Is it possible to bend wood?

[MikeG.]

With limited resources I think the sensible answer is to forget bending. Get rid of laminating or steaming, and just make the curved section out of a thick pile of MDF. Glue the sheets of MDF together until they are the same thickness as the frame around the rectangular part of the screen, and cut the curved section out of the sheets. The shallower the curve on the top of the screens the less wastage you will have.

Oh hang it.....easier to draw than describe:

I've omitted the hardboard from both sides.

Mike

 

[Jake]

I don't think the curve is an arched top, the panels are supposed to curve around the end of the bath they are screening.

 

[LadyInThisDress]

Thanks Mike for the drawing, and thanks Jake for responding to it.

Now I am really confused....

Lady

 

[MikeG.]

I must always read the brief. I must always read the brief.I must always read the brief.I must always read the brief.I must always read the brief.I must always read the brief.I must always read the brief.I must always read the brief.I must always read the brief.I must always read the brief.

How about this then?

Mike

 

[LadyInThisDress]

Mike's drawing: is this in order to make the former?

How can I attach a picture? Do I have to upload it to a website and out a link? No that cannot be the only way - how did Mike do it?

 

[MikeG.]

No, it is instead of formers, instead of bending wood. Just cut the curved frame out of the solid. I reckon you will need one of these at the top, at the bottom, and in the middle of your screen to keep the curve nice.

Moke. shock: )

.......joke undone by a sneaky bit of editing!!

 

[LadyInThisDress]

No, it is instead of formers, instead of bending wood. Just cut the curved frame out of the solid. I reckon you will need one of these at the top, at the bottom, and in the middle of your screen to keep the curve nice.

Moke. shock: )

Oh yes I GET IT now! Brilliant Mike, brilliant!

PS You aren't Moke cos I edited before you posted this one lolol

 

[MikeG.]

How can I attach a picture? Do I have to upload it to a website and out a link? No that cannot be the only way - how did Mike do it?

Yep, that's the way. Photobucket is probably the easiest. Resize your picture and drop it into Photobucket, then drop the URL into your post.

Mike

 

[LadyInThisDress]

(1) trying to work out why there are two dotted lines....

(2) once a pile of mdf is glued together, the stack will be too thick for my little jigsaw to cut

(c) then have to screw the plywood to the stack- is the mdf thick enough to take a screw?

 

[PAC1]

30mm thick hollow yet rigid! You do not ask for much do you!

OK make the former as previously described or as Mike's drawing.
Lay one sheet of flexi ply or MDF over the former then get some 25 x 25 softwood finished 18mm the height of your screen and glue them to the ply/MDF at 200mm centres. When the glue has set glue the other sheet of flexi ply MDF to the top of the softwood position some 75x 50 over the flexi ply MDF height ways directly over the softwood and clamp them down with lots of clamps. When that has set you will need to make either from hardwood, plywood or MDF some curved pieces for the top and bottom. Glue and clamp these to the screen and trim flush or make a feature of the overhang. These will hopefully hold the flexi ply/MDF to the curve when you release it from the former.

 

[MikeG.]

I reckon you want to end up with something like this:

So the 2 dotted lines are so that you have a parallel front and back face to your frame members. You will need 3 of these per screen (top, middle & base), and they can be say 30/35 mm thick (which any jigsaw will manage.

Glue & clamp and pin or screw your hardboard to the edge of the MDF frame.......it'll be fine.

Mike

 

[MikeG.]

Pac is on a different wavelength to me. My pile of cut MDF is to be the frame, not a former. I'm trying to get away from bending anything at all (except the hardboard skins).

Mike

 

[LadyInThisDress]

30mm thick hollow yet rigid! You do not ask for much do you!

