Curved Furniture

In Competency 17, Making Curved Furniture, students are introduced to different ways of bending wood, including Bent Lamination of wood strips, Curved plywood panels using different materials, Steam Bending, and Veneering a curved form.  Students build a piece of furniture using at least one of those techniques.

Here are some links demonstrating different approaches


How to bend laminates in a small shop

The wood whisperer uses a two part form, strips ripped on TS, discusses glue

One part form with lots of clamps, bending 1/8 plywood strips

How plywood chairs are produced, in a small shop and in a factory

Marcel Breuer classic chair being made in London

Factory laminations in heated presses trimmed by cnc  There is a Montreal factory, Seatply, that does similar work.

Steambending

Steambending without a backer

Bentwood chairs using metal backer   This technique was patented by Thonet in the 1800s, still in use.