Original Narcissus exterior poplar frames in the foreground. The mock-up is back.
This is the fourth post in the series following Seashore Trolley Museum volunteer Lary Shaffer at his woodworking shop at Scarborough Marsh Fine Furniture, as he uses vintage poplar supplied by Rousseau Reclaimed in South Portland, ME, to repair original exterior frames and make replacement exterior frames that were missing on the 1912 Portland-Lewiston Interurban, Narcissus. The historic Narcissus is currently in the Seashore Trolley Museum's Town House Restoration Shop, where its exterior is being fully restored.
This post has Lary doing the various cuts needed on the repaired frames and the newly built replacement frames. These cuts are done in a specific order. There are several jigs that Lary built to hold the frames as they are shaped with various blades in various positions, to make the contours necessary to match the originals.
Each half of a poplar arch is secured to the body of the Narcissus
with a countersunk screw. Here you see where Lary has tuned a
vintage piece of poplar into a dowel that he then glues into
place to repair the hole made to remove the original slotted-head,
steel screw that had rusted into place. PWM
After the wooden dowel was sanded down
PWM
The new left and right exterior poplar frames. Frames are made
from vintage poplar. Each of these will next be shaped, then put
through several steps to cut the contours to match the original
frames. PWM
Original exterior poplar frames that have each had their ends
repaired. Each new end will need to be shaped, then put
through several steps to cut the contours to match the original.
The Narcissus as it waits to be moved into the Town House
Restoration Shop in Kennebunkport, ME on May 20, 2015.
The two exterior poplar arches together with their horizontal extensions (tails). The ends of each half-arch are clearly missing. Each of the 14 full arches has a left and right "half". Two complete arches (four halves) were missing. Lary Shaffer replicated them by using vintage reclaimed poplar, supplied by Rousseau Reclaimed in South Portland, ME. Only four original ends-of-the-arches survived, saved through restoration. Lary Shaffer made twenty-four new ends from vintage poplar and attached them to the repaired original arch-halves. PWM
Each of the newly made exterior arch halves, as well as each newly attached repaired end to the original halves, will go through several steps to cut the contours into the vintage poplar to match the originals.
The first step is to have each of the newly made full, half arches (blanks) and the new ends added to the original arches, take turns on the jig, and have their excess vintage poplar material removed by passing them through the shaper.
The second step is rounding over the top arched edge by passing the section through a special router before the third step, which is to then place the arch on one of the specially made jigs for the shaper that will cut the channel that will hold several small vertical sheathing pieces on the exterior of the Narcissus.
Lary Shaffer guiding a new exterior half arch through the shaper
on a specially designed jig that will have the cutters remove excess
vintage poplar and shape the blank to the specs of the original half
arches from the Narcissus. PWM
Lary Shaffer, pointing to the channel cut into one of the new
exterior arch halves of the Narcissus. PWM
Freshly cut channel in the new end of a repaired original
exterior poplar arch half for the Narcissus. PWM
One of the new exterior poplar arch halves for the Narcissus for its
turn on the next jig to receive its next shaper cut. PWM
The channel cut on the inside of the new exterior poplar arch half.
This channel will hold the mahogany sash frame of the ornate
leaded stained glass window. PWM
The channel cut on the inside, the new end repair of the original
exterior poplar arch. This channel will hold the mahogany
sash frame of the ornate leaded stained glass window. PWM
This next step is the most challenging cut. Removing wood from the outside while rounding over the transition to the center cut of each arch.
The complicated cut on the right of this original exterior poplar
arch frame half is clearly visible.
There are still a couple more steps for each arch to go through before all necessary cuts. The 90-degree cut seen here in the upper-left of the frame will need to be made on all the new frames and the repair ends. Also, barely visible at the bottom of the image is the lap-over extension. This is where the top of each half-arched frame is connected.
The unique cutter set up for the shaper to accommodate the
specially-made jig to make the challenging cut on the
exterior poplar arch frames. PWM
Lary Shaffer guided the jig along the shaper while making the
challenging cut. PWM
The second time through to
make the final cut. PWM
The finished product :)
PWM
One of the original exterior poplar arch halves with its original
ends was repaired. PWM
To help the original end pieces hold together, a hole was drilled,
filled with a vintage poplar dowel at the center on the end.
Click Here - to see Part 1 in the series of 4 - exterior poplar framework and to see Lary's bio.
Click Here: - to see Part 2 of the exterior poplar framework
Click Here: - to see Part 3 of the exterior poplar framework
Click here to view the post on the leaded stained glass windows
Click Here: to view the first post on the mahogany sash and passenger windows work
Click Here: - to see the story of finding the reclaimed lumber for use in Narcissus restoration
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We continue the restoration work on the 1912 Narcissus, the only surviving high-speed, luxury interurban coach of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban.
Click Here: Narcissus Restoration-Related Posts
More than a century old, the stately "Elegant Ride," Narcissus, is a gem. This shimmering precious stone of Maine transportation history is brilliantly resplendent as it emanates so many elements of history, including time, places, people, and events, that it was coupled to, that when just a smattering of its seemingly innumerable stories are shared, the contents captivate, fascinate, and then generate interest to learn more 🙋. The majestic Narcissus is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Please consider joining the epic journey to complete the Narcissus Project by donating today!
Click Here: Donation Options
The restoration of this majestic icon of Maine's electric railway history is but one in a series of captivating stories containing an abundance of incredible coalition narratives.
Click Here: History-Related Posts - Narcissus and Portland-Lewiston Interurban
The Narcissus is featured in the national Gold Award-winning novel, Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride. The "Elegant Ride" is the Narcissus. Theodore Roosevelt was a passenger on the Narcissus on August 18, 1914, between Lewiston and Portland, Maine, while campaigning for the Progressive Party candidates.
Click Here: Bookstores and Businesses promoting the Narcissus Project
Independent book publisher Phil Morse, holding
Gold Book Award Winner plaque for
Middle Reader category for The Eric
Hoffer Book Award. Congratulations to
award-winning Maine author,
Jean M. Flahive
