Thread: Inlay Troubles

At 430 mm you will be best served steaming the wood prior to bending. Red Cedar & Jarrah steam bend well.

This resource is helpful - The Bending of Timber (nsw.gov.au)

If you can go through a stack of Blackwood you may be able to find a dark piece. Its colour can vary from a mid to dark brown.

Two pieces of timber with a width just over 1.5 mm may be easier to get in and if well fitted wont be noticeable as two.

And sometimes just heating 3.1mm thin wood like that with a heat gun can help bending it . The small amount of moisture it contains does the trick . Just stop before it starts giving off smoke . The musical instrument makers use that trick on purfling and binding sometimes.

Originally Posted by auscab

The musical instrument makers use that trick on purfling and binding sometimes.

Good point - search "side bending" on Luthiers forums. For purfling etc a steam iron will do the trick.

I would suggest you cut a circle 430mm diameter and laminate two thin strips to make up the stringing. Make two halves a bit over half the circumference long. That will take the pressure off the fitting process. I have used this method on round side table tops, much easier than trying to fit a cranky single piece of wood.

I forgot to add that the timber was Queensland maple.

Jim

Originally Posted by powderpost

I would suggest you cut a circle 430mm diameter and laminate two thin strips to make up the stringing. Make two halves a bit over half the circumference long. That will take the pressure off the fitting process. I have used this method on round side table tops, much easier than trying to fit a cranky single piece of wood.

I forgot to add that the timber was Queensland maple.

Jim

How do you get perfect connections between the strips?

Originally Posted by Damienol

How do you get perfect connections between the strips?

Cut a series of holes about 35mm diameter about 75mm in from the edge. Use cramps in these holes to glue the strips together. The ends are butt joined in the groove, just the same as you would with a single piece.

Jim

Originally Posted by powderpost

Cut a series of holes about 35mm diameter about 75mm in from the edge. Use cramps in these holes to glue the strips together. The ends are butt joined in the groove, just the same as you would with a single piece.

Jim

Sorry Jim but I dont understand what you are saying however that said, I am not drilling holes anywhere near the table top [emoji4]

I havent worked out how you cut the length to get a hairline perfect butt joint

Originally Posted by Damienol

Sorry Jim but I dont understand what you are saying however that said, I am not drilling holes anywhere near the table top [emoji4]

I havent worked out how you cut the length to get a hairline perfect butt joint

Damien,
From your first post, I had assumed that the project was 430mm diameter. Therefore I had suggested you cut a disc 430mm diameter and use that as a "former" for making two full semi circular laminated stringings, (the bits you are trying to glue into the grooves). It was in this "former" that the holes would be normally cut. I am not stupid enough to suggest that you should cut holes in the table top. The idea behind this method is to take the stress off the inserts. The holes are to allow you to use a series of cramps to cramp the two thin strips together firmly.
One half circle of the insert would have the ends trimmed off perfectly, inserted and the second semicircle would have one end trimmed perfectly and the second end would be cut according to the length required. To assist getting a "perfect" fit, very slightly undercut, that is the upper edge would be slightly, very slightly, longer than the bottom edge.
Is this a better explanation?
I might add that I have used this method quite q few times.

Jim

Thanks Jim. The inclusion of the former really clarifies the explanation


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Built a steamer, did a couple of tests and then found QLD Maple bends the whole way round without any issues. And, was the best of the colours I had on hand.

Pretty happy with the results for a first attempt.