The Tree Table

So I have just started to work on a new project, it is a writing desk and chair set.  The set will be made of Canary wood and Walnut.  I have jumped right into this project and have many components in the works so I will just pick a few of the more interesting ones to write about. 

To give an idea of what I will be working towards here is a snapshot from sketchup of the piece and some of the parts cut to rough length. 

Sketchup Model

Note the beautiful grain and color in the quarter sawn canary wood.

The back of the seat will be built using a bent lamination process on the canary wood to create three 3.5" wide curved strips.  The middle strip will be cut apart to allow for the insertion of a block of walnut with a piercing of a tree inset within it.   

 First step was to build the bending form.  The desired width of the seat back is 17", I built the form 20" wide to allow for trimming.  The curve was drawn out on one peice of 1/2" MDF which was roughed out on the bandsaw.  The curve was then faired using a rasp and file untill both sides matched.  Once the first layer of MDF was accurate layers were added to each side and trimmed flush at the router table.  Eight layers were used to create a bending form 4" thick, just wide enough to bend the components for the seat.  

Using a bearing bit to flush trim the MDF form.

Once the form was ready and the plies of canary wood had been thickness planed to 1/8" they were covered with glue and clamped to the form.  A common problem with bending wood is spring back.  Regular carpenter's glue is used, and though in most applications an hour is sufficient, in bending to curves there are additional forces at work.  When a drop of glue sits out for an hour it may be dry to the touch but it can still be deformed with pressure and is not fully hardened.  However, if allowed to stay out for a full day the glue is considerably harder.  It will chip rather then bend or deform.  Using this logic my friend Dave always recommends leaving a curve in the form for a full day and then keeping pressure on the curve to help the glue fully harden in the proper form.  I am letting these three laminations sit in the form for two full days to be extra sure.  As they will need to be joined edge to edge I am trying to ensure they stay as consistent as possible. 

The form in use, bending six 1/8" plys.

Note the full width blocks to ensure equal pressure across the width of the curve.