Author Topic: Bending wood (Read 6130 times)

Zipperhead · « **on:** 06 January, 2011, 01:58:41 pm »

Plywood that is (unless smarter suggestions are offered)

I would like one of these for my headphones:

But I balk at the $180 price tag, so I was wondering if it would be practical to make some myself. The most difficult part would seem to be softening the wood so that it can be bent to shape.

Would it be doable by using thinner ply and building it in layers? I'm open to suggestions.

Ta

matthew · « **Reply #1 on:** 06 January, 2011, 02:03:39 pm »

The difficulty will be it curves back on itself. I remeber a class mate doing something simmilar in CDT at school. You create a former and build up layers that are bent round the former and clamped in place while the glue dries. Obviously this requires working from the inside of the curve which is not possible in your example.

Didn't someone here build a home steamer to soften wood for bending.

Russell · « **Reply #2 on:** 06 January, 2011, 02:09:35 pm »

I don't think these are steamed and bent plywood. More like they are thin sheets (circa 1mm) that bent to shape over a former and then are glued together to make a ply and the glue then holds the shape. It is laminated together. I made rocking chair rockers this way - but they are very simple.

I recently posted re steaming a moulding.

R

Jurek · « **Reply #3 on:** 06 January, 2011, 02:13:17 pm »

Clicky

Zipperhead · « **Reply #4 on:** 06 January, 2011, 02:34:50 pm »

Quote from: Jurek on 06 January, 2011, 02:13:17 pm

Clicky

Aha, that looks like the stuff to use. I think I'll have to visit my local timber merchant and see if they can get me some.

Wobbly John · « **Reply #5 on:** 06 January, 2011, 02:50:19 pm »

Those would definately be laminated in that shape rather than bent.

Flexi-ply (like in the above link costs us about £30 a sheet (8' x 4'), and that goes up to £60 if we use the local timber merchant.

The finish isn't great as the grain opens out on the outside of bends, so you would probably want to veneer the outside anyway.

I haven't tried it myself, but Flexi-veneer may give a better finish - if you're going to buy a whole sheet and layer it up.

You'll still need to make a former to bend it over.

Charlotte · « **Reply #6 on:** 06 January, 2011, 02:51:56 pm »

Could you not just make something out of thermoforming plastic?

Something funky with a LED rope light and a live edge, mebbe?

Wobbly John · « **Reply #7 on:** 06 January, 2011, 03:04:44 pm »

Quote from: Charlotte on 06 January, 2011, 02:51:56 pm

Could you not just make something out of thermoforming plastic?

Something funky with a LED rope light and a live edge, mebbe?

I was also thinking along these lines - you could do it in edge-glow acrylic for about £5, although it tends to pick up any defects in the former.

It would also be a dust magnet.

Furious · « **Reply #8 on:** 06 January, 2011, 03:16:17 pm »

WTF are the ones at front right? They're mahoosive!
Like having Marshall 4x12 cabs strapped on the side of your head...

Zipperhead · « **Reply #9 on:** 06 January, 2011, 03:22:23 pm »

Quote from: Wheezer on 06 January, 2011, 03:16:17 pm

WTF are the ones at front right? They're mahoosive!
Like having Marshall 4x12 cabs strapped on the side of your head...

They're Stax electrostatic headphones - which is what I've got and want to find a nice home for.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #10 on:** 06 January, 2011, 03:28:08 pm »

Quote from: Wobbly John on 06 January, 2011, 02:50:19 pm

Those would definately be laminated in that shape rather than bent.

Flexi-ply (like in the above link costs us about £30 a sheet (8' x 4'), and that goes up to £60 if we use the local timber merchant.
The finish isn't great as the grain opens out on the outside of bends, so you would probably want to veneer the outside anyway.

I need a sheet of something to laminate up on a hatch - my previous attempt at bending 6mm ply failed as the ply glue failed. Ideally it would be single laminates or using exterior grade waterproof glues.

Furious · « **Reply #11 on:** 06 January, 2011, 03:29:09 pm »

I just looked them up.

At that price, I can see why you want a nice stand for them...

Are they heavy?

Wobbly John · « **Reply #12 on:** 06 January, 2011, 03:32:29 pm »

Quote from: mrcharly on 06 January, 2011, 03:28:08 pm

I need a sheet of something to laminate up on a hatch - my previous attempt at bending 6mm ply failed as the ply glue failed. Ideally it would be single laminates or using exterior grade waterproof glues.

