Update – Miniature Eames Chair

It’s been a while since the original post – HERE – but I have been playing around with the project… unfortunately it hasn’t been going well. The problem (no surprise here) is bending the plywood. It seems that no matter what I do I just cant get it to bend enough to make a mini [...]

Article by Pete
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not to be

It’s been a while since the original post – HERE – but I have been playing around with the project… unfortunately it hasn’t been going well.

The problem (no surprise here) is bending the plywood. It seems that no matter what I do I just cant get it to bend enough to make a mini Eames chair. I can say however that plywood does get quite bendy when soaked in hot water for extended periods, just not bendy enough for this project.

I’ve been using 6mm (1/4”) plywood for these experiments since it’s the thinnest I could find and I really don’t think it’s necessary to go thicker.

My conclusion: Doing this with standard plywood is not a good DIY project unless you have a well equipped workshop. The only way to do this right would be to buy several thinner sheets of veneer and build the chair’s wooden construction layer by layer. This will work, but I haven’t done it yet since I’m short on time, but maybe later.

PS: I’ll take a picture of the plywood… not that there’s much to see.

WHAT TO DO NOW?

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9 Comments

  1. Brian's 2 cents worth... February 15, 2007 | Permalink

    You need to do 2 things.

    You need to get “bending plywood”. It’s 3/8″ thick. You can bend it into circles, etc. Bending Luan or “italian bending plywood” won’t work. You need the thick stuff. All the plys are oriented and the stuff can be bent however you like.

    Next, you need a form to bend it against. Lastly, you need to veneer it with some slightly thicker wood to get it to hold its shape.

  2. Brian's 2 cents worth... February 15, 2007 | Permalink

    Ok…I lied :-)

    They do make stuff that is thinner and bendy. The italian stuff actually will work well.

    Here’s a pic of what it can do:
    http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/ww_tables/article/0,2049,DIY_14446_4131309,00.html

  3. Pete's 2 cents worth... February 15, 2007 | Permalink

    Thanks for the tips. I’m sure that stuff would make all the difference.

    Even though the plywood did get soggy and bendable, it just wasn’t enough.

  4. Brian's 2 cents worth... February 16, 2007 | Permalink

    Ok….from that same show. Here’s a really good example of instructions and what you are trying to do.

    http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/ww_chairs_stools_benches/article/0,2049,DIY_14439_4951056,00.html

  5. Billy's 2 cents worth... April 18, 2007 | Permalink

    I’ve been looking everywhere but can’t seem to find any Italian Bendable Plywood for sale. Does anyone know where to get this stuff? I live in NC, but would be happy to pay for shipping/freight from wherever.

    Thanks.

  6. Pete's 2 cents worth... April 20, 2007 | Permalink

    I wish I could tell you but I don’t know either. Your best bet would be to check out your local Home Depot or lumber yard. Even if they don’t have it, they’ll probably know where you can get it!

    If all else fails, buy a sheet of MDF and make a LOT of cuts (3/4 of the way through) to make it bendable. :)

  7. Lauren's 2 cents worth... May 8, 2008 | Permalink

    Hopefully this post is not too late to be useful :) I’m a Stanford engineering student currently working on a bent plywood furniture project myself and am dealing with some pretty sharp radii. Bendable Italian Poplar has been amazing for me; I got it at Southern Lumber in San Jose, CA http://www.southernlumber.com/ but I bet they ship if you can’t find it elsewhere. It’s pretty expensive- $35.50 for a 1/8″ by 4′ by 8′ sheet- but not as expensive as purchasing enough veneers to stack up to a sturdy thickness. After gluing 4 or 5 together around a form it’s quite sturdy.

    Here’s a good, comprehensive resource regarding bent plywood lamination:
    http://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniquearticle?id=11183

    Good luck with your mini-Eames chair!

  8. steve's 2 cents worth... June 23, 2008 | Permalink

    Can anybody give me advice on laminating my floors quickly? I liked the article on laminating . it was informative

    thanks
    steve

  9. Dave Still's 2 cents worth... October 6, 2008 | Permalink

    Google “Poplar bending plywood.” I found two sources here in southern California in about 20 minutes of looking, and passed over 5 or 6 from other locations in New York, Florida, and other US locations. That’s also how I found this discussion. Good Luck!

 

 

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