After my previous bad gluing experiences with the curved sides, I decided to go back to the clamping drawing board, if you will, and figure out a better approach.  I decided on using the same 1/8″ plywood with a clamping caul glued to each side so that the cauls would not slip, as they would have if I simply used them without the plywood.  I cut the tops off at an angle so that the band clamps would exert more pressure on the outsides and so the regular clamps would not slip off.    Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve decided to go ahead with using the bendable plywood I purchased, mostly because I couldn’t stand being out $50.  The parts I cut off weren’t too bad, and are going to be covered with 3/8″ of baltic birch, so no imperfections should show through.

Please note, what you see below looks like it was easy.  It was not.  That result was achieved after much cursing at the people who designed the band clamps, cursing in general, and telling all of the various clamps what I thought of them.  Read the rest of this entry »

The forms are now assembled – the second one is clamped and drying.  Though now cliche, I would like to point out that if you are ever going to build something out of wood and glue, and you happen to be at the hardware store on a day when clamps are on sale, buy as many as you can afford and then double that number.  You can never have too many clamps.  There, I said it. Read the rest of this entry »