bending wood any tips!

[dddppp]

I would like any advice for how to bend some wood for my trellis. The wood is 7ft long and 19mm x 32mm ish cross section. I would like to bend it so the height of the curve produce would be around 10 inches.

I under stand to bend wood you would normaly steam it?? As a diy'er does any body have any tips on bending wood to shape?.

Thanks

 

[breezer]

may be wrong, but dont think you can bend "dry wood"
have you not considered cutting out the shape you want with a jigsaw?

 

[TexMex]

To bend wood you can steam it. My sons ex girlfreinds dad did it, all the time. Don't know too much about it, but you can build your own steamer.

General method is to connect a boiler (can be any closed vessel with a spout and a burner underneath), to a pipe (PVC pipe does fine but you have to support it as it gets soft with steam.) via a length of hose.

You close the other end of the pipe with a loose piece of rag. Not too tight as you want the steam to flow.

Get the boiler up to full steam. Remove the rag and insert your wood and replace the rag. Leave to cook for 1 Hour for each inch of the woods thickness. Since it is not an exact science, it is customary to put some offcuts in at the same time. When times up, take out one of the offcuts and attempt to bend it. If it breaks, leave for another 10 minutes and try again.

The success rate depends on the wood you have chosen. Willow would be absolutely brilliant, but most of the hardwoods (such as Oak Mahogany and Walnut) are not too bad. As for the softwoods, forget it.

Once the wood comes out of the steamer, you have to clamp it to a former within seconds. Leave for 24 Hours, and Fannies your aunt.

Have you seen This stuff Sounds quite remarkable.

 

[closetotheedge]

You could laminate it with weatherproof PVA glue using thin strips formed and clamped around a template, when complete stain with weatherproof stain.

 

[2scoops0406]

Why not try using wood from a rubber tree

 

[oilman]

You can buy lots of wood things from the sheds, made from rubberwood. Doesn't do what it says on the tin though.

 

[breezer]

Why not try using wood from a rubber tree

you may jest, but you really can get wood from a rubber tree, its what is left after the latex "stuff" has been "spent" see here

 

[2scoops0406]

You can buy lots of wood things from the sheds, made from rubberwood. Doesn't do what it says on the tin though.

Generally used for chopping boards and utensils isn't it, ironically probably not very flexible either. On a slightly less flippant note, you can get flexible MDF, well I saw it on Changing Rooms so it must be true !!

 

[KrazyKahuna]

You don't really need steam to bend wood it but it helps. I build ukuleles for a living and need to bend the sides to make one. I use a hot pipe and slowly bend dry Koa around it to shape it. To bend what you are talking about, you could soak the wood in water for a day then balance them all in the center on a block of wood 10" high and weight down the ends out in the sun where they can dry. Another method for those winter days is to put the wood in a pipe, blow hot air through it until it gets hot and stick them on a jig made of plywood and pegs.

The most important thing to keep in mind is the grain of the wood. It must be clear, knot free and straight grained. If the wood does not want to bend easily you can cut kerfs across grain with a thin saw blade every inch or two to make it easier.

 

[Dewy]

Should you decide to make a steaming chamber to bend the wood you need a jig to bend and clamp it to while the wood sets.
As wood has a tendency to straighten slightly the bending jig needs to be a sharper curve than the finished article.
I'd prefer a steel tube instead of plastic because of the high temperatures.
A cap for the top end helps to keep the steam in but you dont want it tight or the pressure will blow it apart.
When you remove the steamed wood you need some tonges to hold it as the steam will be above 100°C and also wear thick gloves to protect your hands.

 

[Nature's Ninja]

There is a process that I have just learnt which is to:

use special customised jig but depends on what type of wood it is but if you use lamination wood you can either use this method or use steam lamination or bag-press lamination

check www.tep.uk.org