Caul question

[Sean Troy]

Do both the upper and lower need to be cambered or just the top? Thank you, Sean

[Matt Day]

Only one side. The idea is it flexes when clamped, so it only matters to have one side sloped.

[Sean Troy]

Only one side. The idea is it flexes when clamped, so it only matters to have one side sloped.
Thank you. I wasn't quite sure.

[David Eisenhauer]

I use them in pairs, both upper and lower caul cambered.

[james glenn]

I use them in pairs, both upper and lower caul cambered.

Same here. When making my various sets, it was easier to do both anyway.

[Mike Henderson]

It's best to have both cambered. Both will bend when tightened. If the bottom is not cambered, the panel will be pushed down into a "U" shape by the cambered top caul and the uncambered bottom caul.

Mike

[Sean Troy]

Now I'm not sure again. I'm hearing both ways on this post. :eek:

[Mike Henderson]

Now I'm not sure again. I'm hearing both ways on this post. :eek:

Like all things in life, use your logic and judgement to make a decision. If the facts and logic offered for one approach outweigh the facts and logic for the other, go with the first one.

Mike

[Sean Troy]

Like all things in life, use your logic and judgement to make a decision. If the facts and logic offered for one approach outweigh the facts and logic for the other, go with the first one.

Mike
Now that I can agree with.

[Rick Lizek]

333478
Do both the upper and lower need to be cambered or just the top? Thank you, Sean
The proper method is to camber top and bottom or you won't get even pressure. Been using them for over 40 years. Using curved cauls is an adaption of a low tech veneer press.

[Chris Padilla]

Now I'm wondering by "top and bottom" if you meant the individual caul or their use in pairs and Rick's photo above depicts.

Rick's photo makes it all clear and how I use them.

[Alan Schwabacher]

If one of your cauls is more rigid than the other, for example if you use a torsion box to clamp against, then you only need to camber the other, more flexible, caul so that it will press the work against the reference surface along the entire caul. If you use the more common approach of both cauls being of similar rigidity, both should be cambered and reasonably matched so as to be straight when they bend under clamping pressure. That's what will happen in Rick's picture above when clamps are tightened.

[Matt Day]

I apologize, I misunderstood the question. I thought you meant that when making a caul, do both sides of one caul need to be cambered.

I agree with the picture Rick posted. It's worth 1000 words.

[Sean Troy]

I apologize, I misunderstood the question. I thought you meant that when making a caul, do both sides of one caul need to be cambered.

I agree with the picture Rick posted. It's worth 1000 words.
I meant upper and lower.

[Bill Space]

If one of your cauls is more rigid than the other, for example if you use a torsion box to clamp against, then you only need to camber the other, more flexible, caul so that it will press the work against the reference surface along the entire caul. If you use the more common approach of both cauls being of similar rigidity, both should be cambered and reasonably matched so as to be straight when they bend under clamping pressure. That's what will happen in Rick's picture above when clamps are tightened.

This was a great question and caused me to turn my brain on for a bit, and to come to the conclusion that Alan so well explained.

I have never used cauls, but will do so sometime in the future for certain...