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how to bend wood for funiture

video how to bend wood for funiture

i will be showing you how to bend wood for furniture pieces. this is for the gorilla glue contest. check out some other projects on my youtube channel.

The materials you will need are:
clamps - the bigger the piece the more clamps you need.
wood
table saw
roller
glue - any good wood glue will work but i find that gorilla glue make for a professional bend
tray for your glue
safety goggles
time and patience

36 comments

Nov 20, 2011. 10:05 PM

mmh says:

Nicely done instructable. Easy to understand and well written.

Apr 26, 2011. 2:32 PMvincent7520 says:

Great inst' !…
One think I'd like to know though iw what exactly you call MDF ? As living in France I'm not really sure how it translates …
If you have any time for an answer that would be very nice of you.
If not, that's OK too…

May 5, 2011. 12:07 PMjarleek says:

hello there!

check out this wikipedia article: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panneau_de_fibres_%C3%A0_densit%C3%A9_moyenne

hope that will help you!

May 5, 2011. 1:06 PMvincent7520 says:

Thanks a lot.
Very nice of you to answer with a link.
I truly appreciate.
Have a good week end.

Jun 15, 2011. 12:46 PMdoubleshockz (author) says:

oh im so sorry... i havent been on in a LONG time haha. but it looks like jarleek helped you :)

Jun 15, 2011. 2:07 PMvincent7520 says:

that's ok
real life is always more interesting than virtual … even on down to earth instructables !!!…

Nov 14, 2010. 2:39 PMezcheese says:

This is really well done and well explained. Good job. But it makes me wince to see you cut the strips the way you do on the table saw.
I worked in the US cabinetmaking for a while and the guys in the shop all did it the same way too. In Ireland & the UK (and probably all of the EU) it is illegal to use table saw without both a riving knife and crown guard fitted. This means operations like grooving cannot be done on a table saw. There are other safer ways of doing those operations. The table saw is the most dangerous tool in the shop, it needs to be respected.

May 13, 2011. 7:39 AMgmartin1 says:

Illegal? I live in Sherwood Forest and the first thing I did when I bought my saw was to remove the guard and I regularly use sleds so the riving knife goes too (temporarily). So tell me, who's coming in my garage to arrest me? :-)

Jan 11, 2011. 1:31 PMdoubleshockz (author) says:

i know im replying to your comment late... sorry... yep i know how dangerous they are ive seen people split their finger with them.

Nov 14, 2010. 1:44 PM

Lignumvital says:

Dont forget to do bent lamination in odd numbers, an even number puts stress on the middle glue joint. Love your instructable, and would like to talk shop sometime I'm a furniture major too. I studied under Phill Tenant, and Cory Robinson.

Apr 26, 2011. 2:24 PMvincent7520 says:

thank you for this particular information : I was not aware of that. Never had any problem with my previous lamination that still hold after 14 years of good service as frames of my 30 ft boat. However better be on the safe and wise side and use good advice when given.
best wishes

Apr 28, 2011. 9:36 PM

Lignumvital says:

Thinking about it normal wood glue would cause no problems either way since the glue is stronger then the wood grain. Fine Wood Working has a great article on the strength of different glues. Im betting you would see the joint break in even numbers though if you used gorilla glue or an animal hide glue and pushed it to breaking point. I recommend everyone reading the article in the magazine though, its really good.

(Any one bored that has a hydrolic press want to try it out? Id like to know the results.)

Apr 29, 2011. 12:44 AMvincent7520 says:

Thank you for the information. I'll try to keep this ina corner of my memory next time I'll have to use it.
have a good day.

Dec 30, 2010. 11:15 AMthepelton says:

My Mother, who had a Master Degree in Fine Art, said that odd numbers are more aesthetically pleasing than even.

