Currently in the process of building a bed like this
http://ww1.potterybarnkids.com//cat/...k985&cmsrc=kwd
and it's coming along quite nicely but I have a question with regards
the best way to make the curved sections of the bow which are 3" wide
and 3/4" thick. What is the best way to create the curve? The options
as I see them are a) cut it from wide stock which seems quite wasteful
of what will be pricey lumber b) some form of steambending but not sure
if it's too wide for that or c) cut into 1/8" strips and laminate it.
I'm thinking c will work the best but looking for any pointers from the
group.

The other part of the question is what wood to use. I priced teak, to
go with the teak and holly ply that will comprise the 'decking' but
that's real spendy $15b/f so thinking either something similar in color
to it or alternately a contrasting wood. I have a little white oak
lying around that might do the trick but again any thoughts much
appreciated.

Thanks, Damian

The other option I'd forgot d) is to angle some thinner stock with a
few mitres and then cut that on the bandsaw but not sure how nicely the
grain would line up/look.

damian penney wrote:
Currently in the process of building a bed like this
http://ww1.potterybarnkids.com//cat/...k985&cmsrc=kwd
and it's coming along quite nicely but I have a question with regards
the best way to make the curved sections of the bow which are 3" wide
and 3/4" thick. What is the best way to create the curve? The options
as I see them are a) cut it from wide stock which seems quite wasteful
of what will be pricey lumber b) some form of steambending but not sure
if it's too wide for that or c) cut into 1/8" strips and laminate it.
I'm thinking c will work the best but looking for any pointers from the
group.

The other part of the question is what wood to use. I priced teak, to
go with the teak and holly ply that will comprise the 'decking' but
that's real spendy $15b/f so thinking either something similar in color
to it or alternately a contrasting wood. I have a little white oak
lying around that might do the trick but again any thoughts much
appreciated.

Thanks, Damian

The other option I'd forgot d) is to angle some thinner stock with a
few mitres and then cut that on the bandsaw but not sure how nicely the
grain would line up/look.

Sorry to say but cutting the curved pieces from one piece is the way to
go IMHO.

Inviato da X-Privat.Org - Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php

No wrote:
damian penney wrote:
Currently in the process of building a bed like this
http://ww1.potterybarnkids.com//cat/...k985&cmsrc=kwd
and it's coming along quite nicely but I have a question with regards
the best way to make the curved sections of the bow which are 3" wide
and 3/4" thick. What is the best way to create the curve? The options
as I see them are a) cut it from wide stock which seems quite wasteful
of what will be pricey lumber b) some form of steambending but not sure
if it's too wide for that or c) cut into 1/8" strips and laminate it.
I'm thinking c will work the best but looking for any pointers from the
group.

The other part of the question is what wood to use. I priced teak, to
go with the teak and holly ply that will comprise the 'decking' but
that's real spendy $15b/f so thinking either something similar in color
to it or alternately a contrasting wood. I have a little white oak
lying around that might do the trick but again any thoughts much
appreciated.

Thanks, Damian

The other option I'd forgot d) is to angle some thinner stock with a
few mitres and then cut that on the bandsaw but not sure how nicely the
grain would line up/look.

Sorry to say but cutting the curved pieces from one piece is the way to
go IMHO.

Inviato da X-Privat.Org - Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php

Really? You don't think the lamination will go so well?

damian penney wrote:
No wrote:
damian penney wrote:
Currently in the process of building a bed like this
http://ww1.potterybarnkids.com//cat/...k985&cmsrc=kwd
and it's coming along quite nicely but I have a question with regards
the best way to make the curved sections of the bow which are 3" wide
and 3/4" thick. What is the best way to create the curve? The options
as I see them are a) cut it from wide stock which seems quite wasteful
of what will be pricey lumber b) some form of steambending but not sure
if it's too wide for that or c) cut into 1/8" strips and laminate it.
I'm thinking c will work the best but looking for any pointers from the
group.

The other part of the question is what wood to use. I priced teak, to
go with the teak and holly ply that will comprise the 'decking' but
that's real spendy $15b/f so thinking either something similar in color
to it or alternately a contrasting wood. I have a little white oak
lying around that might do the trick but again any thoughts much
appreciated.

Thanks, Damian

The other option I'd forgot d) is to angle some thinner stock with a
few mitres and then cut that on the bandsaw but not sure how nicely the
grain would line up/look.

