Bending Basswood Sheets

There are generally 2 ways you can soften basswood.

Bending basswood sheets.

Basswood is a lightweight wood ideal for model building. Basswood as light as it is is a relatively simple wood to bend. Get an object heavy enough to hold your basswood on the cup for example a glass salt shaker. Step 1 preparing the steamer or hot water.

The available methods of getting balsa to bend more can be broken down into the following sections laminating one sided moisture heat chemicals long soak with all bending operations it s suggested that you start out with the most flexible piece of balsa that you can obtain typically this is referred to as a grain balsa. Bending wood allows you to create complex models or shapes that can accommodate numerous woodworking projects. You can get a bend radius of as little as two feet by bending 1 4 inch plywood whereas the minimum bend radius for 3 4 inch plywood is 12 feet. These radii increase if you bend the sheet along the grain of the wood instead of across it because splinters are more likely to form when bending along the grain.

Basswood is a lightweight wood ideal for model building. Try soaking the balsa use a b grain not c grain in hot water laced with 1 2 cup ammonia overnight. You need a mold. Step 5 holding the shape.

The strips should be pulled around not simply bent around an outline form of whatever shape you are trying to achieve. To bend basswood you need to steam it first to soften the fibers of the wood making it easier to. Often during a construction project you will need to bend wood. A sink will work for shorter lengths.

When most of us hear the words bending wood we think of steam bending. How to bend basswood. Basswood as light as it is is a relatively simple wood to bend. Then put the saltshaker or weight on the wood so that it stays up under the steam.

Step 2 steaming the wood. The first is to steam the wood and the second is to place the wood in hot water for a certain period of time. I drilled 1 diameter holes in the form to hold the top face of the clamps and automatically space them. The video tells how to bend balsa using household ammonia many modelers have had a lot of difficulty bending balsa or hardwood by using this technique there are no more troubles.

Place your piece of basswood on the cup under the steam. I generally use a bath tub for longer strips. Place a glass cup a canning jar will work under your flow of steam. Often during a construction project you will need to bend wood.

Step 3 preparing the basswood for bending. Step 4 bending the basswood.