Vacuum Bag Bentwood: from
WoodCentral
"I am about to try my hand at a bentwood lamination using a vacuum press and bag. The finished part will be a gently curved red oak part about six inches wide and three-quarters of an inch thick. The bend will be along the flat side of the board, like a bent ruler, not like a horseshoe. I'd estimate the radius of the curve at around 10 feet, and the part will be about four feet long. I am planning on making the thickness of the laminations just under a quarter of an inch. The part will form a barrel vault on a fireplace mantle for my home, so I'd like to make the glue lines as invisible as possible. I have the press figured out, and a form made. What type of glue should I use? I have Titebond® yellow glue, West System® epoxy, and two part formaldehyde glue on hand. Which would be best?" - Grant
"Hearkening back to days of teaching the woodworking vacuum clamping class, we used Weldwood resin glue. It creates dark glue lines. You want a glue with long open time, and non-elastic once cured. Laminations need to be lots thinner, around an eighth of an inch to three-sixteenths, maximum. Red oak is kind of splintery for this. Plan on a high failure rate. Prepare lots of pieces. Consider soaking them in really hot water or steam until the wood fibers are the most pliable. Vacuum is a good way to go because it provides 100 percent surface contact. Your platens need to be perfectly matched for the best success. Hope that helps." - Carol
"I have done lots of vacuum bagging of curved parts for over 20 years, and thickened epoxy is my favorite adhesive for the process. Epoxy has all of the right properties once it has set, and works like a lubricant while making a hard bend, which isn't a problem for you, but for some projects it does matter." - Keith
"My rule of thumb is that optimal laminate thickness is the thickest that will bend to the final radius with moderate hand pressure. A 10-foot radius is pretty forgiving, and I think you could get away with quarter-inch thick laminates, but you'll need less clamping force with one-eighth strips, as others have suggested. The thinner the laminates, the less tendency for wood memory to cause spring back. As for glue, you want a glue that is clear so the glue lines won't be obvious. Epoxy and two-part urea-formaldehyde glue are good choices. Powdered plastic resin glue will show dark glue lines. PVA glue will eventually creep and you'll be able to feel your glue lines on the edges of the lamination. Regarding clamping, you can get away with a single form, either male or female." - Ellis
Wood Ironing Board: from
Women in Woodworking
I have done a little woodworking and have a new project in mind. I've had it with my ironing board and commercial ironing boards in general. I want to make an ironing board that absolutely will not tip over. I have the lower portion of a wire shelving unit on casters and intend to make the top shelf into an ironing board top by attaching a shaped piece of wood. What type of wood would be good to use? What would be heat resistant, hold up to steam and not leach any type of resins into the padding? Also, should I use any type of finish or leave unfinished? I would like to use a wood that would not need to be finished." - cubequeen
"Mercy! Almost any wood would warp if you use a steam iron, I think. What if you disassembled a commercial ironing board and attached the board to your base?" - Johanna
"I think that they used to be made from wood, many years ago, but I think Johanna's suggestion is a very good one." - Barbara
"I think my top three choices would be maple, parawood and bamboo, but I might also consider olivewood, teak, hickory and cypress. Thinking a bit more about this, though, saunas built in the Finnish style are of clear softwoods like Western red cedar, hemlock and white spruce. Also European alder but, in researching that species, I doubt you'll be able to find any suitable for your project. It's listed as best for 'fuelwood and pulpwood' products. I'm thinking if these are the woods used in saunas, they would surely stand up to a steam iron." - Random orbit
"I like the idea of alder. We use the knotty variety, a lower grade of red alder, to make kitchen cabinets." - vixbit50
"If you are set on using wood, try looking into marine grade plywood. It is designed to withstand moisture. You could also consider coating any wood with marine grade epoxy. If it were me, I would lean towards Johanna's suggestion to use a commercially produced ironing board and attach it to the base." - Jackie
Now there is a thread that has come full circle, right back to the first suggestion offered. As for the suggestion about coating a board with epoxy, it is worth remembering that, while there are some high temperature epoxies on the market (up to 600 degrees), most will soften at around 300 degrees F. - Editor