Bewet Miller wrote:
I don't think I phrased the SUBJECT very well so pardon me on that.

I'm trying to fabricate a broken piece on a chair. It appears to be
made from 5 or 6 layers of thin oak that are laminated together and
bent at a near 90 degree angle.

I've been pretty successful in the small amount of work I've done
(very small) with laminating thin strips of wood so this must not be a
difficult thing to do.
My problem is how to make the wood more flexible
Do you soak it in water? Boil it? Pray over it?
And while I've made a form to help it hold its shape I'm not sure of
the steps involved.

It would seem that I'd make the wood bendable, place my glue, layer
the pieces, then apply my clamps. Is this right?

More or less.

1. Wood is inherently bendable. You may or may not have to make it more so
depending mostly on how thin the pieces are and how tight the radius of the
curve. If it will bend to the desired radius when dry, just glue and clamp.

Whether bent dry or softened, expect some "spring back" after the glue
dries.

2. You can increase the bendability (in increasing order of effectiveness)
by wetting, soaking, steaming (in a steamer).

How long to soak or steam depends again on how thin the pieces are and how
tight the radius of the curve. I know a fellow with a veneer
operation...they steam their flitches for 24 hours before slicing.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico