Du

Dave

27/01/2013 7:26 PM

Anyone Have Experience with this Bending Method?


Watched this bending plywood method. I was wondering if anyone had an
experience with it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpbrfKdmZsQ&feature=em-subs_digest-vrecs
http://www.curvomatic.com/


This topic has 20 replies

MM

Mike M

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

27/01/2013 9:46 PM

On Sun, 27 Jan 2013 19:22:16 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:

>On 1/27/2013 6:26 PM, Dave wrote:
>>
>> Watched this bending plywood method. I was wondering if anyone had an
>> experience with it?
>>
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpbrfKdmZsQ&feature=em-subs_digest-vrecs
>> http://www.curvomatic.com/
>
>Price worthy of Festool ... $2511.72, without shipping for the kit>
>
>Looks eerily similar, wot?
>
>https://picasaweb.google.com/111355467778981859077/EWoodShopSGCurvedWallDesk201102#5669722565090914946
>
>Scroll right through the next few photos ...
>
>Although I used the shown 3/4" maple plywood panels to make that 1 1/2"
>rigid curved corner, you could easily use those same two kerfed plywood
>panels in my photo ... each glued up in a sandwich with bendable
>plywood, or alone ... as cauls, along with the jig, to make your own
>curved plywood laminations at a fraction of the cost of their equipment.
>
>I buy 3/8" bender board plywood at our local dealer for $25.95/4x8
>sheet. Just that, and the jig, would also make good cauls for laminating
>plywood in the same manner.
>
>DIY ... looking better all the time. :)

Just amazes me what you get done in your shop. 8-)
I used my small shop as an excuse for awhile. I expanded the shop so
now I'll blame it on my girl friend.

Mike M

Sk

Swingman

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

27/01/2013 7:54 PM

Dave <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Sun, 27 Jan 2013 19:22:16 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I buy 3/8" bender board plywood at our local dealer for $25.95/4x8
>> sheet. Just that, and the jig, would also make good cauls for laminating
>> plywood in the same manner.
>
> What's different about bender board ply than regular? Does it just
> bend and stay to form after clamping time or do you have to wet it or
> something similar first?

It's flexible plywood which can be bent around curves, but it won't hold
that curve unless it attached/glued to a curved surface of some type ...
lots of ways to effect that.

--
www.ewoodshop.com

Du

Dave

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

27/01/2013 9:56 PM

On Sun, 27 Jan 2013 21:14:04 -0500, FrozenNorth
>Is that the stuff with all the shallow cuts in one side for the inside
>of the curve?

Hmmm, I don't think it has kerfs cut in it. I think the grain in the
plys all run in the same direction.

http://packardforestproducts.com/products/plywood/hardwood-plywood/bending-plywood/#sthash.VtAhqkWK.dpbs

Du

Dave

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

27/01/2013 9:19 PM

On Sun, 27 Jan 2013 19:54:25 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:
>It's flexible plywood which can be bent around curves, but it won't hold
>that curve unless it attached/glued to a curved surface of some type ...
>lots of ways to effect that.

Ok, you're talking about wiggle wood. That I have heard of before. I
was thinking that there was something different on the market.

FH

Father Haskell

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

27/01/2013 11:32 PM

On Jan 27, 7:26=A0pm, Dave <[email protected]> wrote:
> Watched this bending plywood method. I was wondering if anyone had an
> experience with it?
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DSpbrfKdmZsQ&feature=3Dem-subs_digest-vre=
cshttp://www.curvomatic.com/

Looks like he's laminating veneers, not bending plywood.

FH

Father Haskell

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

27/01/2013 11:31 PM

On Jan 27, 9:09=A0pm, Bill <[email protected]> wrote:
> Swingman wrote:
> > Dave <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> On Sun, 27 Jan 2013 19:22:16 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>> I buy 3/8" bender board plywood at our local dealer for $25.95/4x8
> >>> sheet. Just that, and the jig, would also make good cauls for laminat=
ing
> >>> plywood in the same manner.
> >> What's different about bender board ply than regular? Does it just
> >> bend and stay to form after clamping time or do you have to wet it or
> >> something similar first?
> > It's flexible plywood which can be bent around curves, but it won't hol=
d
> > that curve unless it attached/glued to a curved surface of some type ..=
.
> > lots of ways to effect that.
>
> It is my understanding that =A0one requirement of "bendable wood" is that
> it's not "kiln-dried" and hasa higher moisture content. Maybe the core
> of this plywoodis consistent with that?

