# making rounded corners for my wooden box



## boxtalk (Jan 4, 2009)

I'm trying to figure out the best approach for creating rounded corners in wood for a box that I am making out of plywood (design attached). The corners woulb be approx. 3" high and 1/4" thick. Is there a way to heat and bend wood or is there a specific tool I could use to make these? Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks.


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## BHOFM (Oct 14, 2008)

The best way is to make a mold and glue up strips
of wood. You need to figure the radius and how many
strips there will be. To get the angle right on the
edges.

You could make one mold long enough for the whole
thing, fifteen inches or so. Then just cut off the three
inch pieces.

You might find a piece of pvc pipe with the right
curve, remember you need it to be the inside radius.

Cloths pins and rubber bands will hold it together
while the glue sets.

You can sand the corners of the joints to get it nice
and round.

Kind of like building a barrel..


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

If the insides don't need to be rounded you could just round over the outside. I like BHOFM's idea but I think it's easier to steam bend a single thin piece around a cylinder of some sort then cut it to be your corners. Specifically I'd take a 3 or 4" PVC pipe and bend a 13 inch piece of your 1/4" thick wood around that with some straps. Let it sit overnight and it should retain it's shape pretty well. Cut it into 3" sections using a bandsaw and then put it in place just like any other piece you're using. Building a steam box is easy, it just takes a little foam insulation and some duct tape. Build a box with taped corners and foam sides, with a closed end (with foam) and a hinged foam cap at the other end. Put a tube from a teakettle into the box and heat some water in the kettle. Put your wood in the box for a couple minutes (presoaking makes the process work faster and easier) but not more than about 3 or 4 minutes. Remove the wood from the box, using some sort of heat resistant gloves, and bend around your bending jig using some sort of tightening strap. Let it sit overnight and remove the straps. You should have what you need but you might make the radius of the bend a little tighter than you want to account for a bit of "springback" in the wood.


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## justin2009 (Jan 5, 2009)

Come shop for lumber at my local big box. I think they have some cupped yellow pine in that radius.


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## creative novice (Jul 25, 2008)

*yea, they do....*



justin2009 said:


> Come shop for lumber at my local big box. I think they have some cupped yellow pine in that radius.


 
yea they do..they tried to sell it to me ! :laughing:

just love it when i go to a lumber yard and the handler tries to load twisted crap on my truck.....then i usually tell them hu uh... i walk over and check it out myself......guess here in these parts they still think the ladies don't know what is what


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## mjdtexan (Dec 13, 2008)

What do yall use to actually steam the wood with?


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## bradnailer (Nov 11, 2008)

Since the pieces look pretty small, I'd probably take a solid or glued up piece and turn it on a lathe. Then drill out the center and rip it in quarters.


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## Rob (Oct 31, 2006)

Many years ago, I made some "in & out" trays from some plans in Woodsmith. I used box joints and 3/4" oak for the sides.
Basically, make up the box to dimensions, cut out the inside corners with a forstner bit and then rout out the sides with a straight bit along a fence in incremental passes. Sand a corresponding contour on the outside and voila.
I ended up with some great looking boxes that looked like the wood was bent all the way around. I can try to find the issue if you like. I'm sure a miter joint could be used along with a few splines for reinforcement. Don't think plywood would work too well though.


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## BHOFM (Oct 14, 2008)

You know, it is starting to bother me when I take the
time to reply, do some graphics and that is the end
of it. 

Ol' One Post.


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## justin2009 (Jan 5, 2009)

Well, BHOFM, when you're right you're right! The only other way I can think of making the corners that hasn't been mentioned is to laminate a number of layers of think veneers around a mold, but that's complicated, time consuming, perhaps expensive, and needs an oven...


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## mjdtexan (Dec 13, 2008)

BHOFM said:


> You know, it is starting to bother me when I take the
> time to reply, do some graphics and that is the end
> of it.
> 
> Ol' One Post.


The graphic interest me cause I want to make whiskey barrels. I will be honest and say that I dont understand the math it takes to make the angles on each stave to come up with a certain size barrel. I want to make 3 & 5 gallon barrels.

Sorry for the hijack. Thats what got me interested in woodwork to begin with is trying to find someone to teach me to make whiskey barrels. I'd like to age my "corn" in them.


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## draginbyu (Aug 26, 2021)

boxtalk said:


> I'm trying to figure out the best approach for creating rounded corners in wood for a box that I am making out of plywood (design attached). The corners woulb be approx. 3" high and 1/4" thick. Is there a way to heat and bend wood or is there a specific tool I could use to make these? Any suggestions would be appreciated!
> 
> Thanks.


I know this is super old but I wanted this to be an answer in case someone like me stumbles across this in 2-3 years or more.
You can cut the wood for the corners say your radius is 3” from left to right you want to cut the wood from top to bottom 3/4 of the way through the wood and a saw blade between the cuts using a table saw you can make repetitive cuts and when you have enough cuts to cover the 3-4” the wood will bend closing all the gaps from the cuts and be just as strong as ever. So if your box is 3” deep you’re cutting the whole 3” from top to bottom just don’t cut all the way through the wood it’s the same way we do rounded corners in intricate sub boxes in trunks and make wood curve over fender wells and any radius.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

draginbyu said:


> I know this is super old but I wanted this to be an answer in case someone like me stumbles across this in 2-3 years or more.
> You can cut the wood for the corners say your radius is 3” from left to right you want to cut the wood from top to bottom 3/4 of the way through the wood and a saw blade between the cuts using a table saw you can make repetitive cuts and when you have enough cuts to cover the 3-4” the wood will bend closing all the gaps from the cuts and be just as strong as ever. So if your box is 3” deep you’re cutting the whole 3” from top to bottom just don’t cut all the way through the wood it’s the same way we do rounded corners in intricate sub boxes in trunks and make wood curve over fender wells and any radius.


There are several ways I can think of to make a radius corner, and some will depend on the height/width/thickness of the material.
1. Drill out the inside radius with a large Forstner and then saw the outside radius on the bandsaw. That's limited to the thickness you can drill OR the maximum height the bandsaw will cut, however.
2. Laminate thin strips over a form and secure with clamps OR a male/female form with clamping pressure.
3. Use the bandsaw to cut both the inside and outside radius.
4. Kerf the material parallel to the bending radius, fill the kerfs with epoxy and let it cure.
5. Use a cove cutter on the router table or use the table saw at a skewed blade angle to form the inside radius and form the outside radius by hand planing and sanding.
6. Leave the inside corner square and just "round over" the outside radius, not for decorative boxes or trays where the inside will be visible, however.
7. Turn the the inside and outside radii on a piece in the lathe, part it off, and saw it into 4 segments or pieces.


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