Best glue in kerfing

[Bodgy]

I expect to make a couple of carver chairs to complete a dining set. The back legs/rest pillars need to be curved and I intend to kerf the bends. Never done this before. Any advice re best glue and timber to use. Hope to emmulate the other chairs timber by stain etc, so some choice of timber possible.
Any advice welcome

[Iain]

Is the timber too heavy/thick for steam bending?
I would go with one of the better cross linked PVA's, which I use for most things anyway or a two part epoxy such as the west system.
Choice of timber would be up to you but I would certainly be looking for a straight grained timber like Tas Oak or similar.
How do you plan to fill the gaps in the kerfs?

[AlexS]

Kerfing is good for bending, but usually it won't be seen (eg the shoulders of coffins) or has to be done as a feature.

If done as a feature, you need to fill the gaps, and for that, epoxy (either Techniglue or West system) is probably the best. You can use pigments to colour the epoxy to either match or highlight it.

Filling the kerfs without bubbles is probably the hardest. I suggest you use a small barrel syringe to get it to the bottom of the kerf. Then when you bend the piece, the excess epoxy will squeeze out.

This will be quite messy, and depending on the size of the job, you may have to work quickly. Can look good though. Good luck.

[Bodgy]

Thanks to all for advice. I had thought of steam bending but am even more terrified of this than kerfing. Also believe the wood (tas oak) is too thick. Will try filling with tinted glue and make a feature out of the kerfs. Just got a Triton bench so cuts should be equal and exact. How's that for blind faith?

[Iain]

Just got a Triton bench so cuts should be equal and exact. How's that for blind faith?
I have a Labrador for sale :rolleyes:

[AlexS]

Just got a Triton bench so cuts should be equal and exact. How's that for blind faith?

Praise the lord & pass the ammunition! :D

Do a test piece first. Going by my experience, you will not get it right first time.

Good luck :)

[AlexS]

A few more tips on filling kerfs with coloured epoxy. I've used Techniglue, I believe West System is similar but needs filler - someone else may know:

1. Before you cut the kerfs, wax the piece of wood with plenty of inexpensive furniture wax. This makes it a bit easier to remove excess epoxy, and also stops it seeping into the grain on the surface where you don't want it. You can remove the wax later using turps.

2. It will be messy. Spread plenty of newspaper, wear an apron and vinyl gloves, and work in a well-lit area.

3. Prepare spatulas, syringes etc. before you start. BBQ skewers are handy for getting glue into tight spots.

4. It will be messy. Have plenty of rags or paper towels handy, with metho & a dish of warm soapy water handy.

5. With epoxy, it's important to get the proportions right. Measure or weigh them out accurately. If possible, mix up enough to do it all in one go, as it's difficult to match colours unless you also weigh the pigment. you won't need much so it can be difficult to weigh it precisely.

6. To stop the epoxy going off too quickly after you've mixed it, spread it out on the mixing board. Curing epoxy generates heat, which sets it off more quickly. By spreading it, you disperse the heat and it is useable for longer.

7. It will be messy. Don't touch your glasses with epoxy on your hands. DAMHIK :rolleyes:

8. After it's set, you can work it with a plane, scraper etc. When you're removing excess, where safety glasses, as it can chip off in hard, sharp splinters.

9. Did I mention it may be a bit messy.

10. It can look good when finished.

[jow104]

Praise the lord & pass the ammunition! :D

Good luck :)

I'm tired, and the temperature reached 30c yesterday. :D :D :D

That was better than Lang Lang.

[Schtoo]

Scared of bending wood?

I have just bent a few small pieces, my first bending ever and most of them turned out really good. A few little hiccups, but nothing that won't be cut out of them anyway. I'd have to say give it a try if you can without too much effort, you may be pleasantly surprised. Start small though, and start with scrap. ;)

Of course, I have no one around here to tell what I can and cannot do, so if something is considered impossible I won't know and go ahead and try it anyway.

Sometimes it even works! :D

[boban]

I've used West System combined with the fine sawdust from the peice that I have just sanded as a filler. It works well. Get your West System from FMS or Fibreglass Material Supplies at Seven Hills. About the cheapest mob around for this stuff.

Funny about the kerfing and the Triton. Its one of the first things I tried when I go the Triton. Youre bringing back memories.

Have you thought about laminating thin peices rather than kerfing. Now this works really well with West System and its not as hard as you think. Just a thought.

Good luck

[Iain]

I'm tired, and the temperature reached 30c yesterday. :D :D :D

That was better than Lang Lang.
It is absolutely freezing here today, we are wearing our thermal gear for these unbearably cold winters, an absolutely freezing 17 degrees C.
Two weeks to Falls Creek and it may even get to -5 for the official opening of the snow season, but that is the snowfields.
God I hate freezing Victorian winter, must return to Scotland to thaw out.

[powderpost]

I would prefer to laminate the curves with 4.5mm strips around a former made the required shape. This is stronger than saw kerfing. Have made a few semi-eliptical hall tables and some dining room chairs with bent backs. These were done with selleys "tradesmans choice" glue. It is a crosslinked and a polyaliphatic glue.

Jim