Kiln drying cooks the lignin, making subsequent bending by steam or
hot pipe more difficult.

DM

Doug Miller

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

28/01/2013 11:16 AM

FrozenNorth <[email protected]> wrote in news:ke4mtu$fgf$1@dont-
email.me:

> On 1/27/2013 8:54 PM, Swingman wrote:
>> Dave <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> On Sun, 27 Jan 2013 19:22:16 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>> I buy 3/8" bender board plywood at our local dealer for $25.95/4x8
>>>> sheet. Just that, and the jig, would also make good cauls for laminating
>>>> plywood in the same manner.
>>>
>>> What's different about bender board ply than regular? Does it just
>>> bend and stay to form after clamping time or do you have to wet it or
>>> something similar first?
>>
>> It's flexible plywood which can be bent around curves, but it won't hold
>> that curve unless it attached/glued to a curved surface of some type ...
>> lots of ways to effect that.
>>
> Is that the stuff with all the shallow cuts in one side for the inside
> of the curve?

Bending plywood has the grain running the same direction in all the plies. Both long-grain
and cross-grain versions are available.

DM

Doug Miller

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

28/01/2013 11:20 AM

Father Haskell <[email protected]> wrote in news:9ac27aba-9d3c-40af-84a7-
[email protected]:

>
> Kiln drying cooks the lignin, making subsequent bending by steam or
> hot pipe more difficult.

Which implies that wood dried in a low-heat dehumidification kiln would be easier to bend than
wood dried in a conventional kiln.

Hmmmmm....

I bought a steamer at the Woodworking Show a week ago. Time to build a steam box and
conduct some experiments, I think.

DM

Doug Miller

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

28/01/2013 11:21 AM

Father Haskell <[email protected]> wrote in news:3f988e1a-ef5d-4bc5-91ca-
[email protected]:

> On Jan 27, 7:26 pm, Dave <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Watched this bending plywood method. I was wondering if anyone had an
>> experience with it?
>>
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpbrfKdmZsQ&feature=em-subs_digest-vre
> cshttp://www.curvomatic.com/
>
> Looks like he's laminating veneers, not bending plywood.

Correct.

jj

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

27/01/2013 7:18 PM

....
> What's different about bender board ply than regular? ....

Unlike regular plywood, the grain in all the plies run in the same
direction. It's available in two orientaqtions: grain running
lengthwise - or grain running widthwise.

> Does it just bend and stay to form after clamping time or do you have to wet it or something similar first?

It has to be attached to something to retain its form - either a rigid
frame, or it's laminated between several sheets of bent veneer on both
sides.

Sk

Swingman

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

28/01/2013 7:46 AM

On 1/27/2013 11:46 PM, Mike M wrote:

> Just amazes me what you get done in your shop.8-)
> I used my small shop as an excuse for awhile. I expanded the shop so
> now I'll blame it on my girl friend.

306.25sf - It ain't the size of the dog in the fight ... ;)

(but, you do get tired of having to spend time rearranging things on
large projects so as not to fall into the table saw blade)

That particular 16' long desk linked above, with the 90 degree 1 1/2"
thick, curved plywood bend, could never be fully assembled until the day
it was installed ... requiring a bit of precision and carefullarity. ;)

On kitchens, we simply build one cabinet at a time, then bring each to a
'rented for the job' storage room until ready for installation.

Trade-off for the convenience of walking out the back door to work.

--
eWoodShop: www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
https://plus.google.com/114902129577517371552/posts
http://www.custommade.com/by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)

Sk

Swingman

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

27/01/2013 7:22 PM

On 1/27/2013 6:26 PM, Dave wrote:
>
> Watched this bending plywood method. I was wondering if anyone had an
> experience with it?
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpbrfKdmZsQ&feature=em-subs_digest-vrecs
> http://www.curvomatic.com/

Price worthy of Festool ... $2511.72, without shipping for the kit>

Looks eerily similar, wot?

https://picasaweb.google.com/111355467778981859077/EWoodShopSGCurvedWallDesk201102#5669722565090914946

Scroll right through the next few photos ...

