Replies

1. 
   derekb | Jun 28, 2003 03:28am | #1

   Yes sir

   derek

2. 
   Jamie_Buxton | Jun 28, 2003 03:48am | #2

   I can't quite read the sketch.  The units all seem to be in feet, which I'm guessing is not what you mean.  If you mean inches, I'd just saw the piece out of one hunk of wood.   Bending wood is a bigger chore, and not worth it for this little thing.

   Of course, if you just cut it out of one piece of wood, you'll get grain running horizontally across the box.  If you'd really rather have it run around the curve, then you'll need to do something else.

1. 
   SparrowHawk | Jun 28, 2003 12:18pm | #3

   The measurements are actually in inches ... the shrinking of the jpg makes them hard to read. I am inclined to agree with you ... it would be a great deal simpler to cut the top from a single piece. It might be more work to bend it but that could be an interesting experiment. I've built a number of wooden model ships and those require a good deal of bending/steaming of wood to shape. This would be done with a much larger size piece of course.

   So in that case, how would it be done? Make a mold, of course, for the shape and clamps. Would I use a series of thin (1/8?) boards to build up the dimensions to the 1" (as per the drawing)? Or would it be done using a 1" piece of lumber ... seems a LOT more difficult with one piece but the grain would be consistent.

   Newbie questions ... thanks,Ken

1. 
   Jamie_Buxton | Jun 28, 2003 08:16pm | #6

   SparrowHawk --

      There are lots of ways to make wooden furniture, and the techniques depend on what you want the end result to be.  For instance on this arch, you could barrel-stave it like Ben suggested.  That gives you end-grain to look at.  End-grain can be very interesting in some woods, and not so interesting in others.   Or you could cut the curve from one piece of wood, which makes a different effect.

      If you want to make the grain follow the curve, you can try steam-bending it, but bending 1" thick wood to a 3" radius is very challenging.   I'd do it with bent lamination.  I'd probably use 1/8" thick strips, and use a glue that doesn't creep -- premixed hide glue or urea-formaldehyde.  In either case, you have a design issue with the ears that go horizontally -- if the wood grain follows the curve over the top, what do you want it to do on those ears?

        Jamie

1. 
   SparrowHawk | Jun 28, 2003 09:04pm | #7

   I guess the bottom line is what effect does the designer want in the end. Each method yields it's own result as well as it's own problems in building. And each method will look somewhat different depending on which wood is used. This sort of discussion is quite interesting ...

   Ken

3. 
   bjpearce | Jun 28, 2003 02:08pm | #4

   I think the method used for making wine barrels round would be your best bet, just run your timber from front to back (or back to front) on your piece of work, plane the sides of your boards to a mild and angle, and glue them all side by side

   To ease clamping make a curved cradle to sit your timbers in.

   If you need any more info, post me a reply and i'll see if I can find some pictures to send you way.

   Ben.

1. 
   SparrowHawk | Jun 28, 2003 06:25pm | #5

   Thanks Ben ... I think I see what you are saying... If I follow correctly, wouldn't the front of the box/cabinet top show end grain? This might be covered by the doors themselves when closed but how would it look if they were open? It would undoubtedly be a simpler method than bending to shape ... I guess it boils down to how I would want the grain to run doesn't it? Perhaps I could use some veneer to cover the edges if it didn't look too swift.

   Ken

4. 
   JohnWW | Jun 28, 2003 11:46pm | #8

   On a small piece like this, where the arch doesn't have a lot of stress on it, you could use any of the techniques mentioned and produce a nice piece.   You might, in fact, use one technique for the face of the arch and a different one for the larger top of the cabinet behind the arch 

   Building up the arch from smaller keystone shaped blocks would be another option that would be visually interesting.  The arch could also be made from cabinet grade plywood, possibly with a shop cut thick veneer on its face from the same wood as the rest of the piece.  

   Steam bending or building up a laminated curve would be very time consuming, and probably lead to a few failures as you learned, but educational.  For steam bending the curve is very tight but probably achievable with the right woods and good technique.  The skills you learned would be useful on larger projects later. 

   A laminated curve would look like the edge of a sheet of plywood, it could be made visually interesting by using contrasting colors of wood for the layers.  A steam bent or laminated arch would have the two ears added later with a mitered joint.  If you decide to bend or laminate, make the arch first, since it may not come out to the exact radius you want, and then build the rest of the piece to match it's dimensions.

   Hope this helps, John W.

1. 
   SparrowHawk | Jun 29, 2003 01:07pm | #9

   Thank you for your suggestions, John. Right now I'm only playing with design ideas and trying to figure out how to make various ones happen. This being such a small piece (at the moment ... they have a tendency to grow) I will probably opt for the simpler methods. However, if it does grow, I am inclined to turn it into more of a learning experience and may try my hand at bending/molding. You planted some seeds ...

   Ken

5. 
   BG | Jun 29, 2003 01:35pm | #10

   SparrowHawk,

   I'm reading and learning as you are...interesting topic.  I'm about to make some curved legs for a little round toped cherry table with a turned central post...so I'm thinking heavily on forming the template to cut the stock from and the orientation of the grain for strength issues.

   With your project, I'm curious what will go behind the arch?....a bent ceiling over the storage area...ie. what do the doors open up to?  What is attached (it's shape, etc.) to the one inch stock has a bearing on the issue.

1. 
   SparrowHawk | Jun 29, 2003 05:22pm | #11

   Hi BG,

   At the moment the design idea is for a dresser top jewelry box. It will open to a rounded top carcase with drawers and some place to hang necklaces etc. Just ideas I'm tossing around in my head and on autocad for now, but that's why the dimensions are rather small ... they seem to be growing a bit larger as I think of other things I would like to incorporate. That's one of the really nice things about designing in cad ... changing the scale is immediate so I can forget about that sort of thing and just concentrate on the esthetics of the design itself.

   I'm about as new to WW as can be so I have a large learning curve to navigate. I come up with what are to me pleasing shapes and designs but don't know enough to figure out the "best" way to create them in wood - hence this thread. I'm a rather curious fellow and not afraid to pose questions - hopefully they aren't too annoying. :+)

   Ken