Sorry to say but cutting the curved pieces from one piece is the way to
go IMHO.

Inviato da X-Privat.Org - Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php

Really? You don't think the lamination will go so well?

I subscribe to the KISS principle plus the git-er-done school of
thought. From the picture you are not talking about needing a 24" wide
board. maybe an 8" board. If you do need wider I would edge glue stock
to give you enough material to cut your curve with. Laminations would
just be weird for the parts I think you are asking about IMO.

Inviato da X-Privat.Org - Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php

damian penney wrote:
Currently in the process of building a bed like this
http://ww1.potterybarnkids.com//cat/...k985&cmsrc=kwd
and it's coming along quite nicely but I have a question with regards
the best way to make the curved sections of the bow which are 3" wide
and 3/4" thick. What is the best way to create the curve? The options
as I see them are a) cut it from wide stock which seems quite wasteful
of what will be pricey lumber b) some form of steambending but not sure
if it's too wide for that or c) cut into 1/8" strips and laminate it.
I'm thinking c will work the best but looking for any pointers from the
group.

The other part of the question is what wood to use. I priced teak, to
go with the teak and holly ply that will comprise the 'decking' but
that's real spendy $15b/f so thinking either something similar in color
to it or alternately a contrasting wood. I have a little white oak
lying around that might do the trick but again any thoughts much
appreciated.

I'm kind of surprised you picked teak. If this isn't going outdoors, why
pick something so expensive? You could go w/ Cherry, Maple, Mahogany,
Birch or any other number of beautiful and yet less expensive woods,
both for the decking (out of plywood) and the curved parts.

As other's have said, your best bet for getting the curved pieces is to
cut them. Laminating will be a lot of work when you can do it quickly
from a single pieces of wood. Assuming you get straight-grained wood,
ought to be able to keep the grain mostly parallel for the (gentle) curves.

~Mark.




Thanks, Damian

The other option I'd forgot d) is to angle some thinner stock with a
few mitres and then cut that on the bandsaw but not sure how nicely the
grain would line up/look.

"damian penney" wrote in
ups.com:

Currently in the process of building a bed like this
http://ww1.potterybarnkids.com//cat/...4%7Cv0%7Cwspee
dboat%2Fhme&pkey=xsrd0n1%7C16%7C1%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7 Cspeedboat&gids=k985&
cmsrc=kwd and it's coming along quite nicely but I have a question
with regards the best way to make the curved sections of the bow which
are 3" wide and 3/4" thick. What is the best way to create the curve?
The options as I see them are a) cut it from wide stock which seems
quite wasteful of what will be pricey lumber b) some form of
steambending but not sure if it's too wide for that or c) cut into
1/8" strips and laminate it. I'm thinking c will work the best but
looking for any pointers from the group.

Pretty much anything other than cutting it out of solid is going
to look really weird. You can't steam bend something in the wide
direction when it's much wider than the narrow direction (it'll
just twist). Laminations will look wierd because you'll see the
edges of them.

One thing you might be able to do is cut them out of plywood and
edge-band them with a thin piece that will bend.

The other part of the question is what wood to use. I priced teak, to
go with the teak and holly ply that will comprise the 'decking' but
that's real spendy $15b/f so thinking either something similar in
color to it or alternately a contrasting wood. I have a little white
oak lying around that might do the trick but again any thoughts much
appreciated.

Be advised that teak can be a real pain to work with. It's
difficult to get glues to stick to it.

John

looking for any pointers from the group.

I'd agree that laminations would be a ton of work and would look weird.
If I were doing it, I'd use whole boards and cut them down on the
bandsaw (if you picked teak despite its price, what's a little extra to
do it right?), or use teak ply with edge banding. Actually, if I were
doing it, I'd probably have picked cherry or mahogony or something that
vaguely resembles teak but is less expensive and easier to work with.
Good luck,
Andy

On 12 Jun 2006 16:23:33 EDT, Mark Ohlund
wrote:
Laminating will be a lot of work when you can do it quickly
from a single pieces of wood.

Plus if you were ripping it with a table saw you'd lose so much in the
kerfs to build up that many laminations that you'd probably waste more
wood than cutting it out of a solid.

You could glue up the waste pieces from the first side to a narrower
board for the second if the grain was a good match.


-Leuf