How to bend wood like this - Outdoor furniture project

[Alan Lightstone]

That's because he doesn't. But it you do some screen scrapes, it should be something you can figure out.

Pity. I've been trying to figure out a few of the parts, but not something I usually work with.

So I guess that's a cable winch. I'm online searching for winch part names.
Quick Change Steam Bending Jig 2.jpg

And, the black piece in the middle that looks like two pulley wheels that the wire goes through and then is attached to both sides of the wood to tighten it. And the red piece that the load hook grabs on to that also seems to be a pulley. I think that's a "Snatch Block".

That system looks great. I'd love to know the name of those parts so I could order them. It really looks to be the best setup I've seen:
Quick Change Steam Bending Jig Hardware Crop.jpg

[Steve Demuth]

He's got a ratcheting winch to provide the force to the cable. The orange and red pulley devices he's using to redirect the force are called snatch blocks. Easy to find in a good hardware store, or even a bad one like Amazon.

[Alan Lightstone]

He's got a ratcheting winch to provide the force to the cable. The orange and red pulley devices he's using to redirect the force are called snatch blocks. Easy to find in a good hardware store, or even a bad one like Amazon.

Thanks, Steve. Never worked with this stuff, but have always wanted to build some furniture with curves and I love this system. Have to start buying and building now. And, of course, wood choice and obtaining good wood for four chairs and a couch. Quite a project for me. Likely to take a good year. But I think I'll love the finished project. Hopefully SWMBO too.

[Curt Harms]

That's really interesting, Jamie. Never heard of that. Any Youtube videos on that, or threads here.

I remember a New Yankee Workshop episode using that technique. I think it was building something like outdoor arches for fencing.

[jack duren]

Regardless of the pictures , you’ll have to decide how you’ll make the bends.

It doesn’t matter about the picture..

it doesn’t matter how they did it, just how you do…

[Alan Lightstone]

So I got a very good look at the original, and took a bunch of pictures. There are actually a few seams, so bending will be much easier. Now have a good idea where to start, and make a good game plan.
Chair with Seams 1.jpg
And here's a picture of the seam in the back:
Chair with Back Seam Showing.jpg

Now still have lots of practice to do with steam lamination followed by bent lamination, and need to experiment to see how thick the pieces can be that can be bent successfully, but should be fun.

I ordered the winch, and assorted snatch blocks. Need to get wire, caribiners, etc... Should be an interesting adventure.

Lots and lots and lots of duplicate pieces needed.

[John TenEyck]

I see 5 joints in the back in the top photo. It wasn't steam bent at all. It was made from solid sections that were joined and then sawn into the desired curve.

John

[Jamie Buxton]

That's really interesting, Jamie. Never heard of that. Any Youtube videos on that, or threads here.

Here's a youtube about it. The guy makes it seem a little more challenging than what it actually is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJL7l_QtNv8

Notice that there's no bending of the wood. And there's no end-grain glue joints. In fact, all the glue faces are big facegrain-to-facegrain areas, so the resulting curved piece of wood is very strong.

[Alan Lightstone]

I see 5 joints in the back in the top photo. It wasn't steam bent at all. It was made from solid sections that were joined and then sawn into the desired curve.

John

That would explain why they advertise it as solid teak. Probably need at least 8/4 teak to do that. Definitely not in my budget.

[Jim Becker]

The winch shown is a simple, inexpensive boat trailer winch...available at Harbor Freight. (I use one on my utility trailer) The design of that fixture provides for even pressure from both sides with the wyw connection to the winch.

[Alan Lightstone]

The winch shown is a simple, inexpensive boat trailer winch...available at Harbor Freight. (I use one on my utility trailer) The design of that fixture provides for even pressure from both sides with the wyw connection to the winch.

Great. Parts ordered. Building to come. I'm going to try the combo of steam bending and bent lamination, even though the original seems to be built from solid wood. I like learning new techniques, plus not thrilled with all the joinery that would be involved with solid wood.
The project will be a challenge (plus need to find custom cushions for them eventually), but challenges are so much more satisfying than easy stuff.

[Jim Becker]

By making the fixture modular, you can have "different bends" available with the same mechanism. Some of his fixtures use only clamps, BTW. Pay attention to how he takes the time to align the laminations vertically, too, which makes for less cleanup after a component comes out of the fixture.

[John TenEyck]

That would explain why they advertise it as solid teak. Probably need at least 8/4 teak to do that. Definitely not in my budget.

I think 6/4 would be thick enough. Still pricey in teak, but there are lots of other suitable woods. Iroko comes to mind, as well as mahogany. Both should be available for $15/bf or less.

John

[Tom Bender]

That rig looks like a crossbow. If the lamination slips it could throw a clamp at you. Take precautions.

The more basic method of clamping around a form is safer.

Another method uses inner and outer forms pulled together.

Please keep us posted.

[Alan Lightstone]

That rig looks like a crossbow. If the lamination slips it could throw a clamp at you. Take precautions.

The more basic method of clamping around a form is safer.

Another method uses inner and outer forms pulled together.

Please keep us posted.

Yes, I thought the same thing. That rig does have my attention, but I am planning on using something similar.

Probably going to order 8/4 QS White Oak today. I doubt they'll have air-dried, but I'll ask.

The finished piece needs to be 1-1/2" thick. I wonder what the maximum thickness I'll be able to bend - decrease the number of plies of the lamination. I'm assuming that steam bending them first will allow greater thickness per piece than just using bent lamination.

Gluing up the curved pieces may be no fun, but we'll see.

Michael Fortunes method of steam bending - taking the piece out and bending in both directions to break the lignin bonds is interesting. https://www.finewoodworking.com/2007...ding-technique
Don't think I'm going to try it, though he knows FAR more about this than I do.

It actually looks like ordering the cushions for these will cost far more than the chair itself. That curved back pattern isn't made by most companies I can find. The originals are about $1K per chair from the company that builds these chairs. Ouch!!!