The design I chose builds up each rail using 4 strips that have a triangular cross-section. The triangular strips are stacked up to form a shape-able rail. There's a lot of curve from nose to tail, so each triangular strip - 4 per side - needed to be steamed significantly to bend without breaking. The steam shower I put in the basement a few years ago came in very handy.
The first strip was instructive - I steamed it, slapped on some glue, and then tried to clamp the thing in place while glue ran all over, clamps unclamped, and I hopped on one foot b/c I was clamping with 2 hands and trying to hold unhappily bending wood in place with the other foot. After that first experience, I steamed the wood and clamped it in place without glue overnight, then came back and glued it once it had taken on the bend more willingly.
NEXT TIME: After steaming, clamp the wood in place overnight without glue to get the wood to take on the shape you want. That way you'll wrestle it a lot less when you've got glue setting up and time running out.
No comments:
Post a Comment