Thread: Bending Melamine Particleboard

Making a single curve for a pug mold use .6mm flat galv tin sheet bent around some end plate's(MDF,Chip board... what ever you can find) if its a long curve you will need to brace the sides as well, tin will tend to bow out otherwise.
The tin will actually give you more of a flat shiny surface than melamine and is way easier to bend.

"Making a single curve for a pug mold use .6mm flat galv tin sheet bent around some end plate's(MDF,Chip board... what ever you can find) if its a long curve you will need to brace the sides as well, tin will tend to bow out otherwise.
The tin will actually give you more of a flat shiny surface than melamine and is way easier to bend."



Many thanks - that's a great idea. I need to put flanges down the sides anyway so it looks like the go.

3mm acrylic coated board will bend to those specs it may be hard to find it was years ago last time I used some, I don't know if the surface will stand up to what you want to do with it

Sheet material can be bent like you require by a process known as kerf bending - lots of thin kerfs gives a better result than fewer courser kerfs.

Alternatively, you may get a fairer finish by laminating four or five thicknesses of 3mm melamine.

If you decide to go with metal, also have a look at stainless steel - price gap over galvanised has been narrowing for years.

Finally, might be worth reposting your query in the boatbuilding sub-forum - they play around with fibreglass all the time.

Cheers

Graeme

You don't say what the radius of the bend would be....

My first thought was to use Formica (a.k.a. High Pressure Laminate) as you could probably get a 75 MM radius without difficulty. Then the galvanized sheet suggestion appeared. Probably cheaper and a better solution but may require a stronger frame work to hold the shape.