Two-centered and four-centered arches share something in common—a pointed peak. It’s not surprising that both are commonly found in Gothic and Gothic-inspired architecture. But a three-centered arch—sometimes called a ‘basket-handle arch’ or ‘Anse de panier’—closely resembles an ellipse, which puts it in a field of its own.
I’ve toured a lot of historic homes and seen some extraordinary arches—door jambs, windows, passageways. In reading about historic architecture, especially Gothic and colonial styles, I’ve come across some beautiful arch work. But those once-common elements are not often incorporated into millwork today. Sure, sometimes the carpentry techniques are more difficult, and too costly, but… Read the full article
– It works the way a carpenter thinks. If you are tired of working out trim details on a scrap of wood or making shop drawings with graph paper and a ruler, SketchUp is your answer. Unlike most computer-aided design programs you may have tried, SketchUp is very intuitive and works the way a carpenter… Read the full article
How to draw a perpendicular line from a midpoint with just a compass and straight edge.
![3centercheatsheet[known height and width]](/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/3centercheatsheetknown-height-and-width-170x140.png "3centercheatsheet[known height and width]")
Step-by-step instructions for drawing a 3-centered arch with known height and width.
![3centercheatsheet[known radii]](/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/3centercheatsheetknown-radii-170x140.png "3centercheatsheet[known radii]")
Step-by-step instructions for drawing a 3-centered arch with known radii.
![4centercheatsheet[known height and width]_1](/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/4centercheatsheetknown-height-and-width_2-170x140.jpg "4centercheatsheet[known height and width]_1")
Step-by-step instructions for drawing a 4-centered arch with a known height and width.
![3centercheatsheet[Classic]](/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/3centercheatsheetClassic-170x140.png "3centercheatsheet[Classic]")
Step-by-step instructions for drawing a classic 3-centered arch.
![4centercheatsheet[Classic]_1](/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/4centercheatsheetClassic_1-170x140.png "4centercheatsheet[Classic]_1")
Step-by-step instructions for drawing a classic 4-centered arch.
![4centercheatsheet[pseudo]](/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/4centercheatsheetpseudo-170x140.png "4centercheatsheet[pseudo]")
Step-by-step instructions for drawing a pseudo 4-centered arch.
A step-by-step guide to drawing a 2-centered arch with known height and width.
![1centercheatsheet[Segmental]](/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/1centercheatsheetSegmental1-170x140.png "1centercheatsheet[Segmental]")
Step-by-step instructions for drawing a segmental arch.