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Recent Bios FAQ

272141 Michael Suwczinsky <nicknaylo@g...> 2020‑11‑25 Re: Serpentine table and chair legs
I would consider a multi-ply lamination. Once you have your mocked up
design close to what you want, use that to make a form and many thin slices
of wood, ample glue, wax paper and clamps should get you a strong, workable
curve.  Slow setting glues, lots of oversized parts to trim down to your
final dimensions but I think that is the way to go, if you would rather not
resort to  steam bending.  Glue lam has the advantage of not having to
estimate springback into your molding form. I think in terms of the amount
of work for each method, it's likely a wash.

Michael

On Thu, Nov 19, 2020 at 2:43 PM  wrote:

> OH wise ones:
>
> In the next few months or maybe a year or so, I am going to try to make an
> oval occasional table, say 24-30 inches in height, with  serpentine legs.
> By that I mean that the legs will arc in from the edges to a center point,
> and then do reverse arc to the floor, maybe with a re-curve.  The idea is
> rococo influenced, but contemporary.
>
> The engineering is not clear to me.  If I cut the legs out of single pieces
> of timber -- even using rift sawn wood as I always do for legs, the curves
> are probably going to have stretches of short grain that will make them
> weak.  That is probably so even if I use wide boards and cut on the bias.
> I
> don't have any natural knees of the sort favored by shipwrights.
>
> Am I over thinking this?
>
> Has anyone done this?  Does anyone know how it was classically done so that
> the furniture will survive?  Should I joint pieces so as to avoid short
> grain? If so, how, using what joint?  A butt joint would be at least as
> weak
> as short grain.
>
> Cheers!
>
> Joe
>
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-- 
Michael

Recent Bios FAQ