Is the top like this ???

http://www.woodsmith.com/plans/armoire/

If similar, I would use their(Woodsmith) method
which requires NO bending....

I bought a back copy of Woodsmith for another
project and this armoire just happen to be in
that issue. Very interesting method of making
the curved top.

Use multiple pieces and a router.



Dick Snyder wrote:

My daughter has asked me to build a bookcase for her baby's nursery. She saw
something on-line that she likes. It has a curved top. I think I will build
the bookcase out of birch as it will be painted and I am thinking of
laminating 3 1/4" pieces of birch plywood to do the curved top.

Here is my question. I know you have to build the lamination on a form with
a tighter radius than you want to end up with as the wood with spring back a
bit when you remove the clamps after gluing up the lamination. Is there some
guidance people can give me on how to figure out that tighter radius??

TIA.

Dick Snyder