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Speaking of Plank Benders - homemade plank bending jig


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I thought I would share my little idea for plank bending.

 

 

I'm not sure how original it is, but I have never seen one just like it..

 

 

Basically, it is half the bottom of a large tin can, attached to a base board.

 

post-3923-0-60834600-1486266367.jpg

 

I place the end of my wet plank into the slot  and use a clamp to adjust the amount

of bend ..  ( I soak in plain water for a few of minutes, depending on the type of wood )

 

 

post-3923-0-74731300-1486266508.jpg

 

 

I direct a hot blow dryer onto the jig for about two minutes.  This is usually enough to dry the wood.

This picture does not show the wood, but it is there when the dryer is on.

 

post-3923-0-07973400-1486266907.jpg

 

I wait at least 5 minutes before taking the wood out of the jig.  It needs to cool before the bend is fully set.

 

post-3923-0-45982800-1486267029.jpg

Edited by Gregory

Luck is just another word for good preparation.

—MICHAEL ROSE

Current builds:    Rattlesnake (Scratch From MS Plans 

On Hold:  HMS Resolution ( AKA Ferrett )

In the Gallery: Yacht Mary,  Gretel, French Cannon

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Gregory,

 

Great cheap idea!  Thanks for sharing.

PROWE

 

If someone says something can't be done, it only means they can't do it.

 

Building:Shipyard - HMS Mercury card madel

 

Completed Builds:

Wood Models; AL Bluenose II 1989, Corel Toulonnaise 1995, Corel Flying Fish 2000, AL Scottish Maid 2005,

Sergal President 2010, Mamoli Beagle 2011, Corel Eagle 2013, Mamoli Constitution Cross-section 2014, Victory Cross-section 1/98 by Corel 2015, Occre San Francisco Cable Car 2018, Model Shipways Armed Long Boat 2021

Card Models

Christmas Train by PaperReplika 2012, Yamaha DSC11 Motorcycle 2013, Canon EOS 5D Mark II 2014, WWII Tiger I Tank by Paper-Replika 2014, Wrebbit Mercedes-Benz 500K Roadster 2014, Central Pacific no. 60 Jupiter card model 2015, Mirage III 1/30 converted to 1/33 card model 2017, TKpapercraft 1912 Mercer 2021

 

 
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thanks for sharing your idea Gregory,

 

Nils

Current builds

-Lightship Elbe 1

Completed

- Steamship Ergenstrasse ex Laker Corsicana 1918- scale 1:87 scratchbuild

"Zeesboot"  heritage wooden fishing small craft around 1870, POB  clinker scratch build scale 1:24

Pilot Schooner # 5 ELBE  ex Wanderbird, scale 1:50 scratchbuild

Mississippi Sterwheelsteamer built as christmapresent for grandson modified kit build

Chebec "Eagle of Algier" 1753--scale 1:48-POB-(scratchbuild) 

"SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse" four stacker passenger liner of 1897, blue ribbond awarded, 1:144 (scratchbuild)
"HMS Pegasus" , 16 gun sloop, Swan-Class 1776-1777 scale 1:64 from Amati plan 

-"Pamir" 4-mast barque, P-liner, 1:96  (scratchbuild)

-"Gorch Fock 2" German Navy cadet training 3-mast barque, 1:95 (scratchbuild) 

"Heinrich Kayser" heritage Merchant Steamship, 1:96 (scratchbuild)  original was my grandfathers ship

-"Bohuslän" , heritage ,live Swedish museum passenger steamer (Billings kit), 1:50 

"Lorbas", river tug, steam driven for RC, fictive design (scratchbuild), scale appr. 1:32

under restoration / restoration finished 

"Hjejlen" steam paddlewheeler, 1861, Billings Boats rare old kit, scale 1:50

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Is that softwood (pine?) or hardwood?  Softwoods often don't bend very well compared to hardwoods.  But I'm not sure that soaking is necessary.  I bend 150mm x 900mm x 2.5mm thick guitar sides dry, using a heating blank and form, at temps 250-350F.

 

Also, some people make a trough from a piece of rain gutter, and then fill it with a solution of Downey fabric softener in very hot water. This will make wood pliable.  It will stink for a while and raise the grain, but time and sanding will take care of those issues.

Edited by Bob Blarney
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That particular piece was fairly soft..  It's the stuff usually seen in kits for 1st/base planking ..

 

I watch for splitting as I bend it, and sometimes flipping it over, reduces that.

 

I Have seen a lot of good ideas for making soakers, but have found I only have to soak about six inches or less.

The little blue topped container seen above, filled with water, is all I have ever used.  I can see using  boiling water might help.

I'll have to try that.

Edited by Gregory

Luck is just another word for good preparation.

—MICHAEL ROSE

Current builds:    Rattlesnake (Scratch From MS Plans 

On Hold:  HMS Resolution ( AKA Ferrett )

In the Gallery: Yacht Mary,  Gretel, French Cannon

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Someone let me know if there are restrictions about linking to YouTube, but here is a little video I made

about my plank bender..

 

 

Gregory's Plank Bender

Luck is just another word for good preparation.

—MICHAEL ROSE

Current builds:    Rattlesnake (Scratch From MS Plans 

On Hold:  HMS Resolution ( AKA Ferrett )

In the Gallery: Yacht Mary,  Gretel, French Cannon

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Oh, as a note, here are inexpensive lumber sources for hobbyists in the US: Walmart stocks 'square dowels' in the crafting aisle.  They appear to be nice clear 12" lengths of birch or maple in several cross-sectional sizes, and the price is right.   Also, a trip to the paint dept at the Lowes home center will show 36" x 1.5" x 0.25" yard sticks of clear white pine for $1.  It will be necessary to plane or sand off the ink printing, but then you'll have high quality straight-grained stock of ~ 3/16" thickness.

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