Bending Oak Beam Live Attempt #3 ⚠️ Glue Lam Danger ⚠️

[carlroge]

Thanks all for joining :)
Do not worry - the usual style of video is going nowhere!
This live format was a one-off to demonstrate a big glue up in real time.

[rjacobsen]

Carl a few things that will help. Thinner strips also start from one end. And have clamps in between every block. I built curved stairs and spiral staircases for a living for 30 years. Another hint is you only need glue on one's side and not to plain the oak strip, the fibers hold it together better

[D-B-Cooper]

Retired shipwright here. You are at the limit of what that size wood will bend. You can use a metal strip on inside and out to help to not get any hard spots and minimize breaking. I have steamed them, clamped them, then let them dry before glue up. You can never have too many clamps. Interesting trick is that it is possible to plane the inside curve on a thickness planer. You can steam seasoned oak but it takes longer.

[edlemay]

Love the content. One observation. Why not make the glue up over several days? Glue up the first two pieces in the morning. Add the third piece in the afternoon. Repeat until you have added all of your layers. That way you are only fighting the tension of one board at a time.

[charlesslack]

Carl you are going about this the correct way to ensure the best outcome for beam strength. We used to make circular staircases and glued the crrcular/spiral stringers and handrails this way, 14 feet long in a vertical spiral. You need more clamps. You should modify your clamps! Remove the piviting red handles and weld a nutin its place. You can now use a impacted gun with a socket to tighten the clamps! It will save you a ton of physical activity and exhaustion. It will also be quicker. You should be using an exterior water proof glue with a longer open time. Decades ago we would use a brown resin glue that we would mix with water, spread with a pant roller, and would give us a 30 minute open time. Once these dry they will be really stable!

Wonderfull job! Cant wait to see the finished project.

[robertmitchell]

Note to self.... next time I am going to do a massive glue up using something with an open time of just ten minutes... I will probably create less stress for myself by also live streaming it to a few thousand people and at the same time answer their questions and talk them through it.
Seems simple enough!
Loving your work!

[bobgrauer]

Carl, I was a cabinet maker for more than 40 years I did what you are doing several times. I used steam to make the oak more flexible. That method stopped my failures. I made a steam chamber out of PVC pipe. I use a new 5 gallon metal gas can as a boiler with a propane burner as a heat source. A flexible radiator hose to the gas can to the steam chamber.

[NigelMarston]

Of course there are different ways to attack this project but you've chosen one and made it work, and it was a great pleasure to watch. Thank you for showing the process to us all.

[ryanbatty]

You’re by far the most likeable creator I regularly watch on here mate! I’m a fellow chippy, absolutely love your pride in the work. Great to see the job done so well by such a top bloke! Keep it up Carl

[sarcasticinfj]

Well, I quit smoking 23 years ago and never before wanted a sigarette as badly as I did watching this video. My nerves! Well done! ❤ from South Africa 🇿🇦

[BrettUssher]

@carlrogers I just started watching this video. You stated three ways to build this arch. I have a fourth. Do exactly what you are doing, but start with just two boards. After the glue dries, glue up and add one more board. This will make clamping much easier and faster. Also, I would soak the boards in water before adding them to the arch. This will reduce cracking and, again, make clamping much easier.

[jeffforbes]

I hear you man. Looking at the other comments I agree that a slower setting glue would have been a good choice. And, I like the idea of a phased glue up with two or three boards at a time. Regardless, the most basic and easy glue ups re stressful even with the best prep and planning.

[davidallen]

Really great video, sorry I couldn't be on for the live stream. About being obsessive, don't worry about the small stuff, show your mistakes, it makes the video more relatable. I think I can say we all love the videos and glad to see your progress.

[Jan-el]

Hi Carl, a couple of suggestions:
- apply the glue in both directions, either using the roller backwards or changing to using your left hand. You are wasting half the time walking back to the same end to start.
- wrap the loose blocks you use on top in plastic so they won't stick to the laminate.
I love the way you work out your own methods for doing things. I also like to do that and although it's not always the best way, at times I have surprised experienced builders with my ideas.
I learn a lot from watching you though my projects are much more modest now (I'm 78). Greetings from Australia - I was fast asleep during your live stream but watched it this morning

[arty]

That live episode was a nice treat, even watching 2 hours after the event.
Your fixture and process look solid. I wonder if a large ratcheting cargo tie-down strap could make any of that easier.
Thank you for having us along for the ride.

[terryowen]

Loved your meticulous preparations and the risk analysis. Perhaps using slightly thinner strips and longer setting glue would help. Has reminded me of my youth helping my father to steam oak ribs and put them into our fishing boat - over sixty years ago. Great video.

[johnpeach]

I’m probably not the first to suggest that two part epoxy has several advantages over other adhesives for curved form laminations such as yours. With a slow hardener the working time is casual compared to the stress of your ten minute wood glue, so way more time to get all your clamps on. There’s no initial tack so things don’t stick together before you want them to. If properly thickened epoxy is gap filling so provides a strong bond even where laminations don’t contact perfectly, and the bond is absolutely waterproof. Once cured there’s no creep, so less spring back. About the only advantage standard wood glue has for your application is not needing to be mixed, but the reduction in stress using epoxy is worth the few extra minutes that requires. Admire your boldness tackling the projects you do - inspiring work!

[stevepacitti]

Hi Carl,

On smaller laminating projects it would be ideal to steam and clamp to the shape that you want, then allow to dry. Almost pre-forming the timber to the desired shape.

You can overcome the Castellations by using wider boards and when the piece is set, run the item through a planer thicknesser to the desired width.

Generally speaking thinner straps are easier to conform to a radius shape. In my experience 5-6mm straps are easier to form, but the downside is more strips mean longer gluing time is required. Only glue one side of each board when sandwiching the pieces together. The wood fibres will lock in the PVA creating a strong bond.

I would have used blocks the width of the timber to also spread the load when clamping.

[carolynewilliams]

Really enjoyed that. Seeing the process in real time brings it home how hard you work. Knew you worked hard, but we actually got to see your struggle too. Being a sufferer of RA myself, feel the pain of what you’re doing. Rest up between. Won’t say pace yourself, there’s no such thing with RA. ❤❤

[Yackhammer]

I've seen the comment to glue in both direction thus saving valuable time. Another huge time saver. Place plastic on the back side of your jig table. Lay all the boards out flat. Glue them all at once. Then all of them at the jig side of table on edge against the blocks. Start clamping from there. You will have the most amount of time to clamp and adjust as needed this way. Also most wood glues use a bit of force to help set them so your 10 minutes might not start as soon as you apply it but rather once you start putting the boards together. No matter how you choose to go about the rest of them excellent work my friend.