several ways*

Unless I had a bandsaw with 10" height capacity I would not attempt to make it in 1 piece.
I have made similar Walnut plugs for a Mission style headboard using a bandsaw.

It would take a bit of Geometry to figure out what bevel angles needed to make it from 4 pieces, but at least they would all be identical.:yes:

If you are good with a handsaw then that approach might just be the easiest, but you would need a 10" square piece to start with.

If you aren't wedded to wood, use one to make a mold to cast it in plaster then and lay them up in fiberglass.

As a last resort "farm out the project" to someone with a big bandsaw... :blink:


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

A photo would help, as described it is a low slung pyramid yet your dimensions make it higher than it is wide which would not be low slung.

Is this exposed to the elements, painted or stained?


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## Frank O (Aug 30, 2007)

FrankC, was the photo not visible in my original post? The whole thing is on its side, so you can think of it as a pyramid 9.5" across in one dimension and 11.5" across in the other. The "height" of the pyramid is on the order of a couple of inches. It's painted, and exposed to the elements.


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

Carpenters back only a few years ago, did everything with handsaws. There was no electricity on jobs and no such thing as an electric miter saw, things we take for granted, today. The basic cuts would be done with the saw and cleaned up with a low angle block plane. Piece of cake for an experienced carpenter that makes 300 or 400 cuts with it every day. Bit of a challenge for those not experienced with a hand saw.


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## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Frank the purpose of the cap is to protect the end grain on the purlin from the elements.As you can see the cap is nailed all round so there is no allowance for movement in the piece so it has pulled itself apart.

How to make a new one lets say its 12"X 12" X 3" take a marking gauge and mark it 1" deep on the edge, on the face side mark a line straight down the middle and a line across from the other side so now you have two lines forming a + and the middle of the piece is marked.

To help you keep it in shape mark on the edge from each corner on the gauge line to the center line. You only need to mark two opposite sides. Now pick a good sharp hand plane and start to plane the 1" on the out side edge, towards the middle line you will be planing nothing away. 

Do it both sides of the center line and you should have formed a shape like a little roof. Turn the piece 90 degrees and now plane the other to sides. You should now have a shape like a pyramid.

It would help if the first two sides you plane are across the grain then when you plane the other two sides any break out in the wood will be planed away.

You could also do this on a band saw, after you have marked the slope on the edge of the pieces offer it up to the band saw and adjust the fence or the table which ever. Just eye ball it from the edge to the middle Do it on all four side and that's it. Pretty simple really. Billy


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

I see the photo now.

If you have a bandsaw with a riser a blank could be glued up from 4 X 4's or 6 X 6's, what ever it takes. Cut to size, tilt table and make top cuts.

Without a bandsaw it can be done with a handsaw and cleaned up with a plane as suggested.

It is amazing how quickly you can actually cut with a good sharp handsaw.


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