Bent laminate apron form (pictures) pedestal table

[Dave Shively]

A few have asked about the form I made for the apron on the pedestal table I just
made, so here are some details and some pictures.

For a 48" table top I cut some 1/2" stuff (you can't find what I used so any ply would do)
to a width of 46 inches. This will leave an overhang of about 1 1/2 " on the table top.
I then used (because I had plenty of it) 2" poplar and cut it at 22 1/2 degrees to make
the arch and each piece being about 6" wide. Then I repeated it overlapping the first
layer make it a total of 4" thick. With this method as you can see in the pictures, there
is at every clamp point a flat spot for the clamp to "grab" hold of. There is no need to
drill holes for the end of each clamp to sit in. And with the alternating layers you have
a clamp about every 6 or 7 inches, give or take. All this was glued and screwed. Then
I took a large homemade compass and made a arch to match the 46 inches. Off to the
band saw to cut the arch and then a fine tuning with the least used tool in my shop, my
belt sander, and took out the saw marks. I then taped up the edge so glue wouldn't
stick to it. Oh forgot to mention the ply was made longer so as to clamp it to the
assembly table because when bending the the laminates a lot a force is needed and it
needs to be clamped down, hence the extra length.

If you notice in the picture with the pencil on the form there is a black line about a foot
long. I found a flaw which needs correcting. I forgot to allow for spring back after the
glue dried which when it came time to put the two pieces together I had to add a
little persuasion to get two to line up. Not much but more than I want to fight in the
future. So, on the black line is where I'm going to cut on each side of the form to
"bring" the ends in some to allow for the nasty spring back. By the way, I did not do
any steaming and I used just yellow glue (Tite Bond III) it gives you more working time.

In the pictures I took for this post, there was no glue used at all, it was just dry. When
glue is used it bends much easier although this bent fine.

I hope this answers of your questions.

Dave

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[Jim Becker]

Excellent pictorial! Thanks. That's exactly what I was looking to see.

[John Fry]

Thanks Dave,

I have always used stacked 3/4 MDF for this type of form, but the flats on the poplar is kind of a nifty result of using the 8/4 material. 8/4 poplar is probably easier to lug around the shop than those 3/4 sheets of MDF too.:)

You might try a plastic resin glue next time, I use Unibond 800, a modified urea formaldehyde (same adhesive I use for all my veneer work), and I am convinced the spring back is next to nothing. I have found the PVA's are just too flexible for bent lam work to suit my tastes.

[Dave Shively]

Thanks John I will try Unibond next time. In fact that is what I was going to use but I was to lazy to go and get any at the time. Besides I had lots of Tite Bond III in the shop and was in a hurry, a bad trait of mine which usualy comes back to bite me.

Dave

[Dave Shively]

John, forgot to ask, do you think I still might need to cut off the ends to help on the spring back?

Dave