OK make the former as previously described or as Mike's drawing.
Lay one sheet of flexi ply or MDF over the former then get some 25 x 25 softwood finished 18mm the height of your screen and glue them to the ply/MDF at 200mm centres. When the glue has set glue the other sheet of flexi ply MDF to the top of the softwood position some 75x 50 over the flexi ply MDF height ways directly over the softwood and clamp them down with lots of clamps. When that has set you will need to make either from hardwood, plywood or MDF some curved pieces for the top and bottom. Glue and clamp these to the screen and trim flush or make a feature of the overhang. These will hopefully hold the flexi ply/MDF to the curve when you release it from the former.

I have read this through five times and am trying to visualise it....

I think I more or less understand what you are explaining. Unfortunately I am a "visual" kind of person who has difficultly with things being described in words. I love Mike's drawings because I understand them instantly.

I have no idea what you mean by making a feature of the overhang.

At the bottom there has to be castors so I have to work out what will these be screwed into - the layers of mdf I suppose.

Mike or Moke thanks for the new drawing. Yes that is the concept, though the curve (arc?) is much too "fierce" - what is the correct mathematical term?

 

[bodgermatic]

the curve (arc?) is much too "fierce" - what is the correct mathematical term?

The radius is too small / the curve is too tight.

 

[LadyInThisDress]

Thank you! The curve is too tight.

Pac is on a different wavelength to me. My pile of cut MDF is to be the frame, not a former. I'm trying to get away from bending anything at all (except the hardboard skins).
Mike

Skins. I like that, very descriptive.

Yes I understand exactly what you mean (phew - I am relieved since I have so much trouble converting words to visuals!)

 

[MikeG.]

I have read this through five times and am trying to visualise it....

At the bottom there has to be castors so I have to work out what will these be screwed into - the layers of mdf I suppose.

Mike or Moke thanks for the new drawing. Yes that is the concept, though the curve (arc?) is much too "fierce" - what is the correct mathematical term?

It took me 2 read-throughs to "get" Pacs suggestion.......which would work, but it would be really awkward for a novice.

Yes, the castors would screw straight into the MDF.

The shallower the curve the less wastage there will be on your pile of MDF.

Mike

 

[LadyInThisDress]

Sorry, stupid me!

The castors would not be screwed into the layered side of course! They'd be screwed into flat MDF.

Should I screw my hardboard skins onto the layered mdf then countersink and fill the holes?

 

[PAC1]

OK. but I am useless at drawing. Sorry

If you go down to 30mm and hollow you need something to hold the curve. so if you made a piece of wood or MDF to the same curve but say 50 or 80mm as opposed to your 30mm and rounded the edges then you can use this to hold the curve and for your casters at the bottom. at the top you might want to do the same but say 40 to 50mm wide with curved or chamfered edges.

PS Mike's drawing with his explanation was the same as I meant in my 60mm thick version. I would be concerned at taking this style down to 30mm as the curved frame would not be very strong. you might be able to do it with 18mm Birch plywood rather than MDF

 

[LadyInThisDress]

If you go down to 30mm and hollow you need something to hold the curve. so if you made a piece of wood or MDF to the same curve but say 50 or 80mm as opposed to your 30mm and rounded the edges then you can use this to hold the curve and for your casters at the bottom. at the top you might want to do the same but say 40 to 50mm wide with curved or chamfered edges.

Despite reading this four times, slowly, I just don't understand what it means. I am so sorry for my ignorance. What do you mean by hold the curve I wonder?

I'm not wedded to 30mm just hoping it won't be too thick.

I like Mike's idea of MDF and hardboard. Hardboard is so easy to work with and so bendy and light. The thickness of the panels will be determined by how thick I cut the mdf after layering (i.e. the distance between Mike's dotted lines) plus the thickness of the two hardboard skins.


This is the bath by the way ...

http://www.bathroomexpress.co.uk/acatal ... _bath.html

 

[PAC1]

Sorry, you are not being ignorant at all.

If you look at Mike's drawing at 2:10 pm and then his drawing at 1:46pm. My suggestion to hold the curve is to make two curved pieces as per his drawing at 1:46 and fix one at the top and one at the bottom of his 2:10 drawing