Bendable plywood question

Apr 02, 2014 6 Replies

I scored a 2-foot by 8-foot section of bendy-wood with a beautiful maple fa ce today. I'm going to use this for a curved base for a coffee table. The base will be about 6 inches in width. Wondering about the framework for t he base. My instinct is to use 2x6s vertically with a cross piece connecti ng the verticles. I will cap it upper and lower with 4/4 oak, which will g ive me plenty of surface for bolting the base to the 8/4 oak top. So ... i s Titebond sufficent to adhere the bendy to the framework or do I need to m ess with epoxy? For stability, I'm also planning on loading the base with a couple of 50 pound sandbags. Any thoughts?



By the way, the bendy cost me $5 from a local cabinet shop going out of bus iness.



Larry


I scored a 2-foot by 8-foot section of bendy-wood with a beautiful maple face today. I'm going to use this for a curved base for a coffee table. The base will be about 6 inches in width. Wondering about the framework for the base. My instinct is to use 2x6s vertically with a cross piece connecting the verticles. I will cap it upper and lower with 4/4 oak, which will give me plenty of surface for bolting the base to the 8/4 oak top. So ... is Titebond sufficent to adhere the bendy to the framework or do I need to mess with epoxy? For stability, I'm also planning on loading the base with a couple of

50 pound sandbags. Any thoughts?

By the way, the bendy cost me $5 from a local cabinet shop going out of business.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Epoxy is not best choice for white oak.

The usual choice would be resorcinol for white oak.

That said, given decent joints, TiteBond-II would be my choice for the project.

Lew

Lew why is it not a good choice for white oak?

I'm not Lew, but the tannin in white oak can affect the bond. Also Epoxy does not "soak into" white oak well. (not like the more open Red oak) If you wash the oak down with a "hot" solvent like acetone, then heat the oak and the epoxy, the heat-thinned epoxy will be drawn into the pores of the oak as it cools. (warm air contracts as it cools, vacuuming the thinned epoxy into the pore) You will get a good bond this way with West Systems product - no experience with anything else.

---------------------------------------------------- woodchucker wrote:

------------------------------------------------------------ wrote:

------------------------------------------------------------------ Which is why resorcinol gets used to layup white oak boat ribs which are ususally 3/4" laminations.

Epoxy is just too much bloody work IMHO.

Lew

but cleaning up resorcinol is a royal PAIN!!

------------------------------------------ Which is why I suggested TiteBond II based on conditions given.

Both epoxy and resorcinol can be a pain,

Lew

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