wood strength

[Reg Mitchell]

Ok I need to get some expert advice from all you guys that have a good understanding about the grain of different woods. Question: If i were sliceing a board 1/16th to 1/8th and maybe 3/16 of an inch being the final size after sanding flat whick would be the strongest for the stated thickness. It would be steamed and bent in a dia of about 4" and would have to clamp that dia. I am thinking the overall thickness would be about 1 to maybe 1 1/2 inches thick. :)

[Lee Schierer]

Ok I need to get some expert advice from all you guys that have a good understanding about the grain of different woods. Question: If i were sliceing a board 1/16th to 1/8th and maybe 3/16 of an inch being the final size after sanding flat whick would be the strongest for the stated thickness. It would be steamed and bent in a dia of about 4" and would have to clamp that dia. I am thinking the overall thickness would be about 1 to maybe 1 1/2 inches thick. :)

YOur stongest wood would be hickory. If you could get it green and cut it to the 1/8" thickness you would be able to get a bend that tight. MOst other woods are not going to bend that tight. Thicker pieces also aren't going to bend on a 2" radius. Stay thin, straight grained, green and use hickory.

[Steve Wargo]

I agree with Lee. I think that you'll probably have the best luck getting hickory to bend that tight. You you may need to go even thinner than to get it to bend with out breaking. Steam pipe method might be your best chance. I think that you can creat a tighter bend with that method. May need to bend each indiviual piece then glue them all together with the form and hope for minimal springback. Good luck... You may need it.

[tod evans]

lee and steve are on target but do you need solid wood? my wholesaler carries bending birch in 1/8" that quite easily will do a 2" diameter not radius in a vacuum. food for thought?????tod

[Reg Mitchell]

thanks guys....well i was thinking about useing steam to bend the strips and would be epozying them to gether as a laminated unit... do you think the burch would be a good alturnitive if i can get it.
This is going to house a router motor and will be useing it to clamp the motor and it will have a i/8 thick rubber lineing to keep down the vibration...do they sell 1/8 or 1/16 thick hickory....would be a lot less trouble to get it already sized....got an ide i'm toying with and if it works it will be a nice addition :D

[tod evans]

i would NEVER mount a router motor in a bent wood housing for any reason!! there`s a reason router bases are made out of metal. if you feel you need a wood router "holding device" glue up a solid block of baltic birch and bore a hole through the block for the motor,(good luck cutting the keyways for the index pins) kerf the block so you can use a nut and bolt to squeze the motor and lock it in place. i would think 3/4-7/8 thick walls surrounding the motor would provide about as much strength as an aluminum base but i`m not an engineer. me thinks you`re asking for trouble with this one!!!! tod

[Lee DeRaud]

This is going to house a router motor and will be useing it to clamp the motor and it will have a i/8 thick rubber lineing to keep down the vibration...do they sell 1/8 or 1/16 thick hickory....would be a lot less trouble to get it already sized....got an ide i'm toying with and if it works it will be a nice addition :DOk, today seems to be my day for asking stupid and/or annoying questions...

If I read this right, you're going for a cylinder with an ID of 4" and an OD of 6-7", and unspecified length (presumably no more than 4-6"). Why on earth are you bending it? It would be a whole lot easier to cut circles of solid wood (or plywood for that matter) and laminate them in the vertical direction until you have the length you want. If the grain orientation is staggered between pieces, the resulting assembly will be ridiculously strong.

[Steve Wargo]

Don't bend the wood to try and accomplish what your doing. Cut it out of solid stock as stated above. Alter the grain direction. If it must be perfectly round then turn the cylinder on a lathe. If it must look very nice, then veneer it afterwards. But don't try to bend and laminate this fixture. You are asking for trouble, and if you're housing a motor larger than 2 1/4HP I'd go as thick as 1 1/2". But first, and foremost, I'd try to do this a different way all together.

[Reg Mitchell]

good point Lee. I am looking to have it, and might glue a piece of vaner to the outside. Maybe walnut not that i think of it. This will be a dedicated router and will stay in the table. hopefully if i can get the parts cut, will have brass , 2 , bands around it. and will slide on two stainless rods and ajustable from the side with an acme threaded rod. The wood will cushon the brass against the side of the motor. Haven't worked out all the detales just yet that is the reason for the first question. As I get the thing i have in mind started i will get you guys some pictures. I am sure what I have in mind is quiet safe there will be some metal in this. ;)