Replies

1. 
   frenchy | Jan 23, 2005 07:23pm | #1

   Walnut is one wood that doesn't bend well..  I tried to bend over a much bigger radius and eventually gave up.. steaming did little for it's flexibility.  the best way to get any bend at all was to bend it green right as soon as they sawed it..

1. 
   highfigh | Jan 23, 2005 07:41pm | #2

   If a wood doesn't bend well, the only things that will help are thinner veneers and steam. If you're using the really thin veneers, glycerine helps keep it from being brittle.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

2. 
   ron61 | Jan 23, 2005 09:23pm | #3

   What you want to do is pretty tight bend I think Glue laminating is better you need thin stock 1/8 might work.

    

   Steam Bending- Air dried wood bends better than kiln dried - split out wood is what you need so the grain is not running out - you need a form and a strap on the back of the bend to keep the grain from lifting and splitting. You need to get it HOT leave it in the steam long enough to heat it through.

   Few things to check out on Steam bending

   http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&cat=1&p=45866

   http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&cat=1&p=45866

   Ron

    

    

    

3. 
   DougU | Jan 24, 2005 06:09am | #4

   Jeff

   I've bent walnut to under 9" radius, I think Ron said it, cut your strips thinner, 1/8", or less if you have to.

   Doug

4. 
   mvac | Jan 24, 2005 07:43am | #5

   Jeff,

   Funny, I just Tivo'd a WoodWorks episode in which David Marks laminated 3/32" walnut boards which were first bandsawn then run under the drum sander (I know - these guys have every tool known to man..). He made bending templates from multiple MDF boards, lined each side with cork for more even pressure, then put plastic tape - looked like regular packing tape - over the cork so the wood wouldn't stick to it. The cork itself was held in place with carpet tape.

   Sounds like laminating's the only way to go here. I fyou do, make sure to use some slow-setting hide glue to give you sufficient open time to line up your forms correctly.

   Hope this helps,

   Mitch

1. 
   OneofmanyBobs | Jan 24, 2005 01:45pm | #6

   I'd recommend epoxy.  Any hide glue that sets that slowly has additives that severely impair it.  Any water-based adhesive dumps a fair amount of water into the wood.  Takes a long time to dry and stabilize. 

1. 
   mvac | Jan 24, 2005 06:14pm | #7

   Bob,

   I've seen small containers of the 2-component longer-open-time epoxy. Does it stay open long enough to laminate and then clamp into a form five or six thin walnut sheets? Also, is the glue removal as easy as with the hide glue, or do you just use a belt sander on one edge and cut the other on the JS to final thickness?

   Mitch

1. 
   OneofmanyBobs | Jan 24, 2005 07:01pm | #9

   Lots of places sell epoxy in longer working time versions.  I buy it in pints or quarts.  Usually one or 4 hour set.  Plenty of time for laminating.  I remove excess with scrapers, planes, jointer.  Sanding is not the best since it gets hot, clogs up the paper and doesn't smell so good.   Regular hot hide glue sets up in seconds.  Good stuff, but takes much practice to use.  Everything has to be hot and you need to work fast.  No gap filling ability at all.  It shrinks a lot when it dries.  The ready-made liquid stuff is worthless in my opinion.  It has failed for me more often than it's worked.  Gorilla glue would also work but gets foamy and does not fill gaps well.  Also it needs a certain amount of moisture to cure.  Epoxy will cure in the air or in a vacuum   It doesn't care about the moisture content.  Not always an invisible glue line.  Everything has its own little problems, but I'd be inclined to try epoxy first.  You can pre-bend the wood with a hot pipe, but this takes practice.  You can also kerf the inside of the curve and glue a layer of veneer on if you need it.  That works if the edge is not visible.  Lots of ways to attack the problem.  You may need to try more than one method, but it will work eventually,

5. 
   bobbylonghare | Jan 24, 2005 06:47pm | #8

   I've done a lot of bent laminations with walnut. Thin strips, 1/8 inch or less and Gorilla glue work great. The glue gives lots of work time and it dries hard to hold the bend. Just make sure you don't use a 'lot' of the glue or it will make a mess. Scrapes off easy. 

6. 
   cherryjohn | Jan 24, 2005 08:39pm | #10

   as an experiment once I bent 3 pieces of walnut that were about 5/16 thick and 1/2" wide.  I was making the bow for a sack back windsor.  I steamed them all for about 1/2 hr and they bent well.  After bending them I glued up the 3 pieces and clamped them on a form.  The radius had to have been at least 8-9 " and the bend was, of course, a full U.  I selected the 3 pieces with no flaws or knots.

   Wicked Decent Woodworks

   Rochester NH

   " If the women dont find you handsome, they should at least find you handy........yessa!"