Replies

1. 
   justinh | Jan 17, 2007 04:59am | #1

   I haven't made casing with a shaper myself.  I typically use Flextrim or if it's stain grade I bring a template to the custom mill shop I use.  Check out the Shaper Handbook if you would like to have a go at it.  A moulder is better suited to this application.

   An easier method and far cheaper would be rip the casing into strips from 2 separate pieces of moulding,steam them,and glue them up on a form at the desired radius.  The tighter the radius, the thinner the strips.  There is an article in the Fine Homebuilding archives that covers the technique.  This assumes the moulding is paintgrade as the stripped effect would look terrible with stain.  There are also spring back calculators online that you can use to help determine how much tighter you need to make the radius.  I have read about but haven't tried using fabric softener instead of steam to soften the wood for bending.  Supposedly it turns the wood to spaghetti.  It kinda makes sense as Downy and others are ammonia salt compounds and bending is sometimes performed in chambers with ammonia gas.  Guys that have used this method say they make a plastic lined wood box that they fill with softener and let sit overnight.  I plan on trying it in my free time for shiggles.

   The jambs can be made using edge banded bending ply for the top.  These are bent in a form and glued up with plastic resin glue.  Edge band them using pieces of iron on tape to work around the top and trim them to fit each other with a knife and square.  The edges are trimmed flush with a laminate trimmer and flush trim bit. Rip the arch to with after banded on a table saw.

   When I assemble these I draw them full scale on paper or plywood and work out the miter cuts for the legs and the head off the drawing.  I then preassemle them using pocket screws drilled with a rocket jig from the legs into the head.  Gary Katz has an aricle on his website about making a form bent radius jamb written by Ed Williams.  garynkatz.com.

   If you go with the flex or try to make the casing yourself using keystones or rosettes makes the job alot easier.  Flex trim is never exactly the right size as it shrinks in the mould as it cools and the radius casing needs to be sized slight different from flat trim to allow all of the different parts of the profile to line up. Keystones or rossetes help hide this.  A millwork shop usually figures out this sizing difference for me if the design calls for mitered corners.

   It's all alot of work, but doable.

   Good luck,

   Justin

2. 
   ptu | Jan 17, 2007 06:06pm | #2

   Would not the use of a router with a beringed bit enable you to make these, or maybe I don't understand the problem.

3. 
   jackplane | Jan 17, 2007 06:58pm | #3

   paint grade or stain grade?

   Expert since 10 am.

1. 
   kyoshidog | Jan 17, 2007 09:04pm | #4

   These just need to be paint grade material. I think I am going to try and rip some 3 1/2" casings, then glue them around a form. I have a moulder but it won't do radiused work. Where do I get bendable plywood? I have read about it but never been able to locate it. Thanks for all the replys, I like the idea of the flex trim but not the cost!

    

   Thanks

   Karl

    

1. 
   jackplane | Jan 17, 2007 11:20pm | #5

   With bendable plywood, you'd still need to rip and glue up the pieces. Then shape them.

   Ripping two pcs of trim and gluing on a form is probably your best bet, since you can easily putty needed areas before painting.Expert since 10 am.

4. 
   UnclePablo | Jan 18, 2007 12:47am | #6

   Karl,

   $900 sounds real good to me. You are correct, custom would most definitely be a lot more.  I think I would make my own jambs and purchase the rest. I would take into account how much my own time was worth and whether or not I could sustain the learning curve needed to complete this project. You could kerf-cut the back of (whatever) sheet stock to get your radiused jamb at the header. The radiused casing is much more difficult especially if it is to match some existing run of straight moulding you were already using. This is the part I would buy. 

   I'm not sure I follow some of the other posts in regards to ripping existing moulding into strips and gluing it to a form. Pictures of that method would be helpful to see what I was missing there. Steaming, or some method where you introduce moisture to make existing casing stock pliable seems problematic to me as most of that stuff is finger-jointed and would, in my experience, most likely fall apart on you. Also, curved mouldings are generally made from stock that has the curve already in the blank then the profile is milled not the other way around. If you try to bend stock that has already been milled, I doubt it would bend cleanly because of the different thicknesses that comprise the profile. 

   -Paul

1. 
   kyoshidog | Jan 18, 2007 07:29am | #7

   Thanks to every one for the response to my questions, I think I am going to use flex trim for the casing and do the jambs myself. I tried ripping a piece of casing into strips using my band saw then re assembling them but the finished product left a lot to be desired. I like the concept but am going to have to learn how to make these when I have more time! (like that will ever happen!). Anyhow, thanks for the suggestions, this site is always  a great resource for me!

    

   Thanks again

   Karl