Bending wood

swampgator · Post by **swampgator** » Sat Sep 01, 2012 1:48 pm

I need to make some pirate chests with bent plywood to make part of the lids. I have cut the 1/4" oak plywood with kerfs on the inside, but it still is resistant to bending. So, considering the idea of wrapping in wet bath towels and put in the cooking oven at 250 degrees for about 7 or 8 minutes. Has anyone tried this? Does it work well. Am I thinking hot enough or leaving it long enough? I am ready for any input.

I am hoping that I can attach one that I did just bending with clamps until I got it to work. Then because I cut it too short and had to put an extra piece in. Working and wishing I had done a better job. It can be replaced.

[ATTACH]18338[/ATTACH]

Edit A: OK, thanks to Bruce, I realize I did not make my questions clear. The pictured top is bent, but it was done with wrestling it like an alligator. I have two more to make like the one bent oak plywood above. Rather than wrestling for a very long time like the one pictured above, I just want to know if I can steam it in bath towels in a regular oven. Never done this before, so this is totally new territory for me. Have explored all the YouTube that I can find. Thanks for your help and input. I'll be very happy to hear of knowledge and experience.

lightnin · Post by **lightnin** » Sat Sep 01, 2012 7:24 pm

All that talk of identity theft got you scared. Gonna bury your treasures now?
Don't forget to make a big map with a big X on it so you don't ferget where it tiz.

Is it the top pictured or is it slats to curve across that you want to bend?

Bath towels in the oven ..... did you clear that move with the wife?

reible · Post by **reible** » Sat Sep 01, 2012 7:56 pm

Some years ago I had a project where I needed flexible plywood and found that they make a bendable plywood. I don't recall who I got it from but it was just the thing for my project. Might have been either lowes or home depot????

It flexes in only with the outside grain directions.

I have a scrap left which I have pictured for you. I'm just flexing it by pushing on it from above. It does have it limits. Cost, don't recall either.

[ATTACH]18341[/ATTACH]

Ed

swampgator · Post by **swampgator** » Sat Sep 01, 2012 9:29 pm

lightnin wrote:All that talk of identity theft got you scared. Gonna bury your treasures now?
Don't forget to make a big map with a big X on it so you don't ferget where it tiz.

Is it the top pictured or is it slats to curve across that you want to bend?

Bath towels in the oven ..... did you clear that move with the wife?

Don't think I'll have that much to put in a treasure box. LOL And, I don't think that lid will stand the pressure of dirt or sitting some substantial on it.

Believe it or not, I cut many strip for another. Now, I have to sand them to 11 degrees so they'll fit together and I'll glue them. I was just trying to save time and get this to the pastor before he leaves town. Yes, I'm slow, but going to try until I can get a good handle on it. If you look closely, you can see the seam where I joined two pieces.

Again, thank you everyone for your input.

swampgator · Post by **swampgator** » Sat Sep 01, 2012 9:36 pm

Thanks, Ed. I'll be in Lowe's tomorrow so I'll look. Great idea.

lightnin · Post by **lightnin** » Sat Sep 01, 2012 10:39 pm

Actually what I meant was like the dark curved parts below.
[ATTACH]18343[/ATTACH]

swampgator · Post by **swampgator** » Sat Sep 01, 2012 11:05 pm

That's why I went back and made an edit to the OP. I realized I had not made my point clear. Thank you for the idea and if I have the time, I may try this. It may provide some strength to the bent plywood. Thank you for the idea.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 2:32 am

swampgator wrote:Don't think I'll have that much to put in a treasure box. LOL And, I don't think that lid will stand the pressure of dirt or sitting some substantial on it.

Believe it or not, I cut many strip for another. Now, I have to sand them to 11 degrees so they'll fit together and I'll glue them. I was just trying to save time and get this to the pastor before he leaves town. Yes, I'm slow, but going to try until I can get a good handle on it. If you look closely, you can see the seam where I joined two pieces.

Again, thank you everyone for your input.

Rather than bending, you can make slats with pie shaped sides then sand the curve. I did this technique on the small chest pictured.

[ATTACH]18344[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]18345[/ATTACH]

This chest was made from 1/4" stock with box joints, but I'm pretty sure you can do a similar box from 3/4 stock. Glue up was no problem and you don't need box joints. Using solid stock rather than plywood should give a pretty substantial chest lid.

Sanding the wedges, with glued sides and top is a snap, because they are flat sanded. Rounding the curve is also pretty easy - just need to sand the mating edges after glued up.

swampgator · Post by **swampgator** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 12:22 am

Charles, that looks like a great idea and it appears to be very complicated. I guess the sanding is what does the trick and solid wood makes the sanding more acceptable. May go with solid wood. Thanks.

Also, that is beautiful craftmanship and a beautiful chest. Any inside pics?

wrmnfzy · Post by **wrmnfzy** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 9:22 am

Here's one I made for my daughter when I first got started with SS in the 80s. The top is curved and I did some of the same as Charlese minus the joinery. Remember it was one of my first projects but the top was not as difficult as I thought it would be. The photo doesn't show the curve much but is is.

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