Indicative Content 2.5: Execute curving techniques chosen
Application of curving wood according to model
- Steam bending is a woodworking technique where wood is exposed to steam to make it pliable. Heat and moisture from steam can soften wood fibers enough so they can be bent and stretched, and when cooled down they will hold their new shape.
- Bending Wood with the Kerf-cutting Method
- Prepare your wood: Cut notches, or curves, 2/3 of the thickness of the wood. ...
- Compress the ends of the wood to push the gaps created by the notches together. This will be the shape of the wood when it is finished.
- Fix the bend.
- Application of curving wood
- Prepare sharpening tools for carving wood
- Prepare wood curving
- Draw or trace a model on wood
- Start to curve model that is on wood
- Give the shape of the model
- The making or finishing of curved images.
Most woodworking projects rely on straight lines and right angles, but sometimes you need a nicely formed curve to give your project a more stylish look. So how do you make a curve when you're modifying a project plan or designing a piece from scratch? Study the curved shapes in good furniture to develop your eye. Then try the techniques shown here.
When you're tinkering with a curve, trying to get it just so, draw on a full-size piece of plywood, medium-density fiberboard, cardboard, or paper instead of putting it directly on your stock. You can tape together brown paper bags from the grocery store to make a template as large as necessary. Transfer the curve to the workpiece by cutting out the template and tracing along its edge.
For symmetrical shapes with multiple curves, draw exactly half of the shape on plywood, hardboard, or paper. Cut out that piece and use it as the template for the other half.
Remember that you already own an array of templates for simple shapes. For example, anything from a five-gallon bucket to a small washer can serve as the pattern when you need a round corner. And once you've made a nice template, save it. Put it in a drawer, or hang it on perforated hardboard, because you just might need it again someday.