Although I used the shown 3/4" maple plywood panels to make that 1 1/2"
rigid curved corner, you could easily use those same two kerfed plywood
panels in my photo ... each glued up in a sandwich with bendable
plywood, or alone ... as cauls, along with the jig, to make your own
curved plywood laminations at a fraction of the cost of their equipment.

I buy 3/8" bender board plywood at our local dealer for $25.95/4x8
sheet. Just that, and the jig, would also make good cauls for laminating
plywood in the same manner.

DIY ... looking better all the time. :)

--
eWoodShop: www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
https://plus.google.com/114902129577517371552/posts
http://www.custommade.com/by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)

Sk

Swingman

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

27/01/2013 9:46 PM

On 1/27/2013 8:56 PM, Dave wrote:
> On Sun, 27 Jan 2013 21:14:04 -0500, FrozenNorth
>> Is that the stuff with all the shallow cuts in one side for the inside
>> of the curve?
>
> Hmmm, I don't think it has kerfs cut in it. I think the grain in the
> plys all run in the same direction.
>
> http://packardforestproducts.com/products/plywood/hardwood-plywood/bending-plywood/#sthash.VtAhqkWK.dpbs

Yep, that's the stuff I use. Our supplier calls it "Bender Board" in
their catalog.

I have a sheet of it in the rack, see if I can photo it tomorrow and
post it.

--
eWoodShop: www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
https://plus.google.com/114902129577517371552/posts
http://www.custommade.com/by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)

MM

Mike M

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

27/01/2013 9:54 PM

On Sun, 27 Jan 2013 19:22:16 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:

>On 1/27/2013 6:26 PM, Dave wrote:
>>
>> Watched this bending plywood method. I was wondering if anyone had an
>> experience with it?
>>
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpbrfKdmZsQ&feature=em-subs_digest-vrecs
>> http://www.curvomatic.com/
>
>Price worthy of Festool ... $2511.72, without shipping for the kit>
>
>Looks eerily similar, wot?
>
>https://picasaweb.google.com/111355467778981859077/EWoodShopSGCurvedWallDesk201102#5669722565090914946
>
>Scroll right through the next few photos ...
>
>Although I used the shown 3/4" maple plywood panels to make that 1 1/2"
>rigid curved corner, you could easily use those same two kerfed plywood
>panels in my photo ... each glued up in a sandwich with bendable
>plywood, or alone ... as cauls, along with the jig, to make your own
>curved plywood laminations at a fraction of the cost of their equipment.
>
>I buy 3/8" bender board plywood at our local dealer for $25.95/4x8
>sheet. Just that, and the jig, would also make good cauls for laminating
>plywood in the same manner.
>
>DIY ... looking better all the time. :)

I took an old 1950 Kenworth Pacific bus and turned it into an RV. I
had a flat bed load of mill pond cedar to work with. This was in the
80's. I still have 2x10 clear cedar that you wouldn't recognize as
cedar. Anyway we made an S curved wall where the bathroom door went
and cut the boards like the backer board and glued them up two a day
with epoxy. The last two boards were a challenge but since the side
door was in the bathroom we had a way. Then just cut the door out.

Mike M

BB

Bill

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

27/01/2013 9:09 PM

Swingman wrote:
> Dave <[email protected]> wrote:
>> On Sun, 27 Jan 2013 19:22:16 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> I buy 3/8" bender board plywood at our local dealer for $25.95/4x8
>>> sheet. Just that, and the jig, would also make good cauls for laminating
>>> plywood in the same manner.
>> What's different about bender board ply than regular? Does it just
>> bend and stay to form after clamping time or do you have to wet it or
>> something similar first?
> It's flexible plywood which can be bent around curves, but it won't hold
> that curve unless it attached/glued to a curved surface of some type ...
> lots of ways to effect that.
>
It is my understanding that one requirement of "bendable wood" is that
it's not "kiln-dried" and hasa higher moisture content. Maybe the core
of this plywoodis consistent with that?

Ff

FrozenNorth

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

27/01/2013 9:14 PM

On 1/27/2013 8:54 PM, Swingman wrote:
> Dave <[email protected]> wrote:
>> On Sun, 27 Jan 2013 19:22:16 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> I buy 3/8" bender board plywood at our local dealer for $25.95/4x8
>>> sheet. Just that, and the jig, would also make good cauls for laminating
>>> plywood in the same manner.
>>
>> What's different about bender board ply than regular? Does it just
>> bend and stay to form after clamping time or do you have to wet it or
>> something similar first?
>
> It's flexible plywood which can be bent around curves, but it won't hold
> that curve unless it attached/glued to a curved surface of some type ...
> lots of ways to effect that.
>
Is that the stuff with all the shallow cuts in one side for the inside
of the curve?

