about bent laminations

[nick brigg]

How does one go about trimming the ends of a bent rail? Pictures would be great

[Jamie Buxton]

I generally build fixtures which clamp on to the curved piece, or even screw on to a hidden face. The fixtures provide flat parallel faces which I can use as references for machining. One example of further machining is cutting off the ends, as you're contemplating. A bigger issue is forming a tenon on the end of the rail, or cutting a mortise into which you'll insert a loose tenon.

[David DeCristoforo]

A jig based on this sketch:

curved_rail.gif

Many variations possible but you get the idea?

YM

[Alan Turner]

Nick,
I did a curved front corner cabinet, and used bent laminations for the rails and face frame members. I carefully built a male - female form of mdf for the lamination glue-up. I then used the female form, cut in half, as the "sled." I clamped it to a TS sled for a square cut at the ends, and reversed it 90 degrees as a sled/fixture for use on a slot mortiser. These 4 doors were joined with loose tenons, which was more efficient than traditional M&T. It worked well. But, the forms are gone, of course. We knew that this project would not be made again and so did not hesitate to destroy the forms. As I recall, we were using a 42" radius. The stiles were just handplaned in to give the appearance of the same radius, and this worked fine as well. No pix; sorry. Had to get it out the door.

[Jim Barstow]

I built a music stand with bent lamination legs. I left the tops ragged
during glue up then trimmed them flush. For the bottoms, I held the
stand plumb then scribed the bottoms relative to a flat table. I trimmed them with a fine hand saw.

Several other times I've used bent laminations, I've found a careful use of a hand saw is far more efficient that building a jig.

[David DeCristoforo]

"...I've found a careful use of a hand saw is far more efficient that building a jig..."

In general, I would agree providing, of course that you have the skill with the hand saw to make these cuts accurately (which you obviously do but not everyone has.) However, the jig is almost essential for any machining operations, not only cutting but milling (a cope and stick or other joinery for example) as well.

BTW, that's a very fine music stand.

YM

[Jim Barstow]

"...I've found a careful use of a hand saw is far more efficient that building a jig..."

In general, I would agree providing, of course that you have the skill with the hand saw to make these cuts accurately (which you obviously do but not everyone has.) However, the jig is almost essential for any machining operations, not only cutting but milling (a cope and stick or other joinery for example) as well.

BTW, that's a very fine music stand.

YM

I agree, I use jigs all the time for things that need to be repeatable or are difficult to position. For single (or in the case above, 3) cut(s) at a compound angle, a fine japanese saw and a careful hand work very well.

I don't use a hand saw that often but my first teacher demanded that I cut a bunch of dovetails, all by hand. I learned that I could actually control a saw and cut accurately. I do most things with machines but it's nice to know that accurate use of hand tools is always a fallback.

Thanks for the comments about the music stand. It was a present for my nephew who just enrolled at the new england conservatory of music.

[David DeCristoforo]

"...my first teacher demanded that I cut a bunch of dovetails, all by hand..."

I learned this way also. Although I have worked primarily with machines for many years, I still think it is important to be able to do things "by hand". As you point out, there are many times when a few quick swipes with a hand plane or saw will get the job done in less time than it takes to set up a machine. Frank Klaus can cut an entire dovetailed drawer is less time than it takes to set up a Leigh jig. Of course if you have to cut fifty drawers.....

YM

[Jim Becker]

I generally use a jig to trim the ends...a sled, if you will...that holds the workpiece in the proper orientation to make the cuts on the TS. Jigs become a way of life for any kind of "non-totally-flat" work!