I have built a shelf along an 11-1/2 foot wall that is 8 inched high. The front face is a big slow curve that runs the whole length of the shelf and ends in a little bulb at the end. The radius of the bulb is probably 5 to 6 inches. I cut 3-3/16 inch laminations from a 12-foot piece of quarter sawn ash which I glued up in a vacuum bag on a form that matched the curve of the shelf. (Big long skinny vacuum bag!) When I first drew down the vacuum, the laminations would not conform to the “bulb” end of the mold. The radii were too tight, I believe. I quickly cut off about 18″ of the ash laminations and put the remaining long lengths back in the vacuum bag. They molded to the shape perfectly, which I then cut to use as drawer fronts. My problem now is how to make the remaining 3 18-inch pieces of the laminations conform to this last bit of my shelf. I want to use these boards as the grain is continuous from the longer lengths. Would steaming these 3 pieces before putting them in the vacuum press make them conform to the tighter radius of the “bulb”? Since they did have glue on them (which I scrapped off with a scraper after I got the rest all set up in the bag) I’ll probably have to sand them a tad to open up the pores of the wood and make them accessible to the steam, right? I’ve never heard of anyone steaming wide boards, only square or rounded stock. Any other way to make them conform to the shape? I don’t want to cut kerfs in the back as the top of the lamination is seen. Any suggestions? Really got myself into one this time!
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Replies
Sorry I need a picture on this one. You have an 8" high shelf? And the bulb radius is 5" in all directions? Language fails here or else my brain has gone mushy.
If you steam your stock, I wouldn't laminate it next. I would steam it, then bend it to the shape you finally want. Let it dry over a good period of time and then glue it in the form and bag. Steaming should work for this but you'll introduce too much water for the gluing to work right away. Steam, bend, dry, glue up, cross your fingers. Good luck.
Gary Rogowski
Director
The Northwest Woodworking Studio
A School for Woodworking
Sorry – your brain is fine. As I was writing up the description of the shelf, I thought I should probably include a photo or two. So here are pix of almost the entire length of the shelf, the "bulb" end and the cut offs from the first glue up that I need to somehow conform to the shape of the bulb end.In your response, you said that I should steam the lams first, form them to the shape of the mold, let them dry and then glue them up in the vacuum bag, right? Since I am using a vacuum bag, I only have a one-piece mold – can I steam the laminations and put them in the vacuum bag on the mold (no glue) and let the vacuum draw out the moisture? Then take them out and let them air dry for a couple of days and finally glue them up in the vacuum bag back on the mold? Hope you follow that. Any thoughts on how to steam the laminations?Thanks again for your help!
Carol
Hey Carol,
Light bulbs on now. Thanks for the photos.Well first I'd try to bend those laminates in the bag, with no glue, and see if they will bend. It doesn't look like too much of a curve. If they don't bend, then I think the steaming method will work. I'm not sure about the vacuum drawing all the moisture out however. I would consider making up some kind of drying form so that after steaming and bending in your vacuum bag, you can dry out the lams. I'd say for about a week or so depending upon your relative moisture. Once dry, then back in the bag this time with glue. One other option that will eliminate the steaming is to use thinner laminates. If however you use this kind of cold bend, you'll need 5 to 6 laminates to really prevent any springback. If you have your board already cut up, it might be impossible to blend in some other ash laminates and make the edges look consistent. Good luck.Gary Rogowski
The Northwest Woodworking Studio
A School for Woodworking
Portland, Oregon
Thanks for the tips. Since my lams are already cut, I'm going to try the steaming. I'll let you know how it works.Carol
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