I saw this circular bookcase, which looked awesome. I think they used wood planks. I don't know the width but I would like to try and build one of these. Does anyone know how to soften wood to bend it?? and then is there any other kind of preparation I have to do to keep it in a bent shape ?? besides nailing it ??. Thank you for any suggestions!

we saw several techniques on WoodWorks over several shows.

easiest is to cut your wood in thin strips, steam-bend it to approximate shape, and then laminate the strips over a form using a vacuum bag clamp system. other times just steaming the wood and forming it was done.

this is the technique used in making cedar strip canoes, the steam, bend, and block.

Thank you for your response. I will try that..thin strips and steaming them and then clamping them into shape..good idea! Thanks!

dont forget to make male / female forms to clamp the strips into the curve you want, otherwise each one may differ from another. also, the species of wood will make a difference. some bend easy , others impossible. Straight grain red oak is a good choice, pine sucks

This message has been edited. Last edited by: nona,

Thank you for the information you gave me. That totally makes sense and red oak would be beautiful. I am now in the designing stage
of this but so glad to know about the Male/Female ends..Thank you so much!

Maureen

male an female ends are also referred to as
goesinta and goesonta

frodo lol

you know that there is such a thing as bendable plywood, I forgot who carrys it, but a search should point you in the right direction

hi nona

Nona, No I didn't know. I will start looking for it, that would certaintly make it all easier. Thank you again for the info.

Maureen

Just wondering how the project is going? Please share photos and how the bending process worked out. Thanks, CR

quote:

How do you bend wood ?

For projects where lamination is objectionable, or when the wood is to be bent in compound curves, a steam box is the answer. One can be made fairly economically from PVC pipe, but it needs to be supported to keep the pipe from deforming.