I am interested in building an arbor with a large arch at the top. I just don’t know how or where to find the large piece of arched wood. Is there somewhere I can go to buy arched wood? Also, I want to build a lattice fence with a border around it to be attached to the arbor. It will be tapered, the high end will be attached to the arbor. It almost looks like wings on the arbor.
Can anyone help me build such an Arbor? Thanks in advance!
brad in Georgia
Replies
Don't know where you'd find pre bent wood, the exact size you would need, but There are options to that. You could hack the arches out of some wide thick stock, laminate together, and shape to proper size. It is usually done in 2 or 3 sections. Or, you could cut long 1/4" to maybe 1/2 "thick strips, however wide you need them, and glue them up in one continuous arch. You would need to make a form and clamp the long strips together making one piece with no breaks or joints to fail. However, if it's outdooors you need the right glue, or it'll delaminate on you. And then there is steam bending. we've had several threads here on that. I've only done small pieces in this fashion, with good results, but some others appear to be able to bend large thick stock. Generally, the larger, thicker stock is more difficult. On my smaller stuff, I've soaked it in a solution of downey fabrick softner in a black ABS tube in the sun for a while, then steamed it. Linguini at that point. You'd probably need a come along, and a compression strap for the size I'm imagining in my head, not to mention a form as well. They all have their pros and con's, but When I make my Arched Arbor, I'll be gluing up some long strips and making a form. Hope any of this helps. I'm sure some others will offer their observations soon. There is a wealth of knowledge here.
How big do you need the curved pieces to be? I bend by laminating strips together - You could do the same but be warned It takes LOTS and LOTS of clamps or a vacuum press setup. I am sure there are other ways I can think of at least one more offhand. Otherwise once you determine the radius you need you can do this yourself as long as the arbor stays an arbor. Don't try to make the arbor structural (Like carry a snow load)and you will be OK. Joe
If memory serves Norm had a similar project that was very attracitve. You may want to check the New Yankee Workshop site for plans or the video/plans combo. I'm sure you could scale/adapt it to your needs. I'm fairly sure he glued up the arch with straight segments and bandsawed the curve.
John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
Life is tough. It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne
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