Arm Bending jig for Mark's Morris chair


BuzzBusey

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I started drilling holes for clamps as Mark did, but realized I don't have the number of clamps of that style required, nor the budget to get them. But I have enough parallel clamps to do the trick. However, that type of clamp would have had a rough time with the curve of the arm, so I cut notches in the bottom of the form so that the clamps would have a place to grip. More than one way to skin a cat I guess.

 

post-4351-0-11695400-1425866958_thumb.jp

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Just an FYI...you may want to consider making a purchase of some F clamps. All you really need is 8 of them and 2 parallel clamps, one on each end . If your woodworking your always gonna need some.  The problem with parallel clamps is they don't have enough pull like the F style clamps do.

 

This was a test bend of some poplar and bent real easy. However, I built my chair using Tiger Maple and it was a bitch pulling it down. 

 

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-rvLRntB3nUQ/UqvwDwQr0tI/AAAAAAAABuM/3v81kDNDqhQ/w953-h715-no/13%2B-%2B1

 

-Ace-

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I prefer to use the negative. I haven't done that chair but have done many bent lam doors. The negative and two pieces of all thread makes for better clamping pressure as you go down then just add two K body clamps when your done. Line the forms with cork self adhesive shelf paper and they will always be perfect. When your done run form and all through the sander and the edges will be perfect.

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  • 7 months later...

Has anyone kept the top of the bending form in one piece (not cut it up into segments as Mark does in the video)?  My top and bottom bending forms are pretty accurate and sit together really well.  I'm very tempted to not cut the top piece.  I'm under the impression that this will make the clamping faster and easier.  Any thoughts?

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  • 3 months later...

UPDATE: I ended up keeping the top of the bending form as a solid piece and it turned out great.  I worked the top and bottom templates so that when stacked together, there was virtually no gap between them.  Then I used the technique that Marc teaches to make copies of both and laminate them together.  I lined the top and bottom with cork (bought a roll from Amazon) as Marc does.  Then I used heavy duty Bessy clamps to clamp the wood between the two form parts.  It sandwiched the wood tightly, leaving no gaps.

I did have a problem with the layers of wood slipping during the clamping process (taping them together did not help).  I drilled pilot holes in the boards on the extreme top end, in a part of the arm that would eventually get cut off.  This was done prior to glue being added.  Then I spread the glue and screwed the layers together tightly, using short screws with aggressive threads.  That worked out extremely well.  There was absolutely no slipping between the layers.  I would highly recommend doing this.

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