How can I bend wood?

Question

How can a make a sort of quarter circle curve made of wood? How do I bend the wood and what do I use... and what would be the best wood?

Answer 1

Steam it. Willow works real well, as does alder. There are others that you can use as well, but steaming is the old tried and true method.

Answer 2

I know Balsa wood is good -- but it's also very light-- so I'm not sure what you're trying to do with the wood. I would soak it in water, probably warm water for a few hours, or possibly overnight. The wood should be pretty pliable by then.

Answer 3

I seen this done by some one who is a whittler, someomone who carves wood with no machinery as such just a manually operated lath ( bench, big branch bent over it with thick string attached to it tied to a plank at the bottom wrap string around wood that is going to be turned press plank up and down wood spins on table add a chisel and away you go.) anyway he bent wood by steaming it in a long piece of guttering with mesh in place water in bottom put mesh in put wood in, and light fire underneath guttering , a couple of hours steaming, and hey presto, this was on wood about 2 and a half inches thick.
have you never chewed a lolly stick as a kid? buy a lolly stick or a pack of them and soak them because of the thickness they will be pliable to an extent, good luck i hope i helped,

Answer 4

Steam it inside a pipe , a wallpaper stripper works good as a steam maker.Block the ends of the pipe loosely with old rags and elevate the non feed end.
Bend the wood asap once removed from the pipe.
Wear oven gloves cos it comes out friggin hot!!

Answer 5

If you have to find nice ideas for woodworking i can suggest you to check here http://woodworking.toptips.org
It's perfect if you are just starting out or if you're a seasoned carpenter. you will like it for sure !
It has almost 20.000 woodworking plans and you have a CAD/DWG software to view and edit the plans. You have step-by-step instructions with photos and high quality blueprints and schematics. If you are a beginner this is the easiest way to start your woodworking projects, and if you already have experience you can anyway find a lot of interesting ideas!

Answer 6

Depends how thick it is, best to do it in thin layers, wet it bend to the shape you want, let it dry then glue together.

Failing that buy a huge piece and cut a curve in it

Answer 7

I don't know about wood, but I saw how they bend bamboo and make chairs. they put it in water for a week it becomes soft and bendable.

Answer 8

There were so many woodworking plans with this collection and you will not believe this but there are over thousands plans in the one package deal. Go here https://tr.im/zw44i
This is really something to find that many all together. For someone like me who is just really starting to get involved with woodworking this was like letting me loose in a candy store and telling me I could have anything I wanted. That was my dream when I was a kid.

Answer 9

you need to manufacture a solid jig to the inside diameter req. then soak/steam the timber. clamp one end of the timber to the start of your curve and keeping the timber wet bend it around the jig, adding more clamps/wedges the further round you go. this works easiest with thin strips and a thicker curve can be achieved by adding more strips to make a thicker piece, glueing in place with waterproof pva. softwood works best but most timbers should eventually bend.

Answer 10

Steam and pressure. Ply is good.
However, be warned, it is no cake walk.
Depending on your project you could approach a workshop for help.
Read the appropriate trade and craft monthlies first

Answer 11

I did it by
leaning the wood against the garage wall (inside)
and sprayed it daily with water
the wood slowly bent
then I bent it the rest of the way