Depends on how big and how curved. You could go for 2 layers of 3mm marine ply glued with epoxy, or if it's a smaller more curved hatch, more layers of 'aircraft grade' ply (model shops).

Charlotte · « **Reply #13 on:** 06 January, 2011, 03:36:31 pm »

Quote from: Zipperhead on 06 January, 2011, 03:22:23 pm

Quote from: Wheezer on 06 January, 2011, 03:16:17 pm
WTF are the ones at front right? They're mahoosive!
Like having Marshall 4x12 cabs strapped on the side of your head...

They're Stax electrostatic headphones - which is what I've got and want to find a nice home for.

I've had a listen to them and believe me, they sound shitloads better than a pair of poxy Marshalls

Manotea · « **Reply #14 on:** 06 January, 2011, 03:42:48 pm »

Given the price of the sieveking stands, if you can make an similar homebrew product of similar quality for pennies you may have a new career opportunity!

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #15 on:** 06 January, 2011, 04:00:18 pm »

Quote from: Wobbly John on 06 January, 2011, 03:32:29 pm

Quote from: mrcharly on 06 January, 2011, 03:28:08 pm

I need a sheet of something to laminate up on a hatch - my previous attempt at bending 6mm ply failed as the ply glue failed. Ideally it would be single laminates or using exterior grade waterproof glues.

Depends on how big and how curved. You could go for 2 layers of 3mm marine ply glued with epoxy, or if it's a smaller more curved hatch, more layers of 'aircraft grade' ply (model shops).

I have a suitable glue - it's one of the polyeurothane types - that's fine, it's the ply glue that failed.

Where I really failed was finding a supplier of 'marine' ply in Yorkshire.

Rhys W · « **Reply #16 on:** 06 January, 2011, 05:00:01 pm »

Quote from: Wheezer on 06 January, 2011, 03:16:17 pm

WTF are the ones at front right? They're mahoosive!
Like having Marshall 4x12 cabs strapped on the side of your head...

Jim Marshall already thought of that:

redshift · « **Reply #17 on:** 06 January, 2011, 05:28:13 pm »

Definitely made over a former. If you routed out pieces of MDF to the right shape, and glued them together to the depth you require, you could clamp very thin ply or veneers to the jig. Time consuming and messy, but doable.

Anton Fitzpatrick built his boat ribs the same way, some years ago on a series called 'Dream Boats.' I've also seen it used for kayaks.

hairyhippy · « **Reply #18 on:** 06 January, 2011, 06:00:29 pm »

Just take a plaster mould of your head and that would keep the headphones at the right spacing.

alexb · « **Reply #19 on:** 06 January, 2011, 06:35:56 pm »

Make the former out of MDF and then layer it up with thin sheets of ply as suggested.
But if you're doing that....why not use carbon fibre instead?

Zipperhead · « **Reply #20 on:** 06 January, 2011, 11:41:19 pm »

Quote from: Wheezer on 06 January, 2011, 03:29:09 pm

I just looked them up.
At that price, I can see why you want a nice stand for them...

Are they heavy?

No they're not heavy, nice and comfortable to wear.

Zipperhead · « **Reply #21 on:** 06 January, 2011, 11:43:55 pm »

Quote from: alexb on 06 January, 2011, 06:35:56 pm

Make the former out of MDF and then layer it up with thin sheets of ply as suggested.
But if you're doing that....why not use carbon fibre instead?

I think I'll end up making a simple former - I can probably get away with supporting it in a few places on the outside of each bend, but I'll definately make it out of wood as I think it will look nicer than carbon fibre (and be easier for me to deal with!)

Basil · « **Reply #22 on:** 06 January, 2011, 11:47:20 pm »

Thought I'd better point out that when I've got wood it most definitely won't bend.

*leaves thread immediately*

Torslanda · « **Reply #23 on:** 06 January, 2011, 11:56:50 pm »

Quote from: hairyhippy on 06 January, 2011, 06:00:29 pm

Just take a plaster mould of your head and that would keep the headphones at the right spacing.

In the style of James Bolam in 'The Beiderbecke Affair'

Zipperhead · « **Reply #24 on:** 07 January, 2011, 12:12:34 am »

Quote from: torslanda on 06 January, 2011, 11:56:50 pm

Quote from: hairyhippy on 06 January, 2011, 06:00:29 pm
Just take a plaster mould of your head and that would keep the headphones at the right spacing.

In the style of James Bolam in 'The Beiderbecke Affair'

Classic television! One of my favourite series.