Novice needs advice

welcome N/A..
the soft edges were done w/ a round over bit..
Freud Tools - Search Results for round over
the grove you are talking about is either a ball end or a chamfer bit...
Freud Tools | 5/8" Radius Round Nose Bit
Freud Tools - Search Results for chamfer

Okay, so I'd first route a cove along a corner of the post. That will leave sharp edges which I then soften using a smallish roundover bit. Does that sound right?

It looks like a cove profile to me too. Either the round nose bit Stick suggested or a cove bit like this: https://www.amazon.ca/Freud-30-114-2-Inch-Radius-Router/dp/B00004T7F3 If you use the round nose bit you'll need to have an edge guide attached to the router. The cove bit has a bearing that will guide it. Both come in a variety of sizes as does the round over bit. Just guessing from the look of those posts I would say the 1/2" radius should be close.

It looks like a chamfer to me on the corners, I could be wrong.
Herb

Thanks, all. I'll give it a go.

Good luck.
MTS, I'm reminded of the days when WWers made their own planes for various shapes and profiles.

Welcome to the forum.

I did something like that on a much smaller scale a while back... http://www.routerforums.com/general-routing/101010-how-dress-up-columns-2.html#post1327041

Looks like a roundover bit to me, but I think it was done on a router table with either a stop block or a mark on the fence to mark the starting and ending point. If it was done in the field, someone was being careful to start and stop the cut near about 6 inches from the end. But I'd bet on a table being used on the ends. So much easier to do that way. If I were the contractor I'd do these in a shop and bring it to the site ready to go. On a table it'd be done in a few minutes. Attractive look.

Tom I regularly do stuff like that handheld. You just do a rough calculation of the offset from the outside edge of the base to the bit and then mark where you want the base to stop on the piece. If it's off even an 1/8 of an inch no one would ever notice.

Welcome to the forum !



Gary