ideas,please...

[Butch Edwards]

I've a project that requires an almost- half-moon bend (hallway table)for the aprons. the plans call for the use of maple plywood,due to it's flexability/bendability after kerfing. however, I want to use solid flamed maple 3 quarter boards for the aprons. I built a kerfing jig, set at the demonstrated quarter inch spacing(1/8 kerfs), and kerfed the solid board. it makes the less radical bend at the front of the table body, but the back-sides is a tad more "steep", and wont quite make it..I didnt force,cuz I don't wanna break it. thought of steaming, but afraid it would darken the wood(it did for the Oak I tried on another project)... whats' your experience suggest doin'... narrowing the 1/4" tabs for more flex? what?:confused:
Thanks, in advance....

[Frank Drew]

Butch,

Kerf bending wouldn't be my first choice for a curved apron; sometimes it isn't until you get the finish on that you notice the appearance of a series of flats telegraphing through from the kerfing even though you were meticulous about your sanding.

I think veneering over a bricklayed apron is a great method; you could also consider laminating the shape with a form but there might be a bit of unpredictable springback (you can almost guarantee springback with steambending). Bricklaying isn't difficult (slightly tedious maybe), but with a regular curve most of the "bricks" will be multiples of the same piece. If you go this route, you should double veneer the face to avoid having the bricklaying telegraph through sometime down the road.