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Question about "bending" wood

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Boz:
I have limited experience working with wood, but am eager for the challege. The 4-player cardboard control panel I've been modeling has rather large symetric curves in the 3 and 4 player positions. When working with rather thick corrugated cardboard, making the curves was easy as pie. BUT, I'm positive that doing this with 10-ply oak plywood will take some special wood-working methods that I'm not aware of.

Can someone steer me in the right direction to accomplish what I'm after.

Thanks

My project link

shardian:
I'm not woodworking vet, but I don't think you'll be bending 10 ply plywood any time soon. Your best bet would be to build up the side walls with several cuts of 3/4" ply in the curve of your choice. Glue and stack several layers of ply and there you go! Sand and putty the final side to get it smooth.

Boz:
Well, I saw something very similiar at a supermarket. They built twin arches out of plywood. When I examined the structure I found that they cut sections out of the plywood and bent the wood to make the curve. I'm hoping to stain the wood so I don't know if putty is going to look right.

Hmmmpphhh!!!  There *has* to be a way to do this. Soak in water?

ahofle:
Just guessing, but the furniture you saw was probably bent before the glue between the layers of wood dried.  Trying to bend it afterwards is probably going to be futile.

Turnarcades:
 :-\ You could go for a less sheer curve on the base and just bracket the inside corners, then use wood filler or fibreglass filler to smooth round the corner. Once rubbed down it could look really good, but bending wood is something that should only be done in the manufacturing process as it compromises the rigidity of the wood anyway.

Or like has already been suggested, layer the wood and glue them together, then smooth that of for a nice finish. This may make the final item very heavy though and also make it look clumsy on the inside, so decide carefully what you are going to do.

Most people who have curved control panels choose to keep with a strong, squared box for strength, as well as practicality. :)

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