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Chapter 1

The Arched Pull

A good design should, upon first look, present the viewer with a pleasing set of proportions and a strong focal point. With the initial viewing these two elements should be unambiguous. An exceptional design, however, offers discoveries well beyond the first impression. The Greene & Greene arched pull is a prime example of this. But it is much more than just a secondary detail. Don’t be fooled by its deceptive simplicity. If there were such a thing as a default Greene & Greene pull, this would be it. This pull, in its many variations, was used on several original Greene & Greene designs.

The arched pull does not shout or draw attention to itself. Its subtleties reveal themselves only to those who look closely. It quietly performs its purpose in a humble but ingenious fashion.

A pull must be deep enough (protrude from the surface) to allow for the hand to easily grasp it. It must also be positioned so that when acted upon it opens the door or drawer in a smooth, non-binding action.

Often times the depth needed translates into “clunky.” The arched pull gets around this by starting out shallow at the ends and gently protruding outward in the center, thus providing maximum depth and easy finger access. This invites the user to grasp the pull in the center where the pulling action will naturally offer the least chance of binding.

A more perfect marriage of form and function would be difficult to find. The arched pull presents the world with a sleek form, while providing full uncompromising function.

The arched pull, in its many variations, was used on several original Greene & Greene designs. Built-in Sideboard, David B. Gamble House, 1908–09. Courtesy of the Gamble House. Photo by Tom Moore.

Built in Sideboard, David B. Gamble House, 1908–09. Courtesy of the Gamble House. Photo by Tom Moore.

Library table in the possession of the Hall family. Courtesy of the Hall family.

The arched pull. Serving Table, William R. Thorsen House, 1909–10. Courtesy of the Gamble House.

The example presented in this exercise is generic in both its overall size and placement of the ebony bars. The Greenes used this pull primarily for drawers, but occasionally for doors as well. When used on a drawer, the pull usually extended to within 2 to 5 inches of each end of the front, and was placed just a little high of center. When used on a door, the pull was usually (but not always) quite short; just three or four inches long. The ebony detailing varied considerably and sometimes was not present at all.

Getting Started

To start, cut a piece of sheet stock (Baltic birch or MDF) to about 10" x 22". From this you will make a layout template used to transfer the arched shape to the pull stock as well as a router table fence to be used for putting the cove on the backside of the pull.

A. Template Layout

B. Arched Pull Layout

1. Laying out the arch.

2. Even out the mating surfaces.

3. Lay out the location of the ebony bars.

4. Attach a piece of 1⁄8" material to the scrap wood.

5. For the longer center bar, punch the ends first.

6. Then punch every other spacing as you would with a hollow chisel mortiser.

7. Maintain a firm grip on the punch.

8. Marking the arched shape.

Draw a line down the center of the sheet stock dividing the 22" length, and then draw parallel lines 10" on either side of the centerline. Place marks 4¹¹/₁₆" up on both of the outside parallel lines and drive a nail into the two resulting intersections. Now place a mark 5" up on the centerline. These are the reference points for the layout of the arch. Position a thin aluminum bar (or narrow strip of wood) against the nails. Bend the aluminum until it reaches the cross mark on the centerline and trace the results.

The concave side will become a router table fence and the convex side will become the marking template for the pull itself. These parts must mate together well. After band sawing to the line, attach sticky back 60-grit sandpaper to one of the parts. Run the parts together to even out the mating surfaces. Change the sandpaper to the other part and again run the mating surfaces together. This process should produce two well mated surfaces, but absolute precision is not needed here, as long as the two parts move against one another somewhat evenly and smoothly. When done, set these two pieces aside.

Next, machine the pull to its blank overall dimensions of ⁷/₈" x 1³/₈" x 14⁵/₁₆". Be sure to make a couple of extra parts for use in later setups. With a pencil, layout the location of the ebony bars. The holes for the bars are produced using Lee Valley square punches (or the chisel from a hollow chisel mortiser). The challenge is to form and maintain a straight line with the smaller square holes made by the tool. To aid in this, clamp a piece of scrap wood of equal thickness alongside the pull stock. Attach a piece of ¹/₈" material to the scrap wood, lining it up precisely with the back edge of the layout for the bars. To produce the rectangular holes, register the punch firmly against the ¹/₈" material and use the tool as you normally would (see Chapter 4). For the center bar, which is longer than two widths of the tool, punch the ends first, then every other spacing as you would with a hollow chisel mortiser. Be careful when punching the secondary holes; they do not take a full “bite,” and have a tendency to drift unless a firm grip on the registration is maintained.

