Cutting Corners - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

basswood · 01-16-2010, 07:34 PM

I have a set of 12 elliptical corners I made for 6 arched openings in a remodel I'm working on. These are a close match to an existing opening.

Took a few process pics. I started with 5x9" blanks of 1/2" ply. Traced the pattern and rough cut the curves with the band saw:

basswood · 01-16-2010, 08:00 PM

The middle of the sandwich is an L-shaped frame of a vertical 1x block and a horizontal piece of 1/2" ply. An extra backing block was added in the middle of the curve for a total of 5 pieces.

I did the glue up with the ends of the "L" extending beyond the points of the curves and trimmed them flush on the bandsaw the next day. I do the glue up over parchment paper (bakers wax paper) to keep from gluing stuff to my bench.

Will install them on Monday and get to rockin'...

**framerman** · 01-16-2010, 08:08 PM

I love the stuff you do Brian. Interesting and thought out.

You posting pics of the finished openings I hope?

I had an old timer show me some method of making ellipses with a board and 2 nails. Interesting, but for me I use my wide format mylar plotter to make any pattern I wish.

basswood · 01-16-2010, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by framerman

I love the stuff you do Brian. Interesting and thought out.

You posting pics of the finished openings I hope?

I had an old timer show me some method of making ellipses with a board and 2 nails. Interesting, but for me I use my wide format mylar plotter to make any pattern I wish.

Thanks Sir,

There are plenty of other ways to do it, but this should work. The "arches" are flat-topped... so not true ellipses. I plan to use hot water on 1/4" rock to bend them. Will do the arches this week (and the bath, laundry, mudroom,etc).

Later,

Bass

**Gus Dering** · 01-16-2010, 10:04 PM

Looks like fun Bass

Glue and staples not ample for you?

basswood · 01-16-2010, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gus Dering

Looks like fun Bass

Glue and staples not ample for you?

Well... I thought about that, but knew I would be running them through the band saw after the assembly and did not want to hit a fastener with the saw blade... so I just did the glue and clamps overnight.

Bass be bendin'

basswood · 01-19-2010, 08:20 PM

The pseudo-elliptical arch gig got going this week. Installed the corner frames, and got to rockin'.

I found that 1/4" rock soaked with hot water would not bend that tight, so I scored the backs to get the bend.

basswood · 01-19-2010, 08:36 PM

The elliptical curve starts as a tight turn then flattens out. I scored for the bend on a graduated interval to match the curve. I did a gentle snap on each score line with the rip perched on a stack of scrap with a work table supporting the overhanging end. I also still got the piece wet too. I used PL Premium to deal with gluing wet rock.

I started at each end of the arch with two separate pieces of rock, overlapping them on the head and cut the overlap to splice. This eliminates the guess work on how long to cut the pieces with the bend. The rock is double layered and the second layer splice is off set from the first.

texastutt · 01-19-2010, 09:03 PM

Where did you get the rock ripper? I did a job like that last year, but I did it on site. Yours turned out better. Jigs saws don't cut as nice as band saws.

stp57 · 01-19-2010, 09:32 PM

Nice work Bass. Thanks for the tips. I'll steal that too.

Steve

basswood · 01-20-2010, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texastutt

Where did you get the rock ripper? I did a job like that last year, but I did it on site. Yours turned out better. Jigs saws don't cut as nice as band saws.

CRS is kicking in... don't recall where the rock ripper is from.

The band saw is nice for this, for sure.

All the best,

Bass

seeyou · 01-20-2010, 08:18 AM

Nice work, Brian.

You doing the mudding, too?

TimelessQuality · 01-20-2010, 08:39 AM

Lookin good Bass!

How long did you soak the back of the rock? I've found you have to give it a half hour dwell time to soak in..

Fyrzowt · 01-20-2010, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Where did you get the rock ripper?

Here are a few places...

http://www.google.com/search?client=...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

texastutt · 01-20-2010, 09:21 PM

O.K. I looked at it again, with those adds, I've seen those. I know what they are.

HitchC&L · 01-20-2010, 10:18 PM

Lookin good bass.

Im excited for the finished product, it should come out good.

world llc · 01-21-2010, 11:40 AM

did you just glue that rock up? i don't see any nails/screws!

nice job... i too will be, um, inspired

by this technique

ARI001 · 01-21-2010, 01:07 PM

Next time try this: www.jnkproducts.com/instantarch.htm

Tape them with archflex (www.all-wall.com), mud, and sand and your done.

basswood · 01-21-2010, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seeyou

Nice work, Brian.

You doing the mudding, too?

Thanks Man, Yep I'm mudding this one... if I'm busier, I'll sub it out.

Cheers,

Brian

basswood · 01-21-2010, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimelessQuality

Lookin good Bass!

How long did you soak the back of the rock? I've found you have to give it a half hour dwell time to soak in..

I think in this case, the rock was old stock (slow economy and slow selling item) and had hardened. Stiff and brittle... defeats the purpose of using the stuff. I let is soak a while and used it as a "lid" on a bucket of hot water to keep it "steaming" in hot vapor.

Then I resorted to the scoring. This was such a tight radius (3") that even the flex bead did not want to bend it.

Made it work though.

Cheers,

Bass