Spinning in Circles

Knocked up some loops for the lampshade frame.

This meant making some kind of circle form for the steam bend. I used the bandsaw circle cutting jig on fine woodworking, worked like a charm.

Not sure where we go from here. Way too many options. Mock up a few ideas. Staring. Thinking. Thinking some more. Scrap that idea. Another idea. Try that. hmmm. Maybe. No. Something else. Madness. Welcome to the rabbit hole.

The Framework

I think this will be some kind of lampshade frame. Maybe. Half Lap sweetness.

Loving my latest ghetto shooting board.

It's jig central around here. Knocked up a miter key box that can work on my sliding table. Also used the jig to glue up the miters before cutting the key kerf.

May as well throw some yellow cedar into the mix. Could come in useful. Cut some veneers from a one of Dan's chunks.

Straight off the Shelix baby.

Full Steam Ahead Kindof

The bending exploration continues. The clock goes round and round. I rigged up a steam box. Earlex make a quick and easy steam generator with hose and fittings. Not sure why I went with pine, other than it was cheap and easy. 3/4 ply is the way to go, the pine goes nuts with the heat & moisture.

This box is 8' long, maxing out the capability of the little steam generator, it takes about an hour to get up to the temperature needed, 212F, if it reaches it. Could add a second steam generator. or make a smaller box. The veritas metal backing strap would also be essential.

I still really like how much control there is over a bent lamination. No messing around with moisture content of the stock, kiln dried, air dried, no matter. But I can see a time a place for other methods...

going on a bender

Seem to be in an experimental phase. I rigged up a hot pipe bender, and played around with a few thin strips of wood.