Vehicle clamping (we'll sort of !)

[Shox Dr]

Watched a boat builder on youtube a while back. He was using continuous plastic bagging tube.

The workpiece was slid into the tube and steam introduced in the middle, venting to each end. The beauty of this method was the wood could left inside the tube, thus keeping the heat, and moisture in the timber, while clamped up Worked very well

Yt link

 

[RonA]

What lengths are you bending, or looking to bend? friend works on boat restoration and he had a long steam chamber on his bending equipment as I made it in sections for him, over 30' with all the sections on.

Therein lies my problem I don't have access to steaming equipment. Lamination might have been an option but as the original body was built with short segments jointed together I decided that was the easiest course for me.
RonA

 

[Mee]

Ahhhhh, going for originality and authenticity.

 

[colnerov]

Therein lies my problem I don't have access to steaming equipment. Lamination might have been an option but as the original body was built with short segments jointed together I decided that was the easiest course for me.
RonA

Hi, Yes that's the more traditional car body frame practice. I think steaming is more a boat skinning practice.

Colin

 

[colnerov]

Hi, Talking of the glue, back in the 60s when I were a lad my Dad used to do cabinet making as a hobby and he used to use fish glue. I can still remember the smell of it when he was boiling it up on the stove, in a tin can in a pan of water. I seem to remember it came as little brown pellets in a paper bag.

Colin

 

[Gritineye]

Watched a boat builder on youtube a while back. He was using continuous plastic bagging tube.

The workpiece was slid into the tube and steam introduced in the middle, venting to each end. The beauty of this method was the wood could left inside the tube, thus keeping the heat, and moisture in the timber, while clamped up Worked very well

Yt link

Marvellous that's one to remember

 

[Shox Dr]

Marvellous that's one to remember

I though so too, just so happens I need to steam some wood, and I also have the bagging. Certainly save me from having to build a steam box

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I rebuilt a 20' gaff rigged sailing boat that was originally built in Exmouth, Mahogany clinker planks on steam bent Oak timbers. I replaced the worst planks with Iroko ones and also replaced a lot of the steam bent timbers using an insulated piece of soil pipe and a wall paper stripper as the steam source.
I tend to use Polyurethane glue now for anything timber related although its a right pain to get it off your hands!

 

[bigegg]

Since you're going to be using dowels anyway, I suggest you use the dowels as clamps:
If you drill the holes slightly offset (like 0.5mm), then knocking the dowels in will pull the joint tight.

 

[Justme]

Since you're going to be using dowels anyway, I suggest you use the dowels as clamps:
If you drill the holes slightly offset (like 0.5mm), then knocking the dowels in will pull the joint tight.

Thats what we do when making green oak frames.

Get the rough shape then glue / clamp / dowel.

Once set trim to correct shape.

 

[RonA]

Since you're going to be using dowels anyway, I suggest you use the dowels as clamps:
If you drill the holes slightly offset (like 0.5mm), then knocking the dowels in will pull the joint tight.

I can see the logic of your suggestion, how to put it into practice is where I see the problems arising. The sections are curved mis aligning them by 0.5 mm is the difficulty. In my mind forcing the sections together, gluing them & once set cross drilling for the dowels seems much easier.
RonA

 

[bigegg]

I can see the logic of your suggestion, how to put it into practice is where I see the problems arising. The sections are curved mis aligning them by 0.5 mm is the difficulty. In my mind forcing the sections together, gluing them & once set cross drilling for the dowels seems much easier.
RonA

You dont misalign them - drill the dowel hole through one piece, use a brad point drill bit to mark where the hole in the second piece should be. move the mark inwards 0.5mm and drill second piece.
You might need a very slight chamfer/taper on the dowel to start it off - use an extra long one, and trim off both ends afterwards.

 

[bigegg]

Tutorial here:
http://www.shootingboard.net/2006/03/draw-boring-technique.html?m=1

 

[RonA]

Tutorial here:
http://www.shootingboard.net/2006/03/draw-boring-technique.html?m=1

Thanks for that might give it a go.
RonA

 

[RonA]

Just an update after all the helpful suggestions on how to clamp the arches while gluing. Eventuality went with cliff_d's suggestion, assembled the glued sections on a piece of thick plywood with the end anchored, the sides pegged to keep the curve & then used wedges to apply required clamping force. It all worked out beautifully.
The project has now moved on a bit & attached photos show the rear seat "tub" as it stands now.

 

[clift_d]

Good show!