--
Froz...


The system will be down for 10 days for preventive maintenance.

BB

Bill

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

28/01/2013 1:45 PM

Father Haskell wrote:
> On Jan 27, 9:09 pm, Bill <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Swingman wrote:
>>> Dave <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>> On Sun, 27 Jan 2013 19:22:16 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>> I buy 3/8" bender board plywood at our local dealer for $25.95/4x8
>>>>> sheet. Just that, and the jig, would also make good cauls for laminating
>>>>> plywood in the same manner.
>>>> What's different about bender board ply than regular? Does it just
>>>> bend and stay to form after clamping time or do you have to wet it or
>>>> something similar first?
>>> It's flexible plywood which can be bent around curves, but it won't hold
>>> that curve unless it attached/glued to a curved surface of some type ...
>>> lots of ways to effect that.
>> It is my understanding that one requirement of "bendable wood" is that
>> it's not "kiln-dried" and hasa higher moisture content. Maybe the core
>> of this plywoodis consistent with that?
> Kiln drying cooks the lignin, making subsequent bending by steam or
> hot pipe more difficult.

That sounds familar, you wouldn't by chance be from Montana would you?

sg

scritch

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

28/01/2013 5:08 PM

On 1/28/2013 3:21 AM, Doug Miller wrote:
> Father Haskell <[email protected]> wrote in news:3f988e1a-ef5d-4bc5-91ca-
> [email protected]:
>
>> On Jan 27, 7:26 pm, Dave <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> Watched this bending plywood method. I was wondering if anyone had an
>>> experience with it?
>>>
>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpbrfKdmZsQ&feature=em-subs_digest-vre
>> cshttp://www.curvomatic.com/
>>
>> Looks like he's laminating veneers, not bending plywood.
>
> Correct.
>


Boat builders have been "torturing" plywood for decades, but they don't
get tight curves, especially when making compound curves. This just
looks like another flexible caul system.

Du

Dave

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

27/01/2013 8:37 PM

On Sun, 27 Jan 2013 19:22:16 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:
>I buy 3/8" bender board plywood at our local dealer for $25.95/4x8
>sheet. Just that, and the jig, would also make good cauls for laminating
>plywood in the same manner.

What's different about bender board ply than regular? Does it just
bend and stay to form after clamping time or do you have to wet it or
something similar first?

c

in reply to Dave on 27/01/2013 7:26 PM

27/01/2013 11:15 PM

On Sun, 27 Jan 2013 21:09:26 -0500, Bill <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Swingman wrote:
>> Dave <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> On Sun, 27 Jan 2013 19:22:16 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>> I buy 3/8" bender board plywood at our local dealer for $25.95/4x8
>>>> sheet. Just that, and the jig, would also make good cauls for laminating
>>>> plywood in the same manner.
>>> What's different about bender board ply than regular? Does it just
>>> bend and stay to form after clamping time or do you have to wet it or
>>> something similar first?
>> It's flexible plywood which can be bent around curves, but it won't hold
>> that curve unless it attached/glued to a curved surface of some type ...
>> lots of ways to effect that.
>>
>It is my understanding that one requirement of "bendable wood" is that
>it's not "kiln-dried" and hasa higher moisture content. Maybe the core
>of this plywoodis consistent with that?


from a popular woodworking report:
"Here’s the science: This is a Danish process (as far as I know) where
wood is compressed lengthwise under heat and steam, which compresses
the wood fibers along their length. Then, as long as the moisture
content stays above 20 percent, the wood can be cold bent. You can
twist it around like it is spaghetti. Then you clamp it in a form and
let the moisture content drop. When it reaches equilibrium with your
shop, the wood retains its shape. No springback. No splintering on the
curves. Oh and I need to mention that it’s easy to bend in all three
dimensions."

This was not plywood - but more like dimensional lumber.

Then there is bendy ply -
2 kinds I'm aware of - kerf back is thicker stuff with the back kerfed
and covered with a flexible cover - the thin stuff is parallel grain
ply with a thick soft core.


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