Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

[Wimperdink]

In one of my many recent projects (this one being the canoe in two outriggers) I found myself in the position of impatiently trying my hand at bending plywood. I finally got it in the position I wanted with a lot of boiling water, wet rags, sweating forehead, slipping clamps, screws, braces, and even a few hushed cusswords. My question is this, we've all seen the steam cleaners on late night infomercials that are supposed to clean any surface of any dirt, grease, and grime. They get up to a bazillion degrees of steam and will do everything short of give your dog a haircut. Would one of these gizmos speed up the process of wood bending or does it all still come right back to the old soak, sweat, and slipping clamps method? Does anyone know easier ways? Share your methods please. Insight much needed for future projects.

 

[jmccall001]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

the old soak and sweat - bending any wood requires steaming or, if lucky just soaking unless very thing pieces which can be bent and laminated into a shape - much as we used to do with balsa wood strips when making the outline of a wingtip or rudder

 

[treedancer]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

Might try renting a wallpaper steamer they will put out a lot more steam than anything you will find in a late night infomercial.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

we've got a clothes steamer, it's a conair brand, in fact we've successfully used it on wallpaper...it puts out a lotta steam, no doubt more than you could get from a teakettle...i don't know how you're getting your steam from the stove to your boat right now but this might do it. haven't measured the temp, but trust me, you don't want to put your hand in front of it!

 

[Wimperdink]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

I was soaking the wood with boiling water and leaving rags on it to soak in.. The problem is my impatience level is high and I want it bent NOW... CRACK!!! oh crap.... gotta start again.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

Maybe you're trying to bend it more than it wants to bend??

 

[Wimperdink]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

I have no doubt by the sound of the cracking noise hahaha.... I did end up getting it bent.. only cracked one piece between the two outriggers... you can see them in the canoe in two post.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

I read an interesting article lately about bending wood that said heat is all that is needed to bend wood. Steam is used though because it transfers heat to wood nicely and slightly lowers the temperature at which wood will bend. The auther was bending ash canoe ribs dry with a cheap heat gun. Wood will shrink not stretch so heat the inside of the bend more than the outside. I cannot recall the temp at which wood becomes more plastic and I'm sure plywood would be a different challenge due to glue and varying types of laminations, but I'd try wetting a scrap and shooting the heat gun at it and see what happens.

 

[Frankhanhart]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

Did bent wood (maranti) to make fishing-nets (the racket type). Was also impatient but learned that overnight soaking was best. The wood was 3 millimeter thick though, so probably less than what you are using. Made 20 in all and sold them for the equivalent of $10 each. Could buy me a nice reel afterwards

 

[Wimperdink]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

Originally posted by CalicoKid:<br /> I read an interesting article lately about bending wood that said heat is all that is needed to bend wood.

Sounds about right to me... Hoping with plywood that the heat will melt the glue a little making it more plyable... water will soften the wood a little.. Gonna try it when I get home next week.

 

[Laddies]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

The easiest way to bend any wood is to use thin peices and laminate them with glue till you get the thickness you need

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

I found the article. Woodbending. The author was bending solid lumber with a heat gun. Again, I don't know about plywood but I don't think the glue can be melted or the stuff would be falling apart on hot sunny days. The rest of that webpage has some neat stuff about building tiny wooden boats that might interest you.<br /><br />Are you going to be putting a jackplate on that thing?

 

[Wimperdink]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

I like stuff about building wooden boats Shouldnt need a jackplate... The motor I preselected to use required a 15" transom.. So I built a 15" transom

 

[Wimperdink]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

Originally posted by CalicoKid:<br /> I found the article. Woodbending. The author was bending solid lumber with a heat gun. Again, I don't know about plywood but I don't think the glue can be melted or the stuff would be falling apart on hot sunny days. The rest of that webpage has some neat stuff about building tiny wooden boats that might interest you.<br /><br />

Man that is a great site... I've been there for over an hour now. Thanks

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

the "Wood Handbook" warns about the danger of "fiber decomposition", that is, burning the wood

fiber decomposition - ROFLMAO! Typical governmental tecno-jargon...

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

Yeah, that made me laugh too. Lots of down to Earth info for people who like to tinker with boats, like this wisdom:<br /><br />And even more You must understand, that using a boat may be dangerous:<br />-The boat may fall over.<br />-You may fall out of the boat.<br />-The boat may hit a rock.<br />-Your shoes may get wet.<br />-The boat may get filled with water.<br />-The boat may sink.<br />-Another boat may hit Your boat.<br />-The boat may drift a long distance away.<br />-You may get lost with the boat.<br />-When rowing, You may get blisters in Your hands and butt.<br />-If You get into water, You may drown or get hypothermia.<br />-Killer sharks may attack You.<br />-Anything else may happen <br /><br />I want to try and build that one sheet canoe, looks like it could be done in a weekend. All I need to come up with is a weekend.

 

[Wimperdink]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

I'm looking at doing the one sheet sampan cause it looks easy. That dug is awesome looking but looks incredibly unstable.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

That dug is awesome looking but looks incredibly unstable.

...well yeah, if your going to put a Merc 225 on it...

 

[Wimperdink]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

Originally posted by CalicoKid:<br /> ...well yeah, if your going to put a Merc 225 on it...

is there any other way? No it looks like its about 2 feet across and i'm not what I would call a lightweight. but yes it does look like fun. <br />p.s. not even I would put a motor on that.. well unless.... j/k

 

[Wimperdink]

Re: Thoughts and questions on bending plywood methods (updated)

Originally posted by CalicoKid:<br /> I found the article. Woodbending. The author was bending solid lumber with a heat gun.

Ok I finally got a chance to try it.. It works awesome... I did this in about 5 minutes with a scrap piece of 1/4" luan and a heat gun. Thanks CalicoKid.<br /><br />Took me about 6 hours to bend using the soak with boiling water method to bend my original outriggers. Wish I would have known about this before I started. <br /><br />

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