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Steam bending update ( FORM +STRAP )

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I made a little better jig and strap for bending the back scratchers and it is a little more user friendly .
The jig block is a piece of plywood beam cut to shape and clamped into the vise .
The work piece is slid into the jig block side and on the other end onto the tension block which ensures no play from end to end .
The bending process is the same procedure but it easier because the form is held by the vise and it is just a matter of inserting the piece and start bending .

steam bending form strap

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lanwater commented almost 10 years ago

Better than the PVC.
Time to make some back scratchers.

Abbas, Castro Valley, CA

MontyJ commented almost 10 years ago

Nice improvement. I started bending yesterday and had to go through some trial and error to get what I wanted. So far I have managed to turn pieces in both a 1" and 1.5" radius to 270°+. I’m not making back scratchers, but your excellent advice came at a very opportune time. Because of the tight radius required, I have had to go thinner with the cherry and will laminate several to get the thickness I need. I also discovered that speed is the key when working with thinner material. It cools very quickly so I only have about 10 seconds to get the bend I want. That doesn’t give me enough time to use a compression strap, but fortunately the wood bends like rubber during those first few seconds out of the steam. Thanks again kiefer, for steering me in the right direction.

Where are the band-aids?---Pro Libertate!

a1jim commented almost 9 years ago

Good idea,nice work.

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