[TheForge] bellows

[Paul N]

Thanks Bruce,
This is common (but not often at the "Big Box" stores) cabinet grade 
plywood. The core is poplar, which is reasonably hard. I have some 
11-ply birch plywood which is basically the same. No voids, but I don't 
really know what species the core is made from.

I'm often skeptical of the term "hardwood", since it's used to describe 
pretty much any deciduous tree. Many "hardwoods" are softer than some 
species of "softwoods" (conifers). Ex: Alder is much, much softer than 
Western Hemlock.

And I don't have a "sent" copy of the other e-mail. The computer I used 
doesn't belong to me, so I don't keep "sent" mailbox on it for personal 
e-mail.

So I'll repeat the other message here as closely as I recall:
I basically said that I don't have a steamer, and making one would 
probably be more work than milling stock and making the paddles out of 
planks. However, the radius of the bellows is fairly large, so I may be 
able to get enough bending without steam. Either way, I'll experiment 
before I commit.  I just may screw the retaining strip in place and 
leave it at that.

I do, however need to make a decision soon, as I'll begin construction 
on this next week while I have some time off from work.

I also wanted to acknowledge all the help on the topic, and that I'm 
glad I posted the question. Several flaws in my approach were pointed 
out, and I also got some good ideas that I had not considered.

So thanks to all that participated.

**Paul


On 12/21/10 10:35 AM, Bruce Freeman wrote:
> Paul,
>
> This, for instance:
> http://tinyurl.com/2d7rfqd
>
> They also sell oak
> http://tinyurl.com/2dma8vh
>
> The stuff I bought (to make a table) didn't resemble the photo -- it
> had more, thinner plys, but no skimpy paper-thing veneer over cheap
> softwood plywood.  There are some tiny voids at the edges, but not
> enough to prevent seating a nail or screw.  I still have the scrap
> piece.  Still, I'd pilot-drill, then glue in the nail, as a 3/4"
> plywood edge does not compare to solid 5/4" hardwood
>
> Unfortunately, the prices they list are about twice what I remember
> paying two years ago!
>
> Look in your "sent" folder for your lost email.
>
> On Tue, Dec 21, 2010 at 10:56 AM, Paul N<crosspein at sbcglobal.net>  wrote:
>> Bruce,
>> Can you define "hardwood plywood". These days, even hardwood veneered
>> plywoods are largely crap unless you go find an 11-ply at a specialty
>> lumber shop. (And the external veneers are literally paper thin)
>>
>> In any case, I'd expect the core layers to be pretty much whatever cheap
>> lumber they could find. Afterall, that's one of the purposes of the
>> material, to save on the cost by using less desirable species for the
>> interior. (The other advantage is that the plywood is more stable)
>>
>> side note: it seems the last post I made is still floating around out
>> there somewhere, and I didn't log a copy. If it doesn't show up soon,
>> I'll try to recall what I wrote.
>>
>> **paul
>>
>>
>> On 12/21/10 9:38 AM, Bruce Freeman wrote:
>>> Barrel hoops used to be made of greenwood.  Take wythies (watersprouts
>>> of willow, typically) and split them lengthwise.  Place flat against
>>> leather and nail on.
>>>
>>> BTW, anyone who thinks you can't nail into the edge of plywood hasn't
>>> tried it on hardwood plywood, which is a different animal from the
>>> softwood plywood used in construction.
>>>
>>> On Tue, Dec 21, 2010 at 10:19 AM,<xlch58 at swbell.net>    wrote:
>>>> On 12/21/2010 8:11 AM, Bob Ehrenberger wrote:
>>>>> Paul,
>>>>>
>>>>> You may be able to bond a strip of solid wood to the edge of the plywood.
>>>>> Back when I used to do some wood work (before blacksmithing) if I made a set
>>>>> of book shelves I would cover the cut edges with solid wood to hide the fact
>>>>> that it was mainly plywood. Of course on a curved surface you would need to
>>>>> heat or steam the strips to get them to bend, that makes it a lot more work.
>>>>>
>>>>> Robert Ehrenberger
>>>>> Shelbyville, Mo.
>>>>> eforge at centurytel.net
>>>>
>>>> Cut them real thin and stack them and glue them around the rim of the
>>>> plywood.  No steaming necessary.
>>>>
>>>> Charles
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