how to make a curved beam without glulam
#1
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how to make a curved beam without glulam
Based in a remote island i won't be able to buy glulam but would love a curved roof.
Any ideas on how to make one. It has to be strong due to monsoons.
Any help appreciated, Thanks
Any ideas on how to make one. It has to be strong due to monsoons.
Any help appreciated, Thanks
#2
I don't have an answer but I do know the type of wood will make a difference as to how much of a bend can be made and how long it takes to set in. If you don't want to make it in several pieces then you need to rig up a fixture and a means of slowly and incrementally apply high pressure to the bend you need. Moisture needs to be applied also. In some cases steam will help. I remember in high school we did this but I don't remember how or what type of wood was used.
#3
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While the flat side of a 2x can be bent I doubt you can bend the long edge - and that's what you need for strength. I think you'd need to cut multiple arcs out of larger wood and put them together to get the desired arc/length. Cutting another set but with the joints in different places and then gluing/nailing them both together would make it stable.
#4
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Hi Alastair and welcome to the forum,
What do you have available for materials, 2x? and plywood?
Certainly possible to assemble some curved beams as shown and although they will be strong they would lack the engineering to tell you how strong.
Have you talked to any engineers?
Does your design need to meet any building requirements.
Bud
What do you have available for materials, 2x? and plywood?
Certainly possible to assemble some curved beams as shown and although they will be strong they would lack the engineering to tell you how strong.
Have you talked to any engineers?
Does your design need to meet any building requirements.
Bud
#5
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I think you will need to make a gluelam on site. Create a form in the shape you want. Then glue and clamp your wood to make a beam.
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I haven't talked to any engineers yet - any size wood is available in these woods that i haven't heard of ;
Black Chuglam, Thingam, Pyinma, Koko, Mohwa, Gurjan, Badam, White Chuglam, Lachini, Red Bomwe, Posa
the design needs to be strong to meet with monsoon winds ..
thanks for your replies
Black Chuglam, Thingam, Pyinma, Koko, Mohwa, Gurjan, Badam, White Chuglam, Lachini, Red Bomwe, Posa
the design needs to be strong to meet with monsoon winds ..
thanks for your replies
#8
Member
LOL, that list certainly tells me I'm out of the advice group, never heard of them. And that points to the need for local guidance. They would not only know the local materials but the local load requirements. Even a good architect could probably specify what you need.
Enjoy
Bud
Enjoy
Bud
#9
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Watch some videos on how to build curved stair railings. This will give you the basics for laminating a curved beam using thin boards bent and glued together,
Overall length of beams needed might be helpful for us to visualize the scope of the project.
Overall length of beams needed might be helpful for us to visualize the scope of the project.
#11
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Also read up on boat building where gluing multiple pieces of wood together into complex shapes is common. 10+ years ago I made some large curved beams and it was amazingly simple and didn't require any specialized tooling. The biggest thing is the form to set the shape you want and a method for clamping the wood in place until the glue dries.