Hi,
On a large project I’m involved in as a supervisor, 2 guys are creating a 4′ x 4′ exotic wood marquetry of an intricate logo that includes a horse’s head. They have some small pieces(6″ to 8″) that require wenge banding. The current plan is to use 1/8″thick by 5/8″ wide strips,soak with hot water and then steam them in a steamer box for 1/2 hour to 1 hour,apply white or yellow pva glue and them quickly bend them around inside and outside curves using multiple small clamps to hold everything in place.
We are considering a vacuum bag to clamp up but discussions with other woodworkers don’t sound as though this would help in this situation.
Any help on this would be greatly appreciated!
cheers,
silver
Replies
silver,
marquetry is the "inlaying" of wooden veneer and solids. What is your base substrate and what woods are you using to highlight?
It's not marquetrybecause there is no substrate,...it's more a jigsaw puzzle..3/4" pieces of brazilian rosewood,maple,wenge and that yellow exotic wood form the puzzle and some of the pieces get 2 or 3 1/8" x 5/8" bands laminated to them.And therein lies the problem.
Hope this makes it clearer...
silver
Hi Ho Silver,
(sorry). I've never tried to steam bend wenge but my steam bending experience in general may help. Trying to get a hot piece bent, trimmed and glued in one shot is asking for trouble. (Ever hear the expression 2 monkeys f'n a football). I'd make a 10% undersized form to allow for some sprinkback and steam it and bend it as step 1. The next day take it out of the form, trim/fit and glue it up. Let me know how wenge takes to bending.
John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
Life is tough. It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne
I ripped the steam bending team some 1/8"- wenge strips and they seem to be having good luck steaming, bending and glueing with yellow glue to tight radiuses.
cheers,
hiho silver
I have never worked with wenge but would think it will swell like other woods when steamed & and will shrink when they dry out.
Have you ever tried dry heat? I have used a heat gun to heat and bend 1/2 thick Osage the trick is to keep the gun moving heating the stock evenly and not burning the wood.
I always kept it moving on the area that I was wanting to bend - heat it evenly through the thickness- get it hot enough you cant hold your hand on it.
Heat Gun is inexpensive
Instrument makers use an oval shaped pipe to shape the sides they may just mist the wood a little and work it on the pipe to get the bend they want.
You might try heating some dry sand in a pan - like on a hot plate. I think they do shading on marquetry like that- I don't see why that would not work to get your strips hot enough to bend.
I think dry heat would work for you might be worth a try
ILB,
that's what I love about this forum, a new perspective.
Great idea...I forwarded it to the steam bending team and will keep you posted...
thanks,
silver
FWIW I've read that steam when applied at the rule of thumb of 1 hour per inch of thickness at atmospheric pressure just improves the heat transfer efficiency and it's the heat that plasticizes the wood, not the moisture. If that's the case then the moisture uptake of the wood is such that swelling shouldn't be much of a factor. I've tried boiling wood and haven't seen any real improvement in flexibility over steaming. I've also read that boiling and adding fabric softener will make thin strips bend like spaghetti, but I havn't tried it for fear of changing the color and/or causing adhesion problems with glue or finishes. Thanks for the update.John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
Life is tough. It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne
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