Original Narcissus exterior poplar frames in the foreground with the mock-up
behind them. PWM
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 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 different jigs that Lary built to hold the frames as they go through the shaper with various blades, in various positions as they are used to make the complicated contours necessary to match the originals.
Each half of a poplar arch is secured to the body of the
Narcissus with a screw that it has countersunk. 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 of the 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.
PWM
The Narcissus as it waits to be moved into Seashore Trolley Museum's Town House
Restoration Shop in Kennebunkport, ME on May 20, 2015. You can see where two exterior
poplar arches come together with their horizontal extensions (tails). The ends of each of the
half-arches 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 and were 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 of the newly attached repaired ends 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 them 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
original exterior half arch
repair. 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 waiting 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 of
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
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 each frame has had all the necessary cuts. The 90-degree
cut seen here in the upper left side of the frame will need to be made on all
the new frames and the repair ends. Also, barely visible in this image 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 to
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 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, then filled
with a vintage poplar dowel seen in the end center of the end. PWM
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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
Being 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 captivates, fascinates, then generates, 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 making a donation 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 of 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
the Gold Book Award Winner plaque for
the Middle Reader category for The Eric
Hoffer Book Award. Congratulations to
award-winning Maine author,
Jean M. Flahive
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