THE ATTACHED PICS ARE IN THE LAST FEW POSTS The bows that came with my kit are for a 32...seems as if its happened b4...i looked at model A ones but i didn't like the hight and "buggy" look much so i thought i'd build my own...started buy building the header as per w/s..and then masked out a rough shape for reference after squaring it up...even made a lil window made a form out of MDF got some 1.5 " oak and ripped up some 1/8 strips buddy who builds canoes lent me his steamer stacked em up paying attn to the grain and then clamped them up next step after will be to laminate the strips over the form w/wood glue the steam lets the fiber bend w/o cracks ... allowing a tight radius for a lower top
Damn, bending wood like that looks like fun. Post up some of the details of the "steamer". How does it work? What is the technique for using it? (is it instantaneous or do you steam for hours/days?)
I've done this with Ash framing for car bodies,I just got a steel pipe and heated the end with a gas burner ring. As long as it was sealed to keep the steam in it worked fine. I learnt how to do it from my Dad who used to repair broken ribs in his wooden boats all the time. Check out some traditional boat building forums for a few good ideas on how it's done.
Not a bad profile but i would have had touch more slope in the back panel . Are you going to put a "gypsy" in the back panel?
Canadians,first learn how to use steam to bend wood,when we learn how to curve the blades on our hockey sticks! LOL Great post, i've thought of building top bows and a top,to turn my coach into an A-400 style body. Thanks for the info.
i decided to do them in two steps , could be done with steaming a solid piece like henry did OR cold laminating the strips when i tried the bend cold, the thin strips wanted to crack. the solid pieces that came with my ebay purchase had unsprung (even though they are the wrong size) i decided on a combination of the two styles
this set up is a simple pipe w/end caps modified to accept a rad hose and hooked up to a 20 gallon barell w/a nipple (hehehe) its simple and could be done with anything that would hold/produce steam...no need to say don't let it pressurize the steam only needs to contact the oak for an hour or so, because it is only 1/8 thick. if it was the 1"+ that henry used then probably 2-3 hrs..
i forgot to mention in the post above that the 20g barrel had a 3/16 plate welded to the bottom to save it from the fire... here is how i stored em glued
cleaned up the edges with the table saw ....both sides check to see if it is straight mark a centerline for the taper and a guide for screw holes later lay out a taper and cut it on the bandsaw or jointer radius the corners mounted both bows on... almost done ,i think i'm gonna make a thicker header
Dammm that is cool......You and Dreadman and the rest of you wood working guys just amaze me....thank you.
thanks guys but after contemplating i decided that it wasn't low enough...i cut 1.5 " from the bottom of the legs 2" chop from store +1.5" off the legs and 3" saved with the custom bows...totals 6.5 inches i am happy with the look now and just need to finish them withn spar varnish and send it to jack for skin jack turned out to be an asshole so i built the skin myself.....if you need these pics feel free to email me and i'll send em to you direct....
Bumping this so bct can put the pics back in. On your roadster top, I believe you used 30/31 top irons on your 28/29 roadster. Correct? If so, can you explain to me your method in making the wooden bows fit? I already figured out the header, that was easy. I have a few ideas kicking around on how to do the 2 bows. I'm just wondering what you did and if you have any pics of them or the process.
the only thing i would have done different now is put more curve in the second (middle) bow ....when you tip it forward it loses some curve...thats the last of the pics i have . i hope they help.
The Jalopy Journal
