| Bending wood is not the daunting task that it | | | | might be objectionable on a finished project. |
| appears to be at first glance. Depending on | | | | |
| the degree of bend, and whether or not the | | | | When bending thin woods such as guitar sides, |
| bend is compound, there are a couple of | | | | the wood is commonly soaked asabove, but it |
| methods for bending wood. | | | | is bent over a hot bending jig, either |
| | | | electric, or heated with a propane torch. |
| First, you need to have a form to bend your | | | | |
| wood around and clamp to hold thedesired | | | | Brittle woods are supported on the outside of |
| shape. Most bent wood will have a certain | | | | the bend with a thin stainless steel band to |
| degree of "springback", so you must build | | | | help prevent cracking. |
| your form with an allowance for this. And, | | | | |
| unfortunately, there is no established | | | | Green woods can be bent much in the same way, |
| formula for determining the degree of | | | | or by heating the wood over hotcoals or with |
| springback that a given species of wood will | | | | a good heat gun. |
| produce. Springback is also influenced by the | | | | |
| bending method used. That is to say that | | | | For projects where lamination is |
| steamed wood will spring, or "unbend" more | | | | objectionable, or when the wood is to be bent |
| than wood that is laminated and glued. | | | | incompound curves, a steam box is the answer. |
| | | | One can be made fairly economically from |
| Another variable is the type of glue used in | | | | |
| laminating. As a general rule, the tighter | | | | PVC pipe, but it needs to be supported to |
| the bend, the more the wood will spring back, | | | | keep the pipe from deforming. The ends of the |
| making the allowance a matter of trial and | | | | pipe need to be closed with a screw cap on at |
| error at best. | | | | least one end, to allow access to the |
| | | | interior. Fit the other end of the pipe with |
| As laminating thin strips is the easiest | | | | a DWV reducing tee, and attach a radiator |
| method, we'll begin with that process. | | | | hose to the side outlet and to a new gas can |
| Thefinished thickness of the project will | | | | to hold sufficient water to last through the |
| have a direct bearing on the size of the | | | | job. The water may be heated with a hot plate |
| strips to be used, but generally, the | | | | or a propane burner. |
| heaviest strip to use is about one quarter of | | | | |
| an inch thick. Tight bends may have to be | | | | Drill through the pipe slightly below center |
| done with one eighth inch strips or thinner, | | | | in two or three locations and insert |
| depending on the wood species. Sounds like a | | | | dowelsfor the wood to rest on. Steam must be |
| lot of experimenting, but I'm afraid that's a | | | | allowed to circulate freely around the wood |
| necessary evil. | | | | for even penetration. A hole about one half |
| | | | inch in diameter should be drilled in the cap |
| The form required for laminating can be as | | | | furthest from the steam inlet to allow |
| simple as a piece of pipe or as complex asa | | | | circulation. When you build the support frame |
| multi-station die. I like to keep things as | | | | for the steam box, pitch the box toward the |
| simple as possible. | | | | steam inlet to allow the condensation to |
| | | | return to the water supply |
| When laminating thin strips, you can minimize | | | | |
| effort and spring back by soaking thestrips | | | | Rule of thumb says that wood should be |
| before bending, and clamping them in the mold | | | | steamed fifteen minutes per inch of |
| without gluing. Once they are dry,remove them | | | | thickness,but here again, some experimenting |
| from the mold, spread the glue and re-clamp | | | | will be necessary. The wood needs to be |
| them in the mold. Line the mold with waxed | | | | placed into the form as quickly as possible, |
| paper to prevent the lamination from sticking | | | | because as the wood cools, it is more |
| to the mold. | | | | difficult to bend. Make sure that your wood |
| | | | is at least two feet longer than the finished |
| When I soak strips, I do so in an open | | | | part, because it's nearly impossible to bend |
| container, and depending on the wood and | | | | a 3/4" piece of wood that is less than a foot |
| thesize of the strips, I soak them from 15 | | | | long, so that last foot will have to be cut |
| minutes to overnight. I also mix in a half | | | | off after the wood is dry. Clamp the wood in |
| cup of fabric softener per gallon of water. I | | | | the form securely, and leave it there until |
| find that it softens wood nearly as well as | | | | it is completely cool. If you are working |
| fabric. | | | | with multiple pieces, place them in the steam |
| | | | box at approximately the interval required to |
| If the project is small, and open time on the | | | | place the piece in the form and clamp it, and |
| glue is not a factor, I'll use | | | | remove them from the box in the same order. |
| poly-vinylacetate, or aliphatic resin glue. | | | | |
| If I need more working time, I'll use epoxy | | | | With a little practice and a little luck, it |
| or resorcinol. I stay away from the quick | | | | shouldn't take long to become proficient in |
| setting epoxies, however, because they rarely | | | | woodbending. Good luck with your project, and |
| harden to the extent that the slow sets do. | | | | if I can be of any help or answer any |
| If you're using light colored wood, | | | | questions, feel free to respond to this post, |
| resorcinol dries to a reddish color which | | | | or email me at . |