Wooden Cross

[Bigdog72]

My wife has just commissioned me (read that as "told me") to make a wooden cross for my SIL. This will hang on a wall. I need help with dimensions. Anyone have any plans?
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[nelsone]

There are an awful lot of ways to make a cross with wood. Anything from two boards put together to scrolled crosses to carved crosses and anywhere in between. I don't know of any plans. Do a google search on wooden cross images and see what you like you should be able to take the proportions from the image.

 

[sawduster]

here is what i found

View image in gallery​

Hope it helps :icon_thum

 

[ScottM]

How fancy do you want to go?

 

[Bigdog72]

Guess I should have been more detailed. I am not a scroller, turner or carver so I thought I would put the cross together with a lap joint and then try for a layered look with a router. Might laminate 3 layers (cherry/maple/cherry) together to get a nice affect after routing an ogee or something on the edges. I really needed perspective and I think Robert helped me with that.

 

[Mt. Gomer]

Guess I should have been more detailed. I am not a scroller, turner or carver so I thought I would put the cross together with a lap joint and then try for a layered look with a router. Might laminate 3 layers (cherry/maple/cherry) together to get a nice affect after routing an ogee or something on the edges. I really needed perspective and I think Robert helped me with that.

I made a bunch of these a few years ago for our church and a few church members, both wall and desktop versions. I went very simple. Two pieces of oak (3/4" by 1.5 wide of varying lengths depending on the height) with a lap joint and a routed chamfer all the way around on both sides. For the table top versions I added a 2" square base (also chamfered) with a mortise and tenon joint finished off with a few coats of watco. They were very simple and very well received. I was asked to make a processional version the next year and it's now used every Sunday. In therms of proportion I've found the most important to be a 1:1:1 for the top and arms of the cross. If you're using a lap joint I also found that putting the crossbeam on top looks better thant the other way round.... Just found a pic of one of them....

View image in gallery​

 

[Mark Stewart]

I know you said your not a scroller but many scroll patterns will work for what you want you just need to know what kind of cross you want


Thanks Mark

 

[Don Sorensen]

For some reason, I don't have a picture of the cross I made for Mom many years ago. Pretty simple, as you said - a couple of pine 1x6 lap jointed at the intersection- used a 3 pound coffee can to lay out scallops around the perimeter - routed with a 1/4 round bit and left a raised edge all around - golden oak stain. Still hangs on the wall to this day.

 

[ck1999]

Travis,

Did a 2" base give you enough stability? Did anyone mention the were easy to knock over?


Chris

 

[Mt. Gomer]

Travis,

Did a 2" base give you enough stability? Did anyone mention the were easy to knock over?


Chris

No one mentioned that it was easy to knock over. I've had one sitting on the top shelf of a book case for the last few years. It's out of reach but the kids have knocked everything else off the lower shelves so I guess it's pretty sturdy. Bigger would be better from that standpoint but I thought the smaller base looked better... These are pretty small too, only about 12-13 inches tall, to there's not too much too worry about.