Bending Birch

[madjack]

...Ira, for the bendy ply, try any cabinet or door shops in your area, that is where I found mine
madjack

[IraRat]

...Ira, for the bendy ply, try any cabinet or door shops in your area, that is where I found mine
madjack

I went to this high end supplier, sells all of the exotic woods for cabinets, veneers, etc., and all they had was 1/2 bendable and it wasn't birch. I THINK it was 1/2--might have been 1/4--but it definitiely wasn't 1/8 and definitely not birch.

I want something that I can varnish and bring out a nice grain.

If I can find it in 1/4, I'll go for it. Maybe I'll make that today's task--really checking the net for local stores and making some calls.

[TomS]

WOW! I figured you'd pay as much for the shipping as you would for the plywood. They must be able to roll it up and ship it in a tube. And if you're buying the the kind that bends across the long dimension, the tube is only 4 feet long, probably meeting UPS's dimension specs for standard shipping.

This is great information for anyone building a tear. The bending plywod was much easier to install on a curved roof.

No one's got the stuff, so I called Boulter again. Great guy there named Chris Boulter, and they're shipping me 3 pieces next week when it comes in. (I got the third piece to use for other trim; probably could have gotten away with a cheaper, non-bendable birch, but what the heck--the other type wouldn't fit in a tube!)

Just $30 shipping to South Florida, via FedEx yet, so that's not bad at all.

With gas prices these days, and with the driving I would have to do if I ever COULD find it down here, plus the time...it's well worth the 30 bucks. Plus, no tax!

Thanks for the tip, Tom. Now I just gotta be careful I recognize the correct side for finishing and for the bending, when it's ready to go in.

[IraRat]

First, Tom--the guy was a pisser. (Since he owns the place, I guess he's in a pretty good mood from having all that money.) Plus, he was also heading to VEGAS this afternoon.

Next, yes--it fits into a 4-foot tube. He was very "amusing," saying that until June 25th, they're running a 1/2 price sale on shipping. Meaning in my mind that he was just goofing with me, but I appreciated his effort.

So that's $30 shipping for THREE pieces to South Florida, FEDEX ground, not UPS!!!

Next again, I was going to just go for the two pieces, and he pointed out that maybe I should get three as i originally requested. He noted that if I don't do the bend from the correct SIDE (I didn't even know one side HAD to be the outside bend side) that it would indeed crack. I just figured that I had to order it to bend along the long length. I didn't think it mattered which SIDE.

However, 30 minutes later, I realized something:

If the stuff is being rolled up and shipped in a 4-foot tube, how difficult is it going to be--even for ME--to figure out which way the thing is supposed to BEND!?

I'm sure he's laughing on the plane right now headed to Vegas, but when you think of it, I'm sure I'll make use of that extra piece. And knowing me, I might need it anyway for a stupid mistake. I have to trim them down to 46 1/8 wide, taking into account wall framing and inside skins, and although I'm going to be using inside corner molding anyway, I still want to cut these as close as humanly-Ira possible to 46 1/8.

All I can say is, if I had done this 3 weeks ago, I would have saved myself hours of time and thinking about these 3 stupid pieces of wood.

$30 to ship, and no tax? It's a no brainer.

[TomS]

Hi Ira,

It's a good thing we bought our plywood BEFORE he went to Lost Wages. Imgine what the price will be after he gets back.



When he said not to bend it from the wrong side, I dont think he meant which surface is outside the curve. What he was talking about is the direction of the bend as it relates to the long and short sides. If you try to make the 4 foot ends touch, you're OK. If you try to make the 8 foot sides touch, it's going to crack.

When your plywood arrives, I would take it out of the box and weight it down on a flat surface. Hopefully, that will flatten and be easier to handle when you install it.

[Denny Unfried]

I just used standard 1/8" birch ply @ $18/sheet for the headliner on my Kit replica and bent it the 8 foot direction. Ya have to take your time and talk to it real nice when doing the tight front radius but it's doable.

