Laminating an Elliptical Curved Apron

Making curved aprons, we saw strips on the tablesaw, 5/32” thick by 3” high.  We true the thickness and smooth the surface of these strips on the widebelt sander, finishing at 1/8” thick.  We bolted the form  (described in the previous post) to a 3/4” plywood backer and glued seven  of these walnut strips to it.

Gluing up an ellipse apron

We unbolt the form from the backer, wash the glue, and leave it overnight.  Next morning, it was pretty in the early morning, door light.

Ellipse apron glued up

We have found that 1/8” strips glued this way, in the curves we are likely to use, do not spring back much when unclamped.  In the photo below, the apron is against the form on the side out of the frame.  Total springback was less than 1/2”.  The apron can be pushed back true with not much more than a breath.

Ellipse apron springback

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1 Response to Laminating an Elliptical Curved Apron

  1. Trainer Tim says:

    Certainly looks like a much better method than what I have tried in the past (making an extra large, elliptical mold, and clamping it shut, as I didn’t have enough g-cramps… However, the most important thing I learned was that polyurethane cement performed far better than standard wood glue, which I used (disasterously) on my first attempt!

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