Now the arched shape can be machined onto the face side of the blank. Mark reference points at both ends at ³/₁₆" back from the face. Register the convex piece of sheet stock (cut out earlier) with the reference points and draw the resulting line. Turn the stock over and repeat this on the opposing edge. The idea is to remove just enough material evenly from both sides to form the arch. On a larger pull the ³/₁₆" reference point may need to be increased in order to accommodate the full arch.

Use an edge sander to remove the material in excess of the line. For safety, only sand the trailing half of the arch. Turn the pull over, so the other side will now be the trailing half, and use the markings on the opposing edge to sand the other side to the line.

The finger pull can now be routed into the backside of the face. Start with the two short cuts on the ends. Set up a router table with a ⁵/₈" (diameter) core box bit with a zero clearance fence. The height of the cut should be adjusted so as to leave about ⁵/₁₆" of material at the top. The depth of cut should be about ¹¹/₃₂" (a heavy ⁵/₁₆"). Use a block of wood to back the stock up, then run the two ends.

Next, the cove can be continued along the backside of the arched face. Set up the concave half of the sheet stock (cut out earlier) as a fence, about ⁵/₁₆" behind the bit so it matches the cove cuts on the end of the pull.

9. Remove the excess material.

10. Routing the cove on the ends, with a backup block and a straight fence.

11. Set the router table up with the concave fence.

12. Keeping your hand well clear of the bit, start the cut with both hands and advance the stock until the featherboard has a secure hold on the work.

13. Continuing the process using push blocks.

14. Mark a ¼" radius on the corners.

15. Remove the excess material.

Add to this set up a featherboard on the out-feed side of the bit. The material will move from left to right. Lower the bit so the operation can be done in two or three incremental passes. Keeping your hand well clear of the bit, start the cut with both hands and advance the stock until the featherboard is engaged. With the stock held firmly by the featherboard, use an L-shaped push block from the rear, aided by a second push block on top to propel the stock past the bit. The final pass should match the cove height on the ends.

To round the four corners of the face, first mark them each with a ¼" radius. Use a disc sander to knock down most of the material in excess of the line. With a sanding block feather the rounded corners to a smooth transition.

16. Feather the rounded corners.

17. Round over all the corners on the faceside of the pull.

18. Clean up the chatter and burn marks.

19. Knock the sharp corner down.

20. Rotate while sanding and blending the face side with the backside.

21. Round-over and blend the backside of the ends.

22. When finished, the backside of the pull should blend smoothly with the front.

With the basic profile of the pull done, it’s now time to round over all the exposed, sharp corners.

With a ³/₁₆" quarter round bit in a router table, round over all the corners on the face side of the pull. Now, using 80-grit sandpaper with a rubber profile pad, clean up chatter and burn marks left over from machining the cove. To form the round over on the long backside of the face, first knock the sharp corner down with a sanding block. Next, with one hand grasp the pull and quickly move it back and forth making full profile rotations while sanding and blending the face side with the backside. To round over and blend the backside of the ends, grasp the sandpaper and use a flapping motion backed up by your thumb. When finished, the backside of the pull should blend smoothly with the front.

23. Attach the pull to the drawer front.

24. Impart a slight “pillow” shape on the faceside.

25. Buff the face on a buffing wheel with white rouge.

Attaching the Pull

The arched pull was typically placed evenly side to side and just a little high of center. Predrill for # 6 wood screws (length depends upon drawer thickness) in each of the three bar holes. Using a piece of scrap to register the desired location, glue and screw the pull to the drawer front.

Ebony Bars

Machine the ebony bar stock in long square lengths about ¹/₆₄" oversize in width. Using 150-grit sandpaper, impart a slight “pillow” shape on the face side. Ease the edges very slightly, and then sand through the grits until 600 is reached. Buff the face on a buffing wheel with white rouge. Cut each bar to length, about ¹/₆₄" longer than the individual holes. Slightly ease the just cut edge with 320-grit through 600-grit sandpaper, and then take to the buffing wheel. Slightly back bevel the inserting face, and then spread a little glue around the perimeter of the hole. Tap the bar in place with a plastic headed mallet, leaving the polished face slightly proud of the surface. The pull is finished!

The arched pull celebrates usefulness and beauty in equal measure. It does not shout above its place in the order of things, but quietly performs both its functional and aesthetic purposes with a touch of genius. It is simple elegance at its finest!

26. Slightly back bevel the inserting face.

27. Tap the bar in place.

28. The pull is finished!