3.1g lamination

lamination can be useful to make curved shapes from timber.

the thin layers are glued and bent into shape. when the glue is dry, the layers are fixed together in the bent shape.

timber can be bent a little by steaming it, but laminating can achieve much larger bends. lamination can also greatly increase the strength of material e.g. plywood, lamination is used to increase the strength of wooden beams

• stronger than shaping from natural timber

• bends can be built up from any species of wood

• can incorporate knots, splits

• more efficient use of wood

• less issue with end-grain/short-grain

• formers can be re-used to produce batches

• can only bend in one direction due to grain structure of wood

• strength can vary within the piece

• formers need to be accurate

• formers take a long time to produce

• delamination if poorly glued