Denny

[IraRat]

When he said not to bend it from the wrong side, I dont think he meant which surface is outside the curve. What he was talking about is the direction of the bend as it relates to the long and short sides.

Tom, that was all pretty clear. I ordered the one that bends the long way, so I KNOW it bends that way. That certainly wsn't the issue.

Maybe if you're doing a really tight radius, it DOES make a difference. That's what he indicated to me anyway, that the sides bend differently.

[TomS]

In any event, you'll have no problem mounting it in your Cubby. This stuff is more then flexible enough.

[IraRat]

Seems weird, though. You're telling me one thing and he's telling me another. So you just chose a side to finish and that was it? The opposite of whichever one kept a little of its curl?

Also, I plan on using spar varnish, but someone told me that if you do that before the install, it'll stiffen up the board and also may crack when you do the bend. You had no problems there?

Finally, I don't have an orbital sander, so will a plane sander work? I'm only going two coats on this varnish, because three really darkens it. (I did this for my exterior skins, because i wanted it darker.)

I CAN'T WAIT TO GET MY TUBE OF PLYWOOD!

(I never thought i would ever say that.)

[toypusher]

Ira,

Think you can get a gun big enough to dispense that 'TUBE OF PLYWOOD'?

Kerry

[IraRat]

My wife's patience has been infinite with this project. But what woman (Joanne excluded) is going to understand her husband having 3 sheets of plywood shipped from Boston--Fedex, no less?

It's even crazy when I think about it myself.

It must have been a b**** building these thngs before the internet came along!

[toypusher]

My wife's patience has been infinite with this project. But what woman (Joanne excluded) is going to understand her husband having 3 sheets of plywood shipped from Boston--Fedex, no less?

It's even crazy when I think about it myself.

It must have been a b**** building these thngs before the internet came along!

I agree and I am pretty good with things like this usually. But, having all this help and advise at my finger tips makes me feel alot better about the potential problems that may arise.

Kerry

[Guy]

Dear Ira,

Their is an even better company than Boulter plywood in Florida. The Company is World Panel products in Riviera. http://www.worldpanel.com/index.html

They are even cheaper than Boulter before shipping costs.

[TomS]

Seems weird, though. You're telling me one thing and he's telling me another. So you just chose a side to finish and that was it? The opposite of whichever one kept a little of its curl?

This guy isn't building a tear drop. Hell, he's probably never see one. I'm telling ya, this stuff bends in a very tight radius. Trust me on this one, either side up, it'll bend in a much tighter radius than the roof line of your cubby Been there. Done that. Didn't crack it. 'Nough said!


This stuff comes with a finish side and a rough side. The finish side is smoother. The smooth side faces inside the tear.

Also, I plan on using spar varnish, but someone told me that if you do that before the install, it'll stiffen up the board and also may crack when you do the bend. You had no problems there?

I put down 3 coats of Minwax Helmsman Urethane. It's good stuff. See the recent thread about it. The finish didn't crack even after we rolled it up and passed it through Cubby's door. It has a very slight amber color to it. But, it didn't darken the birch too much for my taste. Iwas really impressed with the quality of the finish.

Finally, I don't have an orbital sander, so will a plane sander work? I'm only going two coats on this varnish, because three really darkens it. (I did this for my exterior skins, because i wanted it darker.)

I like the orbital sander because it works really quick and changing sandpaper is really easy. You sitick it on the bottom with Velcro. I hate sanding and anything that gets that job over quickly is worth the money.

I'm not sure what you mean by a plane sander. If you're talking about a belt sander, I'd be leaery of it. It might just take the veneer right off the plywood.

[Chris C]

Tom....................good advice on the belt sander. Any idiot can use a random orbital sander to it's fullest potential...................but it takes a lot of experience to properly use a belt sander.............especially on veneers which are typically only .010" thick. (Thats twice the thickness of a human hair!) I make my living making custom furniture and I'll take a random orbital sander and card scraper any day over a belt sander.