Jan 11, 2011. 1:33 PMdoubleshockz (author) says:

yep. i just made a log candle holder as a gift, and was going to put 4 candles in it, but remembered odd numbers are better

Dec 16, 2010. 6:23 PMasterman says:

very well done! one question. aren't you supposed to have the piece your planning to use after cutting on the table saw facing the guide? in between the blade and guide. also this would work better because you would not have to keep adjusting the guide for each strip.

Nov 25, 2010. 5:10 AM

bertus52x11 says:

Nice and clear I'ble! I have one question though:
Does the "bow" flexes back a little bit once you have released it from the MDF or do you obtain exact the same shape?

Nov 25, 2010. 3:53 PMdoubleshockz (author) says:

it should stay the same since its multiple layers. the bottom layer of wood or the top would be the most likely to bend out but the other layers that have glue on both sides will hold it so i can hold its shape.

Nov 25, 2010. 10:55 PM

bertus52x11 says:

Thanks.

Nov 21, 2010. 5:50 PMduggles218 says:

Nice job. Your video makes bent wood pieces seem easy! Thanks

Nov 12, 2010. 6:09 PMwrksnfx says:

This would be a GREAT way to make a recurve bow thanks!

Nov 13, 2010. 11:50 PMdoubleshockz (author) says:

oh no wait wait.... i dont know if this would support a bowstring. the pressure would probally rip the strips apart. so if you do try to make something like a bow with this method i declare i am not responsible for your actions. lol but seriously it would suck to have a thousand little slivers of wood in your wrist and face if it snaped.

Nov 15, 2010. 11:14 AMwrksnfx says:

No they make laminated recurve bows. here is a link w/ a pdf.
http://www.vintageprojects.com/archery/recurve-bow-plans.html

Here is the pdf. Google is your friend.
http://www.vintageprojects.com/archery/recurve-bow-plans.pdf

Nov 14, 2010. 7:16 AM

blkhawk says:

I believe that the Huns built their bows in a similar manner since there was not enough wood where they came from. They glued strips of wood together.

Nov 15, 2010. 6:19 AMtigerbomb8 says:

with horn from an animal to give it strength

Nov 16, 2010. 6:35 AM

blkhawk says:

And animal tendon (or sinew). The Huns were very resourceful and their bows were a bit stronger than the European bow.

Nov 14, 2010. 10:52 AMkleinjahr says:

Nicely done. Another way to make the form is to cut the curve through the mdf then use both pieces as the clamp pads.
Something to be aware of is that as the lamination gets thicker the ends of the new pieces will not line up, sort of a taper or scarf.

Nov 12, 2010. 6:48 PMH4T says:

Nice Instructable! Being an apartment dweller (and computer nerd) I don't get much opportunity to learn cool skills like this - now all I need are the tools and space and I think I can give this a shot! Thanks for the clear explanation!

Nov 12, 2010. 9:32 AMgraeme.t.cooper says:

awesome.

Nov 9, 2010. 6:21 PM

rimar2000 says:

At 2:11minute, you say "You need to make sure you have all your things".
I would say "You need to make sure you have all your fingers".
(Please smile)

Good instructable, well explained.

Nov 11, 2010. 3:43 PMdoubleshockz (author) says:

haha thanks

Nov 8, 2010. 8:20 PMMr. TiKi says:

Wouldn't it be easier to cut strips with a band saw?

Nov 9, 2010. 1:07 PMdoubleshockz (author) says:

yes you are right! but i showed on the tablesaw because i don't think alot of people have bandsaws.

Nov 10, 2010. 3:43 AM

NutandBolt says:

Good point, and you are correct.

Nov 10, 2010. 3:41 AM

NutandBolt says:

Very good video, well explained. Using the MDF as a form is great method for bending wood. I made once laminated wood arch for a window usnig this method. Great job!!!

Nov 9, 2010. 10:58 AMthewetturd says:

Way to go man! Nice work with the form. It seems that is the hardest part of this process is to make a good form. You did a great job explaining it too.