bending carved wood

[butch]

Question: I want to make a curved chair back with a carving in it. Two thoughts - 1st: cut out a board, do the carving then steam and bend. 2nd: laminate then carve into the curve. Any suggestions?

[cowboy1296]

Of course I had no idea what I was doing but the only time I tried to bend a board I broke it. If you have aspire it seems that you could cut your curve into a straight board including the 3-d file. In this picture the stage coach is cut into a flat back on a rocker. My only input was cutting the stage coach, a furniture make built the rocker.

[butch]

That is similar to what I am trying to do. That sure turned out nice, thanks.

[cowboy1296]

Yeah he took my rough work and turned it into something beautiful. His rockers with my 3-d graphics are better looking in person than in the pictures.

[srwtlc]

Depending on what you have for software, and the amount of curve there is, you could model the part or curve to size and then add something like Rick's example to it. Then toolpath with a boundary around the design so it cuts just the design. As long as the arc isn't too great, it should cut decent and if there's not much detail at the edges, like Rick's, it would be better. You can also project a v-carving onto the arc/model. I've not done it, but it should be doable if you can model your back part accurately enough.

[cowboy1296]

I was always concerned about the board being weakened because of the carving and could snap if pressure was put on it. But the carving is above where the back would normally rest.

[cowboy1296]

is something like this what you are trying for

[butch]

Similar, except curved. It goes on a bar stool, and I want to make curved backs but with carvings. Never done it so I was hoping someone had tried this or was doing this. I saw a chair with inlays. They put the inlays in, then steamed and bent. Came out very well, but never saw anything carved and then bent.

[butch]

My first thought was that the thinner board would just break. But not sure.

[butch]

Scott - what I am trying to figure out is if I did it that way, can I somehow hold the curve close enough to carve. I think there will be a slight different curve to each back with no way to pull it into shape close enough to carve. When ever I have bent something - and I have only used glued up strips, they just come off the jig different arcs - probably due to changes in the wood.