Bending for Curve how to?

[Miriam C.]

Hi Lynn, Don't know if you have seen Barbs pictures of her curve. This looks like what you are saying I think.



this is how they did the bend. Not quite as sharp.

[Keith B]

Lynn... don't forget.. you have an interior ceiling to install too, some like to do it before the roof, but in your case, you need to be able to find your "structure"... the glue surface is needed for both. Your idea will work, others have use it...IF it were me.. I'd add three more spars at least in the curve....then you know you have enough, it's easier to bend the ply inside and out and it's easier to find the spars to screw too, etc. when securing for the glue.....on the 1/4 in. cuts... you want to kerf the plywood, do I understand you correctly?... well, sometimes that works.. but if you do that, you're cutting through 1/8" of the ply anyway, so why not just put 1/8 on times two then have the full 1/4.. I tried the kerf method on my 7" curve, without success and steaming wasn't enough.. I think steaming would work on your curve though, looks about 12 or 16"?, if that's the route you chose listen to those who've had success with it and- go slow... Personally, I don't think TBIII is "enough" for this application.. the roof is what creates the torsion structure and holds your camper together and keeps it from wiggling, etc.. it's built like an egg, VERY strong.... I would use F26 or Liquid Nail, some guys like Gorilla Glue.. just use something strong.. TBIII is great stuff, but I know when I lay floors on homes we use F26 and they DO NOT ever come lose or squeak or anything.... personal opinion. Again, F26 is very similar to Liquid Nail which you can fine anywhere, F26 is just what I know, both have good "inital tack" and they don't "drip" like TBIII....90 percent of my work is with TBIII, but there's a purpose and use for different glues.

[Jiminsav]

When we checked out the RV show last weekend, there was a travel trailer that had an infared saund in the nose. It amounted to little more than a woon lined closet, but it sat 2 people. Just when you thought you'd seen it all.

how much drinking did you do at this RV show, Rocky?

[Lynn Coleman]

Hi Lynn, Don't know if you have seen Barbs pictures of her curve. This looks like what you are saying I think.

thanks for the pics Miriam. Similar but different. We're thinking in terms of a solid 1/4 of a circle. It is the same as the ones in the side walls already. Below is a pic were you can make the 1/4 circle 3/4 ply out in the lower corner of the pic. I hope.


Lynn

[Lynn Coleman]

Lynn... don't forget.. you have an interior ceiling to install too, some like to do it before the roof, but in your case, you need to be able to find your "structure"... the glue surface is needed for both. Your idea will work, others have use it...IF it were me.. I'd add three more spars at least in the curve....then you know you have enough, it's easier to bend the ply inside and out and it's easier to find the spars to screw too, etc. when securing for the glue.....on the 1/4 in. cuts... you want to kerf the plywood, do I understand you correctly?... well, sometimes that works.. but if you do that, you're cutting through 1/8" of the ply anyway, so why not just put 1/8 on times two then have the full 1/4.. I tried the kerf method on my 7" curve, without success and steaming wasn't enough.. I think steaming would work on your curve though, looks about 12 or 16"?, if that's the route you chose listen to those who've had success with it and- go slow... Personally, I don't think TBIII is "enough" for this application.. the roof is what creates the torsion structure and holds your camper together and keeps it from wiggling, etc.. it's built like an egg, VERY strong.... I would use F26 or Liquid Nail, some guys like Gorilla Glue.. just use something strong.. TBIII is great stuff, but I know when I lay floors on homes we use F26 and they DO NOT ever come lose or squeak or anything.... personal opinion. Again, F26 is very similar to Liquid Nail which you can fine anywhere, F26 is just what I know, both have good "inital tack" and they don't "drip" like TBIII....90 percent of my work is with TBIII, but there's a purpose and use for different glues.

Keith, the ceiling of those areas are behind the cabinets but we'll be putting up insulation and some sort of a wall skin, not sure yet what that will be. I'll look into the F26, I'm not crazy about the liquid nails having used it on the under the floor storage and falling through. To me, it just isn't strong enough. Not to mention I'm still dealing with the sprained ankle and mega bruise on my leg.

As for the supports of the curve, I'll pass your suggestions on to Paul and we'll be working this problem out, soon, I hope. I'd love to have it done before the rain comes this weekend.

Lynn

[Podunkfla]

Lynn... As small as your curve is you may find it is easier to just glue up wood strips like a "coopered" door or barrel is made. You do have to have access to a table saw... but it is not hard to do. Saves all the bending hassle and is very strong. You can sand it smooth on the outside, if you want to. Just another idea to throw in the pot.

[Miriam C.]

