posted
I have and application where I would like to bend a 6 foot piece of HDU in a 1 foot plus concave. Will the material take the bend stress better if heated? It is going to fit in a curved rock wall which will be concaved only horizontally. I sure don't want to snap it.......Bronzeo
------------------ Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com bronzeo@prodigy.net http://www.imagemakerart.com
Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
Hey, Jack..........our experience is that it's ability to bend is minimal. Particularly a 1" thick 6' length in such a radius. I know the thinner stuff in lighter weights bends to some extent, but heat will make no difference whatsoever.
------------------ St.Marie Graphics & Makin' Tracks Sound Studio Kalispell, Montana stmariegraphics@centurytel.net http://www.stmariegraphics.com 800 735-8026 We're chiseling every day of the week! :^)
posted
I just did a couple of signs where they wanted a 2" x 3" cap on top of a 14' panel that curved up about 3 feet. My first thought was HDU but could not get it to bend enough. I used the cheap insulation foam and fiberglassed over it. If it wont show you can cut some kerfs in the back to make it more flexible but that stuffs perty spendy to play with. Dont know if your looking for thickness but Dibond or Aluminum would be ideal for that.
------------------ Brian Stoddard Expressions Signs A few puddles east of Seattle
Posts: 790 | From: Redmond, WA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Why not buy two sheets of 3/4" HDU, do a kerf cut, and then glue the two pieces together at the proper radius? That's how I do it.
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posted
Laminated wood will bend if you wet one side and use something in the middle to raise it up and bags of sand on the ends. But if you are going to bend horizontally rip your boards at an angle, then when you laminate they will curve, then sanding will smooth out the curve
------------------ Robert Thomas Creative Signs In Beautiful Naples, Fl.
[This message has been edited by Robert Thomas (edited October 13, 2000).]
Posts: 965 | From: Bonita Springs, Florida USA | Registered: Feb 2000
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posted
Thanks guys, I forgot to mention that it is to be a carved panel so a lot of the suggestions would not be suitable. Even kerf cutting the back could not be too deep on 3/4, but a couple of them would be more flexible than an inch piece. I have considered, bending a piece as far as it feels safe to and then laminating a thin piece of aluminum to the back and then forcing it a bit further. What do you think of that idea with maybe 3/4 inch? If I could get at least six or eight inches over six feet it would give me the effect that I need.
posted
Yes you can do it we did a 20 x 3 foot sign in 2" Precision board in a semi circle. you must cut slots in the back to about half the depth of the material , BUT and this is important , CUT THE SLOTS AT AN ANGLE OF 45degrees , this then allows the foam to bend but does have the same weak points, like all things do a test piece first Cheers Terry
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Posts: 210 | From: England | Registered: Dec 1999
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posted
Terry, do you actually mean to say that, using this method, you bent it in a perfect circle WITHOUT flat spots?
------------------ St.Marie Graphics & Makin' Tracks Sound Studio Kalispell, Montana stmariegraphics@centurytel.net http://www.stmariegraphics.com 800 735-8026 We're chiseling every day of the week! :^)
posted
I have a friend in the custom yacht buiding business who uses HDU foam extensively and I have seen him create "formed" caps for the edges of curved bulkhead openings. He uses a band saw to cut the foam into about 1/4" or less strips and bends them to the desired shaped, laminating them with epoxy. Very much the same technique as bending and laminating srips of wood.
------------------ Dave Grundy shop#340 AKA "applicator" on mIRC "stickin' sticky stuff to valuable vessels and vehicles!" in Granton, Ontario, Canada 1-519-225-2634 dave.grundy@quadro.net www.quadro.net/~shirley "A PROUD $ supporter of the website"
------------------ St.Marie Graphics & Makin' Tracks Sound Studio Kalispell, Montana stmariegraphics@centurytel.net http://www.stmariegraphics.com 800 735-8026 We're chiseling every day of the week! :^)
1. Use 1/2 inch thick Sign.FoamII. It WILL bend without breaking. If you need to build up thickness, use blocks behind the Sign.FoamII.
2. The other way is to CROSS cut groves in the back of thicker Sign.FoamII about every 3/4 inch. The cross cuts will have to be closer for a tighter bend and further apart for a gentle bend.
Really, I have begun to see the light with Sign.FoamII in regards to thicker not being better. I would rather use 1/2 inch Sign.FoamII over treated wood or alumalite than buying 1.5 inch thick Sign.FoamII.
1. Its way less expensive to build thickness with other substrates. 2. Carving, if done properly, doesn't need to be very deep to be extremely effective. Its an illusion thing. Faux painting the deep areas a shade darker will make it look to be a deeper carving.
Hope this helps!
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Posts: 2883 | From: Bloomington Illinois USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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