[How do I?] Odd-shaped stair treads

Repeating others.

Oak bends well when soaked as does others.

We once made clutch liners for rc helicopters by making thin planks that we soaked then shipped in a mold and they worked better than factory mystery stuff.

Make a fixture from scrap that has matching groove as top and bottom matching sets to hold it in the shape it needs to be.

Make a backer that is simply a board that matches the shape of the back side, cut it so it can rest on the back side and front of it matches the arc and it should go past in both directions.

Start with scrap to determine actual process first.

With radial arm saw and a very sharp and thin blade cut kerf on back side almost completely through.

Get large bucket to soak the kerf area in that can take some heat or get an aquarium heater and set it high as it can go or other method to get water hot.

When it is soaked well it will be like pasta...brittle but sudden flexible.

Get it into the fixture and let it dry for a week.

After it is dry and can be glued work in time bond or glue of choice into the kerf to fill the gaps and make it solid then add in the backer.

Proper glue will hold it and no need for fasteners but they can be added at the solid areas from back side if desired.

Let cure another 2 days.

Now remove from fixture and finish as needed.



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It was not hard for me to do but took outrageous amounts of time! The first step (pic) or hammerhead as I call it has full half rounds on each end. The entire first step frame work is all segmented wood construction. Then I wrapped the bottom riser part with wood veneer. The tread is solid wood. The nosing on the tread is solid wood also, but glued together strips around a mold to form the shape. The feature strip in the floor is also strips of wood glued in a mold to achieve the shape…Dave
stairs.jpg
 
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ProfH said:
Thanks Martin for the explanation! Does kerf cutting imply anything about the bladder thickness or was that bogus info I read?


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Errr I meant blade of course. Thank you autocorrect! Never gets old


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tq60 said:
Repeating others.

Oak bends well when soaked as does others.

We once made clutch liners for rc helicopters by making thin planks that we soaked then shipped in a mold and they worked better than factory mystery stuff.

Make a fixture from scrap that has matching groove as top and bottom matching sets to hold it in the shape it needs to be.

Make a backer that is simply a board that matches the shape of the back side, cut it so it can rest on the back side and front of it matches the arc and it should go past in both directions.

Start with scrap to determine actual process first.

With radial arm saw and a very sharp and thin blade cut kerf on back side almost completely through.

Get large bucket to soak the kerf area in that can take some heat or get an aquarium heater and set it high as it can go or other method to get water hot.

When it is soaked well it will be like pasta...brittle but sudden flexible.

Get it into the fixture and let it dry for a week.

After it is dry and can be glued work in time bond or glue of choice into the kerf to fill the gaps and make it solid then add in the backer.

Proper glue will hold it and no need for fasteners but they can be added at the solid areas from back side if desired.

Let cure another 2 days.

Now remove from fixture and finish as needed.



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Click to expand...

Wow. Thank you! I'm going to try that if anything just because it intrigues me!


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chips&more said:
It was not hard for me to do but took outrageous amounts of time! The first step (pic) or hammerhead as I call it has full half rounds on each end. The entire first step frame work is all segmented wood construction. Then I wrapped the bottom riser part with wood veneer. The tread is solid wood. The nosing on the tread is solid wood also, but glued together strips around a mold to form the shape. The feature strip in the floor is also strips of wood glued in a mold to achieve the shape…Dave
View attachment 232389
Click to expand...

Can you elaborate on how to build such a mold? For the nosing, why use strips instead of one long piece?


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Thin strips when wet warm water helps or steam. The strips can be bent in the arc you choose but by strips your going to make plywood basically , when dried in your jig or mold , coat the insides with wood glue and clamp them up for 24 hrs , clean up the edges and finish and install . Ck YouTube for piano builders or bending wood . It's an ancient way of bending wood. Both ways will work , if your using red oak it may turn black . There must be away unless the cut from solid to do it. Others may be better at describing , the processes.
Right a mold you will need the shape cut out of a piece of wood then you will need blocks of wood screwed to the base in several spots to clamp the strips to with each strip the clamps will be loosened and the strip pressed against the first strip , layering till complete then left in the jig till all the strips dry . It's easier then it sounds . Just need a bunch of clamps. Spring clamps will work on lots of it.
 
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