Hi Lynn, Don't know if you have seen Barbs pictures of her curve. This looks like what you are saying I think.

thanks for the pics Miriam. Similar but different. We're thinking in terms of a solid 1/4 of a circle. It is the same as the ones in the side walls already. Below is a pic were you can make the 1/4 circle 3/4 ply out in the lower corner of the pic. I hope.


Lynn

That will be strong but will add a lot of weight and it will sit on one spar unless you brace down the front adding more weight to the front.

As you can see I have spent bunches of time worrying about weight.

[Keith B]

Good luck Lynn... however.. if you applied Liquid Nail and it broke without tearing the wood apart I'd say you either bought the wrong liquid nail or it was used improperly. I glued on a corner of my concrete porch that broke off and it's been there for over 10 years. With F-26, you can apply it overhead, vertical, etc...and it will stick to whatever you're working on without dripping or falling off, you then lay your piece on the glue, then lift up for about 20-30 seconds then lay it back down and secure...I use in on house floors and for attaching walls in a basement (wood to concrete w/ TapCon) and it will break the wood or the concrete before it breaks the glue. Good luck this weekend with your project...I'm sure it'll be great. Here's the link to F-26 http://www.leechadhesives.com/F26products.htm

[Todah Tear]

Lynn,

Soaking the wood and bending it once it got plyable worked for me. I wrapped it around the frame of my tear after placed the interior ceiling material in (I painted the foil/bubble insulation material.) I used screws to fasten it to the spars. It held nicely and comformed to the shape of my tear (which has a tight radius in the front and back.).

Todah

[Lynn Coleman]

Lynn,

Soaking the wood and bending it once it got plyable worked for me. I wrapped it around the frame of my tear after placed the interior ceiling material in (I painted the foil/bubble insulation material.) I used screws to fasten it to the spars. It held nicely and comformed to the shape of my tear (which has a tight radius in the front and back.).

Todah

Thanks, Todah. How did you soak your wood? Did you use MadJack's hot towels idea?

Lynn

[Lynn Coleman]

Here's the link to F-26 http://www.leechadhesives.com/F26products.htm

Thanks, Keith. I appreciate the link.

Lynn

[dhazard]

Hi Lynn, Don't know if you have seen Barbs pictures of her curve. This looks like what you are saying I think.

thanks for the pics Miriam. Similar but different. We're thinking in terms of a solid 1/4 of a circle. It is the same as the ones in the side walls already. Below is a pic were you can make the 1/4 circle 3/4 ply out in the lower corner of the pic. I hope.


Lynn[/quote

Interesting clamp, that must be a well trained dog to stay until the glue dries.

[Micro469]

Lynn.. not sure what you mean by curves..... but I will tell you how I did it, it might help you. First i used 1/8 ply.. it curved real easy around the bend. You are going to need a spar or two around that top curve..as others have said. I used Steve Fredericks method... the first layer of1/8 overlaps the edge of the walls by an inch or two. Once this was glued down, I covered it with epoxy and then laid down my second layer of 1/8, and used the overlap to clamp the second layer down to the first layer. I also used straps front to back to clamp it down. Make sure it's clamped down properly because once it dries, you get what you got.....on mine it bubbled on one spot, and I have to live with it... Otherwise the method worked great and there's no way it's gonna come off...hope this helps....

[Lynn Coleman]

Interesting clamp, that must be a well trained dog to stay until the glue dries.

Corky enjoys being close to us. Unless we're outside and it is too hot or too cold, either way, he's in the house where it is comfortable. Oh yeah, he's spoiled. But like I told our youngest son when he commented that we would never let them (as children) get away with anything. I said, I raised you to leave the house. The dog we're raising to stay.

Lynn

[Lynn Coleman]

Lynn.. not sure what you mean by curves..... but I will tell you how I did it, it might help you. First i used 1/8 ply.. it curved real easy around the bend. You are going to need a spar or two around that top curve..as others have said. I used Steve Fredericks method... the first layer of1/8 overlaps the edge of the walls by an inch or two. Once this was glued down, I covered it with epoxy and then laid down my second layer of 1/8, and used the overlap to clamp the second layer down to the first layer. I also used straps front to back to clamp it down. Make sure it's clamped down properly because once it dries, you get what you got.....on mine it bubbled on one spot, and I have to live with it... Otherwise the method worked great and there's no way it's gonna come off...hope this helps....

Hi John, thanks for the input. If we had done the bend first, we would probably do that method but today we tried out using 1/4" ply and scoring the wood every 1/2" or 1/4" (1/4 at the sharpest bend of the curve) and it worked well.

Yes, we'll be putting in more spars and a middle curved support that will also double as a divider in the upper cabinets.

Lynn
PS Tomorrow is our day to work on the trailer so we'll be working to see it that bend works out.