PDA

View Full Version : Wood fab question



Mark75H
03-09-2009, 06:27 AM
I'm making a large storage box on my boat race trailer, sort of like a small shed. I want to make the top have some bow so it sheds water. It only needs to be an inch or so, but I haven't decided how to do it.

I don't have a bandsaw. If I did I'd just cut some 2X4's .

Instead I'm considering bowing some 2X2's and epoxying them to the roof so they retain their bowed shape.

Any other suggestions?

Cobra1racer
03-11-2009, 06:58 PM
Cut it out of plywood? 3/4" glue several together if needed, like a gluelam beam. Or do it the fashion way and steam bend some oak or ash, but what a time consumer that would be.

Mark75H
03-11-2009, 07:09 PM
I got a lot of good responses to the same question on hydroracer.net. I am going to find some firring strips or rip some 2X2's into strips, bend them and glue them into laminated bows.

I'm going to make a little jig, just a table with 4X4's on each side (the thing is 7' 4" wide), maybe a 2X and 1X part way in and weight a board running down the center of the strips. If it rains, good, if not I'll spray them down and let them dry in the bowed shape, then I'll reverse every other piece to disarrange the grain patterns and glue them into laminated bows on the same table with a bunch of clamps.

typhoon
03-17-2009, 02:07 AM
You could laminate them as you go, they'll hold shape with very little effort at that width. Saves you a few steps. Place waxed paper below the job though!
Just throw the curve you want onto teh table, nail some blocks down and away you go.

Regards, Andrew.

Bruster
04-01-2009, 07:44 AM
Don't you have a friend with a band saw? No... Cut the bow shape with a jig saw, or a table saw and sand them true with a belt sander. Don't make an all day job out of 10 minutes work.



I'm making a large storage box on my boat race trailer, sort of like a small shed. I want to make the top have some bow so it sheds water. It only needs to be an inch or so, but I haven't decided how to do it.

I don't have a bandsaw. If I did I'd just cut some 2X4's .

Instead I'm considering bowing some 2X2's and epoxying them to the roof so they retain their bowed shape.

Any other suggestions?

rock
04-01-2009, 07:53 AM
As has already been stated laminated bows are easy and very strong. We have built curved cabinet doors that way for years. Several pieces glued together in a curve will hold their shape.
Rock

Mark75H
04-01-2009, 03:27 PM
Don't you have a friend with a band saw? No... Cut the bow shape with a jig saw, or a table saw and sand them true with a belt sander. Don't make an all day job out of 10 minutes work.

I cut them with a circular saw and it took a lot more than 10 minutes. These bows need to be 88" across, so I cut 3/8" strips out of 8 ft 2X4's. I think there need to be 7 or 8 bows and I'm guessing 5 layers thick = 40 strips

The weather is supposed to be good here this weekend, so I will glue and clamp them into bows Saturday & Sunday. I painted one end of all my boards before I began so I can be certain not to have the same grain next to each other.