Wood Bending: Vacuum Bag or Jig? | Episode 3

Welcome back to the third episode in a new series of videos where I'm designing, prototyping, and fabricating a new multipurpose piece of furniture for my furniture company, Hoek Home.

Episode 3: In this episode, I try the updated jig that I decided to cut in half last week to see if it is any easier to use. I also try a vacuum-forming bag as an alternative to a jig or mold for the first time! Armed with all the knowledge from the past few weeks of trial and error, I created a second jig with some new additions to make it more user-friendly. I am super excited about how this project turns out, and I am excited to see what you guys think of the finished product! Tune in next week to see the first fully functional prototypes.

This series will utilize hand drawing, 3D modeling, CNC cutting, jig making, bent lamination, and many more techniques. Hopefully, we will see what it takes to create a cool piece of furniture together!

If you have any questions, comments, or ideas about anything I'm doing in the video or things you would like to see covered, please leave your comments below, and I'll be happy to answer them as best as possible!

Check out my furniture brand:
YouTube: @hoek

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[ConnorHolland]

The finished pieces look great, looking forward to seeing the chair development also

[Nomadboatbuilding]

I'm a boatbuilder and industrial designer. I often help out some furniture designers find fabrication solutions. This is just a thought, but I wonder if the bag would have a harder time sucking into those edge gaps if the mould were a couple inches wider than the part. And/Or maybe even a sacrificial bendy ply/hdpe layer over top that is a couple inches wider. Following that line of thinking: A clamping caul that has tambour corners. Tacked down with a few screws to the mould below. Gets rid of the tape operation. Work it down with a few small hand clamps. Screw it down. Into the bag. Vacuum does the rest.

[ryanrichards]

Cool stuff. I just started bagging. I skip the plattens and use a breather mesh. I found it helps save the bag from sharp corners and getting sucked in.

[zachsteinstudios]

What type of wood are you using for the lamination? It’s it 3mm ply or individual veneers? And if veneers where do you source them? I can’t find anything construction grade for sale anywhere

[darraghcoghlan]

I, for one, welcome our new vacuum bag overlord

[IanSeckington]

Would the vacuum bag work if you had side pieces attached to the form/buck that extended to the same height as the 'finished' profile (or at least a couple of mm below the finished profile height)? Really interesting experiments, though - reminds me a lot of generic vacuum-forming with heated plastics, and I wonder if there are lessons to be learnt from that field? Including raising the bucks height a bit/creating relief areas/etc. Great food for thought, and thank you for sharing your work in progress!

[niamhcoghlan]

Rip Jig 1 and short but meaningful life!