# Bent wood world



## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

After watching my Facebook friend Woodworking or mere mortals make a jig for bending thin strips of wood, I had to try and make one. 
I took a sheet of 5/8 plywood and cut it into 16 inch by 4 foot pieces, then screwed them together and put a template of a couple curves on it. Woodworking or mere mortals has a link to the template.

The thickness of my plywood made cutting curves in it nearly impossible. I used 4 ply's and I don't think my BS can take much more of this.

I'm going to make another out of a second sheet of plywood, maybe two different curves, or just a jig to make certain angles.

The options are to cut the strips to be bent very thin, then you can either soak them, or glue them up and bend 4 or 5 at the same time.

I have some small strips from a 2×4 in there now drying, they should retain the curve when I take them out. 
This is the jig Woodworking or mere mortals made.


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## JTuretsky (Mar 2, 2011)

This sounds like a good time for some pattern routing before you laminate your plywood together to make the mold. It would take the stress off of your band saw and probably make a more consistent mold. Are you just experimenting or are this shapes intended for something.

Bent lamination is awesome! its also super economical for lots of shapes you would ordinarily cut from solids. Also, if you play with contrasting woods you can make some very interesting edge treatments. I've had friends even laminate colored paper between the layers in less structural applications


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

You can put fabric softener in the soak water and the wood
gets more pliable… an interesting technique to play with and
suitable for some sorts of things.


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